{"product_id":"9781496244963","title":"Playing to the End","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Playing to the End, 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.   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. Playing to the End 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48036909580340,"sku":"9781496244963","price":74.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/9390\/2132\/files\/9781496244963.jpg?v=1784154552","url":"https:\/\/woodslane.com.au\/products\/9781496244963","provider":"Woodslane","version":"1.0","type":"link"}