The Great G.O.A.T. Debate

This book expands the horizons of teen and pre-teen readers in an exciting and engaging way, by debating the Greatest of All Time in a variety of categories. Topics include the greatest athlete of all time, greatest band, greatest inventor, greatest scientist, greatest writer, greatest sci-fi franchise, and more.

Who is the Greatest Of All Time—the G.O.A.T.? This is the question debated constantly between fans for any number of categories. Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? The greatest band? Video game? Sci-fi movie?

In The Great G.O.A.T. Debate: The Best of the Best in Everything from Sports to Science, award-winning young adult author Paul Volponi explores the “greatest of all time” in over twenty-five different categories. Volponi asks the G.O.A.T. question of writers, superheroes, musicians, philosophers, architects, athletes, and more. Alongside icons such as martial artist Bruce Lee, basketball star Maya Moore, and rapper Jay-Z, readers will also discover the diverse talents of inventor Leonardo da Vinci, the artistry of jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, and the genius of scientist Marie Curie.

Full of facts, trivia, and mini-arguments, The Great G.O.A.T. Debate is sure to expand readers’ horizons and help answer the ultimate question: “Who is the Greatest Of All Time?”

Introduction

Chapter One: Athlete (All Around) – Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias vs. Jim Thorpe

Chapter Two: Band (music) – The Beatles vs. Rolling Stones

Chapter Three: Baseball Player – Babe Ruth vs. Hank Aaron

Chapter Four: Building Designer/Architect – Zaha Hadid vs. Frank Lloyd Wright

Chapter Five: Chess Player – Hou Yifan vs. Gary Kasparov

Chapter Six: Composer – John Williams vs. Ludwig van Beethoven

Chapter Seven: Dancer (Female), Dancer (Male) – Anna Pavlova vs. Janet Jackson, Mikhail Baryshnikov vs. Michael Jackson

Chapter Eight: Electric Guitar Player – Jimi Hendrix vs. B. B. King

Chapter Nine: Hoops Star (Female), Hoops Star (Male) – Maya Moore vs. Anne Meyers, LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan

Chapter Ten: Inventor – Leonardo da Vinci vs. Nikola Tesla

Chapter Eleven: Jazz Soloist – Ella Fitzgerald vs. Miles Davis

Chapter Twelve: Jockey – Angel Cordero Jr. vs. John Velazquez

Chapter Thirteen: Martial Artist – Rickson Gracie vs. Bruce Lee

Chapter Fourteen: Mathematician – Srinivasa Ramanujan vs. Sir Isaac Newton

Chapter Fifteen: MC (Hip-Hop Artist) – Nas vs. Jay Z

Chapter Sixteen: Orator (Public Speaker) – Martin Luther King Jr. vs. Sir Winston Churchill

Chapter Seventeen: Philosopher – Plato vs. Albert Camus

Chapter Eighteen: Quarterback – Joe Montana vs. Tom Brady

Chapter Nineteen: Sci-Fi Franchise – Star Trek vs. Star Wars

Chapter Twenty: Scientist – Marie Curie vs. Albert Einstein

Chapter Twenty-one: Stunt Person – Dar Robinson vs. Jeannie Epper

Chapter Twenty-two: Super Hero Squad – Justice League vs. Avengers

Chapter Twenty-three: TV Moment – Moon Landing vs. Ellen’s Coming-out Episode

Chapter Twenty-four: Video Game – Mario Brothers vs. Pac-Man

Chapter Twenty-five: Villain (Fictional) – Lord Voldemort vs. Joker

Chapter Twenty-six: Wrestler – Mildred Burke vs. Dan Gable

Chapter Twenty-seven: Writer – William Shakespeare vs. Mark Twain