About the book: 2010 / I. I. Kurinnoy’s new book - “Games pleasing to the gods” is devoted to the very current issue of origin, history and role in the company of the famous Olympic Games. They have attracted everyone's attention in recent years, and in our country this interest is further fueled by the fact that in 2014 the Olympic Games will be held in Russia, in Sochi. It seems that everything is known about the Olympic Games. Many books have been written, including historical ones. However, as I. I. Kurinnoy discovered, there is a huge gap in our knowledge about the Games. And not only in the field of the “ancient” history of their origin, but also with regard to the 19th – 20th centuries and our present time. The author uses unique archival materials for research, making it possible to understand that for many years society has been indoctrinated with a highly distorted version of the history of the establishment and development of the Olympic Games. The book is read in one breath and will not leave anyone indifferent. Along with the depth of scientific analysis, it is worth noting the excellent and figurative language of the author. The book is interesting not only to sports fans, but also to anyone interested in history, who wants to understand the origins of modern ideas about the Olympic Games and what they really are today. Even down to why they have been fighting doping for so many years and so unsuccessfully and “who needs it.” The book is intended for a wide range of readers, primarily young people. Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professor at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences A. T. Fomenko