Fever Pitch

I don't really know what I expected, but Fever Pitch is, despite the critical acclaim, just a bloke talking about football for 250 pages. It's not a rom-com like the film (the good one with Colin Firth and a screenplay by Hornby) and though I am a football fan (Manchester United, since you ask) I got a bit tired of hearing about what Arsenal were like in the Eighties. Author Nick Hornby also comes across at times as a rather selfish and unlikeable person; football comes before friends and family for him and, at one point, he says that if Arsenal had won the League or the Cup in 1985/86, it would have put his sadness over the Heysel disaster into some kind of perspective" (pg. 157). Also, consider this following passage, in which Hornby show more is facing up to missing a cup game: "... the girl I was living with took me to Paris for the weekend as a Christmas present. When I saw the date on the tickets, I was unable, shamingly, to hide my disappointment, and she was understandably hurt." (pg. 149). Especially in a book which was already struggling to get me onside, such comments and admissions are damaging.

The book is quite well-written with some good passages (the bit on Brazil in 1970 on pages 36-8 was interesting), and provides a decent insight into a pre-Hillsborough and pre-Sky Sports football culture which has all but gone. But most of Hornby's footballing insights will already have crossed the minds of those readers who are football fans, making it a rather unnecessary endeavour (though still an agreeable one). And if you're not already a fan, why would you be reading what is, when it really comes down to it, just a football book?" show less

„Unalmas focira panaszkodni egy kicsit olyan, mint felpanaszolni, hogy miért végződik olyan szomorúan a Lear király…”

Ez a könyv, azon túl, hogy
a.) sporttörténet, ami felvázolja a brit szurkolói szubkultúra változásait a romantikus hatvanas évektől egészen a profitorientált kilencvenes évekig
b.) mentálhigiéniai olvasókönyv, melyben a szerző gyomorba markoló őszinteséggel vall függőségéről és a pszichopatológia határait feszegető lelki jelenségeiről,
mindenekelőtt egy
c.) atipikus love story, amiben főhősünk gyerekként beleszeret valakibe, és ez a szerelem egész életének csontos váza lesz. A baj csak az, hogy a szerető egy méhkirálynő, aki maga köré gyűjti a férfiakat, elvárja show more tőlük, hogy pénzt és időt pazaroljanak rá, de cserébe nem ad nekik semmit. Hitegeti szegényeket. Úgy csinál, mintha most aztán tényleg, de tényleg boldoggá tenné őket, de aztán fityiszt mutat: a sorsdöntő bajnokin összeomlik, kilátástalan és nézhetetlen focival kikap egy – nullra a kiesőjelölt ellen. Vagy a kupadöntőn 88 percig szemet gyönyörködtetően játszik, aztán az égbe bombáz egy tizenegyest, majd a kapusunk is lepkézik, és a szurkolók máris a depresszió ködtől nyálkás szakadékában találják magukat. Tizenhét évente azért eljuttat minket az extázis legmagasabb fokára, amikor egy ballábas kapáslövéssel bebiztosítja a bajnoki győzelmet, de ezt is csak azért csinálja, hogy a köztes tizenhét évben nyugodtan szívathasson minket. Ez a méhkirálynő a fociklub, aki meg sem érdemel minket, de mi mégis rajongunk érte.

Mint minden jó focikönyv, ez is sokkal több, mint focikönyv. show less

You wrote: As an Arsenal fan myself, I'm bound to be biased but Hornby writes with such an extraneous topic coverage that it becomes a book filled with stories and anecdotes that certainly any bloke would laugh with. Covering events such as the Hillsborough disaster with such compassion and delicacy which equal the joy and excitement of Anfield '89, every page is brought to life through his own storytelling. I loved it but the film was crap in comparison. Stick with this one and you won't regret it.

Hornby writes a memoir of his life through the prism of his fandom of the Arsenal football club. Each entry starts with a particular football match but spins out from there to include details of Hornby's life, family, career, and how the fate of his team reflects the ebb and flow of his life. It's a great personal analysis of fandom, sports obsession, and group identity. If you've seen either of the films supposedly based on this book keep in mind that this is a memoir not a novel and there is no "love triangle" element in which a man is caught between the sport and a woman.

Even though this book has been adapted into two different movies that make it out as a love triangle among man, woman, and the sport he's obsessed with, this book is show more not a novel. It's a memoir about soccer in the same way that Rocky is about boxing or Jaws is about a shark. Hornby uses memories of his beloved Gunners matches as a launching point to tell stories of his life, his obsession, and worldview. He also examines English culture and sporting life as it changes over the course of his life. A funny and insightful memoirs, this book is NOT just for sports' fans. show less

I pretty much hate all forms of football. The fact that I read a book about football (to the British, that is: the rest of the world calls it soccer) from cover to cover, smirking, chuckling and at times laughing out loud, attests, once again, to the talent of Nick Hornby as a wordsmith. This book is witty and clever, incredibly insightful about obsession and definitely worth a read!

C'est là depuis toujours, il faut que ça sorte.' Celui qui parle est au lit avec sa femme. On s'attend à quelque révélation sentimentale ou sexuelle ! Il continue : 'Je vois Limpar qui feint d'alerter Gillespie, lequel fait écran, faute du défenseur ! Penalty ! Dixon marque. 2 à 0'... Le match est lancé. Sa femme le secoue : 'À quoi penses-tu, chéri ?' Pas d'autre alternative alors que de mentir. Parce que pour un obsédé du foot, avouer la vérité peut entraîner l'exclusion immédiate. Pour Nick Hornby, l'obsession a commencé alors qu'il était enfant, fils de divorcés et en quête de repères affectifs. Son père l'emmène voir le club d'Arsenal dans le nord de Londres et il découvre les matchs grandioses ou show more soporifiques, l'ambiance des stades mais aussi la futilité des supporters ou des joueurs. Derrière le récit de sa fertile imagination sportive, se dessine alors une autobiographie d'une grande originalité. La rupture familiale et les vides comblés par le foot, et plus tard, comment on devient écrivain malgré ou à cause de cette occupation monomaniaque, s'en excuser et en rire. Au-delà de quelques longueurs narratives, Carton jaune est un récit plein d'humour dont la lucidité et le sens de l'autodérision ne peuvent laisser indifférent... même les plus allergiques au football. Belle victoire. --Stellio Paris show less

A must read for anyone with an obsession. Hornby's? Arsenal football. Reading about his life at (and thinking about) the pitch should resonate with anyone with an equal, though different, obsession (sports or otherwise).

For those Tull fanatics, substitute albums, group members, concerts, pre- and post-concert gatherings and sightings for championships, players, matches, and pub discussions. In doing so, it may be a frightening self revelation. The extent to which obsessive behavior melds into daily life is eye opening. The mention of a memorable lyric to someone here. ("It's only the giving that makes you what you are.") The humming of a favorite tune there. (For a Thousand Mothers in my case.) The proud exclamation of history show more witnessed. ("I saw Tull perform A Passion Play in its entirety!") The demonstration of years of devotion. ("When I first saw them play, Clive and Glenn were still in the group.") The glory. ("I still have my copy of Rolling Stone that featured Ian on the cover.") The agony. ("I was devastated when Ian released Walk Into Light. Where was the acoustic guitar? What was with all that Vettese keyboard crap?") It all sounds a bit like Hornby and his mention of big wins, devastating losses, and total domination of his life by Arsenal football.

Hornby writes with such wit, such self deprecating humor, and yet, with an insight that leaves an impact. Fever Pitch provided a quick and enjoyable read. Highly recommended. show less