The Ration Book Olympics

Starting out in the 1948 velodrome grandstand, the BBC's Clare Balding dives into the archives for a look back at the first post-WWII Olympics in London. Bits of original radio coverage and interviews with the people involved--including athlete Roger Bannister--help portray the event. Among the more entertaining segments is the 1948 BBC commentators' guide to courtesy and impartiality. British winners are covered, but the emphasis is on the austere times and the modest preparations rather than on sports. It's short--about an hour--but it packs a lot of information. Listeners who aren't yet satiated by the 2012 London coverage will enjoy this documentary, originally broadcast on BBC radio. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine