Cronky Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I read Fever Pitch on my honeymoon this Summer and it was a decent enough read as others mentioned. I would love it if there was something like this book from a Newcastle point of view.....ahem aspiring writers out there reading this space. I've thought of having a crack myself, but the trouble is Nick Hornby brought it off so well that all I felt I'd end up with is an inferior version of his book. Hornby's book manages to be of interest to all fans, and not just Gooners, because he's able to stand back and look at things objectively as well as communicate the passion of the fan. The subsequent attempts at emulating him that I've seen have failed because the author is too wrapped up in all the fantasies and cliches which go with following a particular side. It ends up being of no interest to other supporters, and of limited interest to your own fans because you're only saying what they know already. Hornby also has an interesting personal story to tell about growing up and maturing, and football's role in warping that process. That adds another dimension to the book, and I think it actually makes it accessible to people who don't particularly follow the game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 This isn't a brilliant piece of literature or anything. But for someone like me, who takes an active interest in football history, I really enjoyed it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-White-Daft-Following-Newcastle/dp/0956441009/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319355606&sr=1-16 Likewise for someone like my dad who was standing on the terraces around that time. He really enjoyed it too. There's also a full chapter dedicated to Mick & madras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ObiChrisKenobi Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Guy called Billy Furious, writes for The Mag, who writes about Newcastle United. Suppose to be good, wife recommended him, but only because he's the husband of someone she worked with. http://billyfurious.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Guy called Billy Furious, writes for The Mag, who writes about Newcastle United. Suppose to be good, wife recommended him, but only because he's the husband of someone she worked with. http://billyfurious.com/ His books are really good reads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ObiChrisKenobi Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Just had a quick read of his blog, which seems decent. Might ask Santa for one of his books. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NewBoyPeetah Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I've read Brilliant Oranje and I really liked it. Read two of the Billy Furious books and they're ok. The Meaning of Cantona is my favourite football book but I don't know if that's available in ebook format. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I've read Brilliant Oranje and I really liked it. Read two of the Billy Furious books and they're ok. The Meaning of Cantona is my favourite football book but I don't know if that's available in ebook format. Do you run like a cheetah? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ObiChrisKenobi Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leazes.ender Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Not that long ago a book called Left foot in the grave was written by a so called journeyman footballer called Gary Nelson. This is a real autobiography by a real footballer and a real insight into how it used to work and how it still works for the majority. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Left-Foot-Grave-Garry-Nelson/dp/0002187744 Geordie Passion is quite a Toon version of Fever Pitch (which is a must ready regardless of which team you support) written by Mark Hannen in the mid-90s. Mark works in the Toon press office now. Another good one is Season in the sun by a Rochdale fan Mark Hodgkinson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Jonathan Wilson - Inverting the Pyramid Shortlisted for the 2008 William Hill Sports Book of the Year award, Wilson documents the evolution of football tactics and formations from the sport's foundations to the modern 4-5-1 formation and its variants. Along the way Wilson explains the evolution and rationale behind the Italian Catenaccio style, Dutch Total football, the individual skills of South American football players, and the tactical innovations within the Soviet Union. Wilson repeatedly suggests that the failure to innovate tactically has played a role in the under-achievement of recent English international teams, who have struggled in recent competitions despite the presence of numerous exceptionally talented players. Just finished reading this. Outstanding stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphrodite Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 The Far Corner by Harry Pearson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGuv Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Jonathan Wilson - Inverting the Pyramid Shortlisted for the 2008 William Hill Sports Book of the Year award, Wilson documents the evolution of football tactics and formations from the sport's foundations to the modern 4-5-1 formation and its variants. Along the way Wilson explains the evolution and rationale behind the Italian Catenaccio style, Dutch Total football, the individual skills of South American football players, and the tactical innovations within the Soviet Union. Wilson repeatedly suggests that the failure to innovate tactically has played a role in the under-achievement of recent English international teams, who have struggled in recent competitions despite the presence of numerous exceptionally talented players. Just finished reading this. Outstanding stuff. It's always weird seeing Gupter quoted now, seeing as he's been off for a year now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenBartonCentrePartin Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Steve Wraith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Dude on the left looks like a photoshop of Ashley and Llambias Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 All those fucking hooligan books, what a load of cunts, really. I totally understand the role of hooligan culture in English football, i was around and doing away matches in the 80s, you can't do that and not get it, but really, they're just a bunch of people who really, really need to grow up. These hagiographies are pathetic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 All those fucking hooligan books, what a load of cunts, really. I totally understand the role of hooligan culture in English football, i was around and doing away matches in the 80s, you can't do that and not get it, but really, they're just a bunch of people who really, really need to grow up. These hagiographies are pathetic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 A Life Too Short - The Tragedy of Robert Enke is easily the most touching football book I have ever read. It's a beautifully sad book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crumpy Gunt Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Steve Wraith on a fb thread I just read, Steve Wraith I'm no hooligan but these lads make you proud to be a geordie when you hear there tales...its a social and historical document...next step is the film script Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-more Mag Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I thought Among the Thugs was really good. By no means a hagiography. But, then again, I'm an American who has had no experience with football hooliganism, so I'm not sure how it would read to most folks on here. http://i.imgur.com/X7ek5fN.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza ladra Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Among the Thugs is the only "hooligan book" I've ever read. Probably the only one published in the US. Thought it was decent enough. Edit: Checked up on reviews in Amazon and saw this one star review: Bill Buford makes a laughable attempt to write a hooligan book. I thought this book was terrible. I wanted to read about hooligans, instead I read about his philosophical ideas on crowds and people. What a joke! A waste of money, I recommending not buying this book. I guess it's not a hooligan book after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peder75 Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Soccer in sun and shadow by Eduardo Galeano is a bit different for a football book, but really good. Couldn't put it down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 A Life Too Short - The Tragedy of Robert Enke is easily the most touching football book I have ever read. It's a beautifully sad book. seconded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 A Life Too Short - The Tragedy of Robert Enke is easily the most touching football book I have ever read. It's a beautifully sad book. It is a very sad book - it was strange as you obviously knew what was going to happen, but it was still a shock when it does actually happen. If that makes any sense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ujpest doza Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Among the Thugs is the only "hooligan book" I've ever read. Probably the only one published in the US. Thought it was decent enough. Edit: Checked up on reviews in Amazon and saw this one star review: Bill Buford makes a laughable attempt to write a hooligan book. I thought this book was terrible. I wanted to read about hooligans, instead I read about his philosophical ideas on crowds and people. What a joke! A waste of money, I recommending not buying this book. I guess it's not a hooligan book after all. i've read it and thought it was okay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I thought Among the Thugs was really good. By no means a hagiography. But, then again, I'm an American who has had no experience with football hooliganism, so I'm not sure how it would read to most folks on here. http://i.imgur.com/X7ek5fN.jpg That's different, as the author is a writer who spent time with the hooligans to write the book, rather than hooligans writing books about how they "ran" West Ham in the 1980s or whatever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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