1 comments about Ronaldinho: Football's Flamboyant Maestro.

1. My nephew loved this book! He's a real soccer fan and this was a great addition to his collection!

3 comments about Fowler: My Autobiography.

1. It's an interesting book written together with a ghost writer,but I think it would have been far better without all the effing and blinding which
   if read by youngsters could have a very negative affect.
   
   But as I am a fan of Robbie's and was sorry to see him leave Liverpool F.C. for the first time it still makes interesting reading learning for the first time about the streets of Toxteth and being a working class kid who has made it really good.
   
   I hope he eventually writes a sequel whenever he decides to retire from full time football and believe he has in in him to make a first class coach and manager.



2. Robbie Fowler is the God of Liverpool. Anyone who has watched his goals in a Liverpool jersey will tell you, in an era when you've the enimagtic Eric Cantona, the powerful Alan Shearer and, to a certain extent, a "prolific" Andy Cole ruling the headlines, that Robbie Fowler just happens to have a little more of that midas touch in front of goal.
   
   Being a Liverpool fan and a fond observer of Fowler's goals, I was no doubt devastated when he was shipped out of Anfield almost five years ago. When news of his autobiography were released, I told myself that I'll buy it, regardless whether I'll read it or not. I mean, footballers' autobiographies are usually crap, full of ________ (insert vulgarity) and a glorified excuse to make some money for the subject.
   
   After reading the book over the span of a few hours, it didn't surprise me that Fowler: My Autobiography justifies my perhaps cruel perception. But then again, it also proves to be quite an enjoyable read, because it covers some interesting issues that I'd really like to know about. You know. Houllier. Hoddle. Eileen Drewery (is this how you spell that? I'm sorry I couldn't be bothered to check).
   
   I also particular enjoy the early moments of the book, even if they were rather slow-paced. Fowler (or his ghost writer) attempted to explain his origins, and while I'm not entirely convinced whether he was as ignorant about the on-goings of the Toxteth riots as he claimed, the background to the book was nicely set for a dramatic climb to fame for the striker who was once told he was too small to make it at the highest level.
   
   What I really like about the book is, however, the dry humor that is littered throughout. Fowler was describing his father in a paragraph, and mentioned that the old man was a good-looker. He didn't forget to remind the readers that "that explains his good-looking profile". I know, it's corny, but it's exactly the kind of thing that I'd laugh about, and this book did a lot of that.
   
   Disappointment? The overly "saintly" portrayal of Fowler himself. I do not believe he was a victim of consequences as he so vehemently attempted to drive across, and I find the frequent references to his upbringing a little more than hard to bear after, like, 20 pages. This book also has a fair amount of the swear word that starts with the letter "F", so if you get easily offended of such things, you may get really frustrated.
   
   Still, this book is a light-hearted read if you don't expect anything too serious. Fowler is endearing because, apart from scoring goals (and tons of them), he has a colorful off-the-field life, as well as other non-goals-related on-field antics (snorting celebration, anyone?). I think this book manages to capture these rather well. It'd do well with a more coherent layout though. Some of the events seem to jumble up to fully understand when they really happened.
   
   And, as spooky as this sounds, I was just reading a magazine article about Fowler just the night before I bought this book. The next morning, when I still contemplating whether to sneak out from the office to buy it, I got a call from my mate, telling me that Fowler has rejoined Liverpool from Manchester City on a free.
   
   And so, Fowler has returned to Anfield, which makes this book all the more a considerable purchase for Liverpool fans who never felt that God has left. Now Robbie, please go score some goals!



3. I am a massive fan of Fowler the footballer. His life had all the ingredients for an interesting book: phenomenal talent, early success, hilarious pranks, bastard managers, terrible injuries, bad luck. He also seemed more honest and witty than your average footballer, so I had high expectations from his autobiography, but they were not met.
   
   Unfortunately the book is, simply put, poorly written--which is not his fault I suppose. The tone is annoyingly apologetic, with some justifications (he's just a kid from Toxteth) repeated like mantras every three pages. Also annoyingly, whenever he makes a reference to his past success, which was phenomenal, he sounds defensive and adds that he's not arrogant about it (he's still just a kid from Toxteth). The amateurish mistake of the book is that it tells us how we should feel about him instead of just getting on with telling his story an letting us make up our minds about how to feel about him.
   
   Books of this kind are at their best when they tell behind-the-scenses stories which were previously secret. This book is very thin in this area. Some funny stories about Eriksson and Houlier, the bastard managers from hell as far as Fowler is concerned, provide some color and interest but not enough. The actual stories are few and poorly told, with little in the way of insightful detail. The language lacks verve, except for odd foul words here and there, which seem strident rather than authentic. For authenticity, some self-incrimination on at least some occasions (for example the disgusting incident with LeSaux) would have been useful, but he goes at great lenghts to exculpate himself every single time (he was just a kid from Toxteth, you know).
   
