Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16308 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

THE TIMES
'With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game'

Review
'With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game' (THE TIMES )

'Enlightening' (THE SCOTSMAN )

WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY
'Jonathan Wilson brilliantly plugs the gaps in our knowledge...an observant and witty guide to life in Eastern Europe.'

Customer Reviews

dry and humourless
Thorough but written entirely without humour. Doesn't make any contact with the places he is writing about. Disappointing...

Converted!
I have to admit the idea of reading a sports book doesn't fill me with boundless enthusiasm, particularly one subtitled `Travels in Eastern European Football' but having read so many exuberant reviews I decided to fight my prejudices and give it a go. Imagine my surprise to find that it really is a terrific book! Funny, warm and intelligently written.

Although I didn't read it for the sport (although I have it on good authority that it's pretty damn important) it was the combination of social history, travelogue and wry humour that completely won me over. What did surprise me was that I also came away feeling considerably more knowledgeable and actually enthusiastic about football, and also with a real hankering to explore Eastern Europe. What better testament is there than the conversion of a sceptic!

An Excellent Read
This is a well researched, very interesting account of football in many Eastern European countries. Each chapter is well worth reading and personally, I have learnt a great deal about football in countries which get 1 or 2 lines a year in the British sporting press.