Lift: Fitness Culture, from Naked Greeks and Acrobats to Jazzercise and Ninja Warriors

Kunitz, editor-in-chief of Modern Painters magazine, carries out an inquiry into the evolution of fitness and gym culture in this illuminating compendium. The author traces the cultural processes that led to current ideas about fitness, discovering along the way its impact on politics and technology. Writing in lucid anecdotal prose, Kunitz is a master at creating a compelling narrative. This book is divided into 10 substantial chapters on foundational topics, which include ancient ideals of the human form and the idea of making art out of one’s own body. Also included is a key segment on the women’s movement, which Kunitz credits as “the first mass culture of fitness”; he details the prominent women who revolted against strictures in the 1960s, such as by entering marathons from which they were barred. As we are guided through this timeline, Kunitz includes his own challenges with fitness along the way, making this a book not just for those interested in the roots of fitness, but for anyone who struggles to live healthily. Agent: Edward Orloff, McCormick & Williams Literary Agency. (July)