   I am convinced though that his life is a fascinating one and maybe sometimes, after he retires he'll have anohter go at it with a better ghostwriter.

5 comments about The Man Watching: A Biography of Anson Dorrance, the Unlikely Architect of the Greatest College Sports Dynasty Ever.

1. This is one of those books that is hard to put down. It helps to unpack the man 'Anson Dorrance' and the sporting legacy that he developed.



2. This is a good book, and very interesting as a sketch of one of the most (if not the most) successful college sports coaches of all time. The details of his life history and the anecdotes are interesting, and the book goes quickly. It seems, however, that with such an apparently controversial figure that there must be another side to the story. The book glosses over the causes of the lawsuit that was brought against him and ultimately settled, and most of the rest is close to hero-worshipping. If there is another side to the story, a dark side told from the point of view of his detractors, you will not get it from this book.
   I would warn the soccer coaches who buy this book, it is not going to give you much that will help you become a better soccer coach. There are allusions to "the competitve cauldron" and some insight into the record-keeping and practice organization, but if you are buying this book to help you become a better soccer coach you will not get a lot out of it.



3. I've been a college coach my entire life working with male and female athletes at the Division One level. Over a 30 year career I've read many many books on leadership, motivation, management and relationship building. Walk into any book store- there's thousands of them.
   This book stands apart in my mind as one of the best simply because it takes you inside the UNC program that Dorrance built and shares his thoughts, observations, beliefs and practices. What is so powerful about the man and the story is the simple things he values most and how he reinforces them over and over within his teams daily regimen.
   If you coach college sports at any level, this is a valuable read. If you coach female athletes at any level, especially high school or collegiate, this is a must read.
   No two people ever think alike and Anson's style is unique to him. But the lessons that any leader can take from this book will be well worth the time spent. There are certain universal truths that all coaches have to come to grips with if they hope to be successful. It's clear from the beginning to the end of this read, that Anson's ability to grasp these truths and consistently weave them into his daily life lessons to his players is what sets him and the UNC program apart. His style may not appeal to everyone, his approach may not be your cup of tea, but it's hard to read this well written book and not come away with a sense of admiration for way he molds his athletes into champions.
   This book is well worth reading and for anyone in the coaching profession, it will force you to re-evaluate how you approach your mission.



4. As a previous review noted the first half of the book, which dwells on the coaches life, is much more of a "biography" than the second half.
   The second half is more of a description of the "feel" of the UNC program, which based on the writing, seems authentic.
   The programs description doesn't really add much to the biography unless you have an opinion about the UNC program.
   The rituals and idiosyncracies of the program are no more interesting or poignant than any other D1 successful sports program.
   I believe this book, through its many quotes and reprinted letters, gives a sense of what the emotions of college soccer are like for the athletes. As a coach of male and female soccer players, I would recommend it for female players who wonder what college soccer is like. Of course, any fan of the UNC girls program would find this an inspiring read since it holds true to the title and praises the program at length.



5. The biography of Coach Anson Dorrance of UNC should appeal to soccer fans and coaches. As a general biography, I wouldn't recommend it, because the focus is clearly on soccer and not much else outside of the game, the Tar Heels, and Dorrance's personal life and family. The bigger view of the context in the greater world is mostly limited to some general trends, such as the rise of women's sports from virtually nothing to their much stronger state today.
   
   The historical background was easily the most interesting part, and the first half of the book is much stronger than the second. Coach Dorrance's background as a child of the world and an aggressive, competitive youth was surprisingly engaging. Even better was the origin of women's varsity soccer at UNC and elsewhere as women's soccer germinated to a critical mass within American colleges. Similarly, the creation of the women's national team with early stars such as Michelle Akers and its evolution into a dominant power with and without Coach Dorrance was also very informative. Tim Crothers has added a valuable historical record by capturing these stories with factual reporting and extensive interviews.
   
   Coach Dorrance is of course famous for the exceptional success of the program at UNC, and the Heels even won the next national championship after the book was published. The author draws out Dorrance's coaching philosophy, recruiting style, motivational approaches, and other aspects of his personality and performance. The various "aha!" moments where Dorrance learned to appreciate and exploit the differences between men and women have been fodder for stories and lectures for many years, and they make for excellent material and opportunities to compare with our own observations and attitudes.
   
