Available July 2018

The Tropic of Football

The Long and Perilous Journey of Samoans to the NFL

Reviews & Interviews Public Appearances

Public Appearances


Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures: Made Local
July 26, 6 p.m.

South Wing Reading Room
Carnegie Library Main (Oakland), 2nd Floor
4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15213
Tickets: Free, with registration.
For more information, contact: Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures at 412-622-8866 or info@pittsburghlectures.org


Penguin Bookshop Table Signing with author Rob Ruck, Tropic of Football
Saturday, July 28, 2018 — 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Penguin Bookshop
417 Beaver Street
Sewickley, PA 15143
More info

Tropic of Football book cover

Pre-Order on New Press

Pre-Order on Amazon


Early Praise for The Tropic of Football

“Rob Ruck is arguably the most important sport historian of our time. His books on the African American and Latino roots of baseball have revolutionized our understanding and memory of the national game. Now he turns his brilliant gifts as historian and writer to a small Pacific island and its people, forcing us to rethink what we thought we knew about America’s most popular sport, football.”

—Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship

More Books by Rob Ruck

  • Tropic of Football book cover
  • Raceball book cover
  • Rooney book cover
  • Tropic of Baseball book cover
  • Sandlot book cover
  • Nelson book cover

Films by Rob Ruck