Exploring the story of how the innocent game of Ping Pong evolved into a political phenomenon amid unbelivable political wrangling as you look behind the 'Paddle'.
Ping based on Thelma Hall, an American Ping Pong player
The Book
The 1880s. When it got too cold outside to play lawn tennis, the British upper class brought the game inside, and Table Tennis was born. It was simple: all you needed was a table, a paddle, and a little ball. But in the years that followed, what started as a simple English game spiralled into a global phenomenon…
Ping explores the seemingly innocent game of Ping Pong, where antisemitism and communism were intertwined from its beginnings in the 1880s to the 1970s when the U.S. opened diplomatic relations with China. Ping is a fictionalised account of this time and reveals the politics that ensued and the devastating fallout that followed.
The Authors
Lisa Lucas started writing for Reader’s Digest and freelancing for newspapers. Later, she wrote extensively on issues related to literacy and health. Several years ago, she joined forces with Laurie Stein, an illustrator, and together they have created a number of children's books including Spectacularly Beautiful and When the Earth Shook. Their work has been recognized by The New York Times, The Kirkus Reviews and Indigo with two Heather’s Picks. Over the last few years, Lisa has changed direction and is now focussing on poetry and historical fiction. Her work can be found at lisalucas.ca.
Steve Landsberg, an accomplished, award-winning advertising executive and entrepreneur, is currently Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Human Intelligence (H.I.), a New York City-based marketing firm. Prior to H.I., he co-founded Grok, an Inc. 500 “Fastest Growing Company.” Steve has held executive creative roles at many top global ad agencies leading the work on iconic global brands. A copywriter by trade, Steve has published numerous ad industry articles. Ping is his first published book.
How The Book Came About
Lisa explains, “I was visiting a friend in Arizona who lived in a condominium complex that had a large recreational area with several Ping Pong tables. She told me it was the home of Thelma Thall, a “big deal” in the world of Ping Pong. Having never heard of her, I did some digging and discovered the fascinating underbelly of the game and how Thelma was one of the players who the American government used to help open China to the U.S. in the 1970’s.”
Steve adds, “Lisa asked me to help her develop and expand on the concept. I was intrigued by the idea that Ping Pong not only had two opposing sides, but could be seen from many opposing perspectives, some of them surprisingly sinister. So, we set out to tell the story of the games behind the game.”
RELEASE DATE: 28/11/2024 ISBN: 9781835741016 Price: £8.99