{"product_id":"playing-to-the-end-steve-bialostok-9781496244963","title":"Playing to the End: Elder Black Men, Placemaking, and Dominoes in Denver","description":"In \u003ci\u003ePlaying to the End\u003c\/i\u003e, Steve Bialostok immerses readers in the vibrant world of the card room at Denver's Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center, where a group of older Black men gather to play dominoes, exchange playful banter known as \"talking shit,\" and cultivate a space of belonging. More than just a game, their gatherings are acts of Black placemaking--resisting cultural erasure, gentrification, and societal marginalization while fostering joy, resilience, and community. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Through five years of ethnographic study, Bialostok reveals how these men transform the card room into a sanctuary of identity and defiance, where humor and camaraderie become tools of self-determination. As they navigate the pressures of a changing neighborhood, their interactions affirm the power of play, talk, and collective memory in sustaining Black spaces. \u003ci\u003ePlaying to the End\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling testament to the significance of these gatherings and the ongoing struggle for autonomy, cultural affirmation, and social connection in an inequitable world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Steve Bialostok\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1496244966\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781496244963\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Nebraska Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 252\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Steve Bialostok","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46906788282623,"sku":"9781496244963","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_978d204c-77a6-4c14-8575-592825a44a5a.jpg?v=1748771421","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/playing-to-the-end-steve-bialostok-9781496244963","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}