   What got a little tiresome was the volume of material on how competitive Dorrance is and how great Carolina is and how special Carolina is, almost as if other teams don't have their own special bonds among teammates or play with intense effort and dedication. I ended up skimming a bunch of that as too much rah-rah and of little additional value. Fortunately, Crothers added a chapter on Dorrance's "dark side", such as his arrogance. Some juicy, bitchy stories can make up for an excess on the praise side.
   
   Crothers naturally had to cover the lawsuit. Based on the tone of the book, I surmise that the author has put the whole situation in a relatively positive view. Debbie Keller isn't exactly presented as sweetness and light. However, on the contrary side, the author reviews Dorrance's admitted mistakes, his agreement to training, his change in approach, and some remarks by people who were at least neutral on the whole matter. I'm not sure what to think, and the reader can still gather a lot from the biography if the lawsuit is secondary to one's interest in the book.

5 comments about Beckham: My World.

1. Item shipped with other items and book cover was damaged - did not care for this at all but I see it happening more and more - book wasn't even protected in any way from the boxed dvd sets (3) - so picture the damage that was done - will think twice in future.



2. I bought this book for my boyfriend when it first came out. He's obsessed with football and absolutely adores david beckham, so he loved it. All the pictures were great, especially since he's not that into reading. I would definately reccomend this book to parents who have kids who love soccer and hate reading, or just for anyone that likes soccer in general



3. i was so happy when i purchased this book. Infact, i would have paid almost anything for it...could not put it down for 1 second. the text was extremly insightful and what was even better was the added photos...Defintely would reccomend this biography to everyone!!!!!!



4. I have just recently become a daivd beckham fan so i purchased this book and to my surprise it was one of the best biographies i have ever read. David talks about not only his love for his family but his feelings about man. united and england soccer. This is a must buy for all soccer fans!



5. My mother brought me this book in England just recently. I've wanted to have the book since it was first released, but its rather expensive if you buy it in Indonesia.
   I have been an England fan, a Man United fan, and a Beckham since I was in secondary school 8 years ago. I knew Beckham since he was in the youth club. I lived in England at that time.
   I think the book is excellent. The photos are too. I already knew a lot a bout Beckham, but since I read the book, I found out new things that made me respect him even more. He really loves his family and ofcourse football. Hes a real professional! For those of you who are Beckham fans, reading this book is a must! For those who aren't or are even Beckham haters, you'd definitely change your opinion about him. Salute!!

   Alfatih Gesuan Panananjung

3 comments about Fever Pitch.

1. 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!



2. read the first page and you're hooked-a wonderful time.



3. I read this book when living in England - and though I knew little about Arsenal and even less about the games and players Hornby describes - I understood it completely. Its not really a book about Arsenal, or even football per se, but more about the bond with "our" team, and how that is reflected in our other "real world" relationships. No matter where we are or who we are with, the team seems to always be there in the background to bear witness.

   A wonderful read - no matter which team is your obession.

No comments about All the Way Jose: The Inside Story of Chelsea's Greatest Year Ever.

2 comments about Maradona: The Autobiography of Soccer's Greatest and Most Controversial Star.

1. Much like his colorful and controversial life,this autobiography is told with flair, El Diego's unique flair. This book will entertain the soccer fan with soccer stories told in a frank and gritty style. Diego Maradona, arguably one of the best players to ever emerge to the international level, surely one of the most contentious, is honest about his soccer exploits but skirts around some of the controversy surrounding his life. I believe Maradona wanted to highlight his play on the field and leave the controversies behind. He does go into detail about his early life in Argentina,his rise from poverty, playing on the Youth National Squad and the winning of various awards thoughout his career.Included is an assortment of black and white and color photographs. You come away from reading this book knowing there is no doubt that Diego loves Diego; self depricating is nowhere to be found in this book. However, Maradona is quick to blame the powers that be for many of the problems surrounding soccer. He does talk about his infamous goal in the '86 World Cup competition. Possibly one of the most known goals, the one known as the "hand of God" against the English in World Cup 1986, is talked about by El Diego with no regrets. He admits to using his hand and justifies it by saying he would do it again(if he could getaway with it). El Diego throws around the f word freely in the book to further illustrate his devil may care attitude. You get the feeling that Diego is just being Diego. He dedicates about a chapter to each period of his carrer, beginning with his early years with Argentina clubs, most notably Argentina Juniors and the National Side, his stint with Boca Juniors, the frustration of Spain '82(he didn't make the squad), playing for Barcelona FC, his league play in Italy, the glory(depending on your view) of Mexico'86, several('87& '89) Copa America Cups, Italia'90 World Cup, the embarrassment of USA'94(he tested positive)where he was removed from the squad and his farewell tour with Boca in '95&'96. He talks about his enemies and those that he admires with complete honesty; you come away thinking Maradona is misunderstood, that he is just human and subject to making mistakes like anyone else. I only wish he would have been a little more adamant about the evil of drugs and how it ruined him. Granted he admits to his long addiction and says that people should stay away from cocaine but he could have told more about how it screwed him up physically and mentally. There had to have been a book worth of horror stories to tell about his extensive addiction. Nonetheless, this is a good book for the soccer afficionado, about one of soccer's most controversial and loved characters. It was a wild ride and Diego wants you to know that he is El Diego, one of the best players to ever wear the stripe.



