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TIME TO TAKE IT EASY?
With the midweek games having come to an end, maybe a few of you are looking for something sporting to read.
I just finished reading The World is a Ball by John Doyle, a Canadian with Irish parents. It is his take on the World Cup and Euro Championships of the last ten years or so.
But don't expect a kick by kick account. This is more to do with the fans and the atmosphere as this enthusiast, who suffered from the effects of the infamous "ban", before going to the melting pot that is Toronto, criss-crosses the world, often at his own expense, to bring you the story behind the big games and also the small games and including quite a few Irish adventures.
It is published in Ireland by Transworld Ireland and the cost on the cover is £12.99 sterling. You can save yourself a few bob though by picking it up, as I did, at your local branch of the City Library. Perhaps the County Library has it as well. It is worth a read. (be sure and read comments below)
Comments
Thanks so much for mentioning my book, The World Is A Ball: The Joy, Madness & Meaning of Football. The book was a national bestseller in Canada & has been published in several countries now. It does indeed have a distinctly Irish angle. There was very thoughtful review in The Irish Times in June:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0607/1224272003285.html
Appreciate you drawing attention to it. Up Cork./jd
John
ReplyDeleteExcellent book - well done. My own early days were similar: hiding in the back of van because of the ban, getting a half-day cancelled in boarding school when the bishop saw us (four or five, at end of term) playing soccer on the GAA field.
Billy