Finalist * PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing "An inventive, fast-paced look at what have become our modern shrines in a sports-obsessed society." --Tom Verducci In this "addictive" ( Publishers Weekly ) romp, intrepid sportswriter Rafi Kohan finagles access to our most beloved fields to find out just what makes them tick: from old-timer Wrigley, creakily adjusting to the twenty-first century, to the oversized monstrosity of Jerry's World in Dallas. Investigating harrowing logistics and deeply ingrained traditions, Kohan employs his infectious "wit and style" ( Christian Science Monitor ) to expose the realities of building and maintaining these commercial cathedrals of sports worship. "Highly compelling" ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review), The Arena is a must-read for superfans, shameless bandwagoners, athletes, groundskeepers, culture junkies, and anyone who's ever headed off eagerly to the ballpark to catch a game.