New School New Books 2024

Full-text Review - Choice - Tuesday, August 1, 2023: In Fit Nation, historian of contemporary politics and culture Petrzela (The New School) details the pitfalls and obsessions people face regarding exercise. Though the positive physical and mental benefits of exercise are well documented elsewhere, Petrzela finds it imperative to also explore how the narrative surrounding exercise changed in recent decades, especially after 9/11, and how current attitudes can err on the side of being compulsive or even obsessive. She follows the trajectory of American exercise awareness starting from the 19th century, discussing a range of phenomena from obsession over cultivating beach bodies to the impact of Title IX, including the impact of "boutique" fitness brands such as Peloton. Petrzela discusses how exercise has become a means for individuals to show status and wealth, problematizing the sociology of fitness because many people also consider lack of exercise a public health issue. This author does an excellent job exploring cultural trends and patterns related to exercise over time, offering insight on how exercise may represent not a health modality for all but instead an exclusive subculture. Petrzela raises interesting questions regarding the negative impacts of exercise behavior on US culture and prompts readers to critically assess what solutions or attitudes might be helpful for the future.