2. A clearly established soccer legend, Diego Maradona also excels as a storyteller. Starting out poor in Buenos Aires, Maradona tells of his rise to fame, and all the hardships that come with it. Love him or hate him, this book is honest, and sincere and comes across in the writing.

2 comments about Scoring at Half-Time.

1. This book is not an autobiography but a great look back on the experiences of the late great George Best among others. It was a captivating hilarious read which makes me wish I could have seen him in one of his after hours shows. The book is a show in itself and shows a side of what football (Soccer in N. America) was and still should be really all about...the good times. Sadly George did this to excess and eventually paid the price but then what a life. The stories are not all about George Best but collections of various football lore. Well worth the purchase price.



2. Captivating reading from cover to cover brought back memories of the golden age of football in the 60's and 70's. Great look at the life of one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Fantastic insights into Bestie's life and the life of a professional footballer of the times. Also sheds some interesting and entertaining tidbits on some of the other football stars of the day.

4 comments about Rachel in the World: A Memoir.

1. Again, Jane Berstein has done an incredible job describing the challenges of raising a child with a disability and the struggles of transitioning that child to the adult world. The roadblocks she faced and overcame demonstrate her true love for her daughter and her determination to give Rachel that best possible life despite her disabilities. Thank you Jane for chronicling these challenges so that others may learn from your experience. I have recommended this book to colleagues and other families.



2. I so admire this book and author. There hasn't been enough written about the transition to adulthood for people with cognitive disabilities. Here we get an honest, incredibly well-told story of a complex, ever-shifting mother-daughter relationship. The book has room for ambivalence, contradiction, determination, despair--all of the things that make life, well, life. If, as the parent of a child with a disability, you find yourself stretching to the point of elasticity, giving even beyond the fact of total depletion, and then, the very next moment, wanting more for yourself, not to mention more FROM your child, this book is for you. It's lyrical candor will disarm you exactly as it provides the only solace that is credible.



3. I've long been a fan of Bernstein's work, from her novels to her scorchingly brave memoir about her sister's murder, Bereft. Rachel in the World shows the same kind of bravery. This is no treacly feel-good tome about what it is like to raise a special needs daughter and send her out in the world. Instead, Bernstein shows both her love and her irritation, and her anger at a system that doesn't exactly make it easy to do what is best for Rachel. Beautifully written and filled with photos that are like prose poems.



4. Once again Jane Bernstein has achieved a remarkable portrayal, adeptly balancing her intensely personal feelings with an objective view of Rachel, her mentally retarded daughter (a description Bernstein sometimes finds more appropriate than the more politically correct euphemism of "intellectually impaired"). The Rachel we met as a little girl in Loving Rachel, Bernstein's moving account of discovering her daughter's mental and physical liabilities, has grown into a young adult, craving freedom and independence in the "real world" beyond the safe haven her mother has spent years developing. Bernstein's experience of wading through the labyrinth of "the system" in order to achieve her goal of finding the right living situation for Rachel proves to be confounding and frustrating, and as social services cuts become more frequent, even scary. Add to that Rachel's own conflicted emotions, along with her constant chattering and insatiable demands, and it seems inevitable that Bernstein will succumb to the overwhelming pressures of her role as Rachel's protector and provider, while at the same time trying to maintain her own sanity. But in her own inimical fashion, and written with the honesty that she is famous for, Bernstein proves that she is up to the task, even if at times she doubts her own strength and fortitude. On the surface a story about a young woman facing a life she may not be ready for, Rachel in the World is really about the love of a mother for her daughter. And I can't wait for Rachel to grow older so Bernstein can write the next chapter in their lives.

2 comments about Abramovich.

1. it is sad what has happened to the average russian as far as their living standards and the difficulties...but a select few(the oligarchs) like Abramovich have learned how to exploit the situation...although one oligarch(the richest one) did end up in a russian prison...this book details how abramovich achieved and how he has managed to keep the wealth by being apolitical and staying on good terms with Putin. A very good read.



2. This book is the only bio on the mysterious russian Abramovich. It gives the best glimpse you can get into the man and how he built his empire(although you never exactly get told how). Great read on an impressive figure. I strongly recommend to this read for the ambitious.