Top books on world football?

[gormacha]

I'm reading Englischer Fussball by Rafael Honigstein at the moment, and have just finished the excellent Promised Land about Leeds United. Both are top reads.

I'd like to compile a list of "must reads". Any recommendations? Not so much bare stats books, but those that tell an interesting story or insight into football culture around the world...

[superfrank]

A few older threads here:
http://foot.ie/threads/49195-Best-Football-Book?highlight=books
http://foot.ie/threads/81093-Football-books?highlight=books
http://foot.ie/threads/35332-Football-books-and-documentaries?highlight=books

I stand by any recommendations I made in those threads, particularly Calcio and Futebol.

[sadloserkid]

Haven't looked at the old threads but I'd recommend Simon Kuper's 'Football Against The Enemy' first and foremost. Ronald Reng's 'Keeper of Dreams' is a good autobiography.

[freewheel30]

Anyone read this (http://www.bookshop.kennys.ie/book/UK/9781604860535/Soccer_Vs_The_State) no, out only recently.

[Lim till i die]

Off the top of my head as well as the ones listed above Calcio, Football Dynamo, A Season With Verona, Inverting The Pyramid and Provided You Don't Kiss Me are all well worth a read.

[sadloserkid]

Off the top of my head as well as the ones listed above Calcio, Football Dynamo, A Season With Verona, Inverting The Pyramid and Provided You Don't Kiss Me are all well worth a read.

Love A Season With Verona. Found Inverting The Pyramid a bit tedious though the same guy also wrote... *checks book shelf*... Behind The Curtain which I liked. Simon Kuper's new one (co-written with some other dude) is also very good though there's a lot of stats to digest as well.

[Closed Account 2]

Love A Season With Verona. Found Inverting The Pyramid a bit tedious though the same guy also wrote... *checks book shelf*... Behind The Curtain which I liked. Simon Kuper's new one (co-written with some other dude) is also very good though there's a lot of stats to digest as well.

I agree, it's amazing the same author wrote both books. Behind the curtain was great, each chapter was an interesting read. But Inverting the pyramid, I didn't finish it in the end, it was a like a cross between a maths text book and one of those car handbooks a horrible read imo.

[EAFC_rdfl]

I read Inverting the Pyramid earlier this year, very good read, and I am now half way through Behind the Curtain which has given me a great insight into the mix of football and politics in that part of the world.

Has anyone got Danny Langan's book yet? It's being well PR'ed, but I got stung recently when I bought Louis Saha's book on the back of the lads on Off the Ball raving about it on newstalk. It is utter sh*te in my opinion, Saha blethering on about everything under the sun as though he's an expert and such non-sense. Then throwing in these quotes from his mates like Henry and Evra and the like, and how great they all are blah blah.
So I am looking for an un-biased review on the above before I go buying it?

[cornflakes]

I read Inverting the Pyramid earlier this year, very good read, and I am now half way through Behind the Curtain which has given me a great insight into the mix of football and politics in that part of the world.


I can't comment on Dave Langan's book, but When Friday Comes: Football in the War Zone (http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Friday-Comes-Football-Zone/dp/1845963695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348052951&sr=8-1) by James Montague is a good read.


While religion often violently divides the Middle East, the countries of the world's most explosive region share one thing - a deep and obsessive love of the beautiful game. James Montague travelled there for three years, observing the region's cultures and politics through the prism of football and interviewing all the major teams along the way. He soon realised that to understand the game there is to understand its people. For as much as football forms an unlikely common thread between different countries, the sport also reflects what is unique in the national characters of those who play, support and organise it.

I recommend it to anyone who liked Behind the Curtain.

[Junior]

I've not ready it but Be careful What You Wish For - Simon Jordan got a recommendation the other night on BBC5 Live. Obviously more about the finances side of the game but I quite fancy reading this one whenever I get the chance.....

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/simon+jordan/be+careful+what+you+wish+for/8843011/

Anyone read it?

Surprised by the Saha Book review above. I too listened to that Off The Ball interview and in fairness to the lads, Saha sold it himself. It was a great interview he did, he came across as very intelligent and articulate and definitely gave the impression it would be a book well worth a read. Sucker......:p