The Soccer War

Book Description

Part diary and part reportage, The Soccer War is a remarkable chronicle of war in the late twentieth century. Between 1958 and 1980, working primarily for the Polish Press Agency, Kapuscinski covered twenty-seven revolutions and coups in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Here, with characteristic cogency and emotional immediacy, he recounts the stories behind his official press dispatches—searing firsthand accounts of the frightening, grotesque, and comically absurd aspects of life during war. The Soccer War is a singular work of journalism.

Customer Reviews:

A witness's account of the Cold War.......2006-11-06

It is a striking book. Mr. Kapuscinski is a great writer and the narrative is simply wonderful.

It is a great account of the cold war, as fought in Africa and Latin America.

Elegant, compelling prose.......2006-01-30

Kapuscinski is the master of international journalism. Often he prefaces his accounts by saying something to the affect of, "Everyone told me that trying to get into the Congo was suicide. I had to do it." The result is a perspective that no one else is able to give, a sometimes brutal but eye-opening account of the effects of war.
The best part of The Soccer War to me is Kapuscinski's ability not only to report on war, but to capture the humanity of the people involved. He is in this way an anthropologist as much a journalist. True, this book covers extensive topic matter: Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Algeria, Congo, Burundi, Cyprus, etc, but Kapuscinki's voice is powerful enough to unify these seemingly disparate stories.
If you are curious about world history, if you want a humanistic and first-hand view of events that have shaped our world today, this is your book. There were times when I was literally on the edge of my seat wondering if Kapuscinski would make it out alive. Of course, we know he did because he pubished a book about these experiences.

Visit my blog: http://www.writingup.com/blog/namingame

World View Changing.......2005-11-30

It's almost impossible to process the news with the same perspective after reading this book...what was true in the 60s still rings true today. I picked up this book while simultaneously reading articles in Esquire and The New Yorker about people (Bill Gates, Bill Clinton...) trying to make a difference in Africa. While I was made hopeful by the observations in today's mainstream press, I grew increasingly frustrated when confronted with the dark reality that Kapuscinski exposes.

Mankind kicks endless own goals.......2005-11-04

As somebody who once lived in Honduras before the infamous soccer war of 1969, I long had Kapuscinski's book on my "must read" list. Though I bought it five years ago, I didn't get around to reading it till just now. I'm glad I did. THE SOCCER WAR is another sterling volume from this master of description.

THE SOCCER WAR isn't a book about the absurd war between El Salvador and Honduras, triggered by World Cup qualification matches, but really caused by El Salvador's overpopulation and the subsequent overflow of Salvadorenos into much-emptier Honduras. The war may also be ascribed to the fact that neither country has been able to tame its landowning classes, who continue to this day to run rampant over the poor masses of people. In any case, this war, which happened decades ago, occupies only 30 pages of a 234 page book. The rest of the book contains vignettes from Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Burundi, Algeria, Tanganyika, Syria, Cyprus, and Ethiopia. I think another title would have given readers a better idea of what the book is about. Anyway, I would not say this book is about particular societies or countries, rather it is about the human condition. Kapuscinski, if you have read any of his other (excellent) work, specializes in inserting himself into extreme situations----war, rebellion, conflict, and abnormal behavior. Where the strictures of daily life have fallen down, we find him reporting, usually at considerable risk to his person. He is nearly burned to death in Nigeria, nearly executed in Burundi, nearly lynched in the Congo, nearly blown up in Honduras. In every case, he manages to portray some participants as humane and decent, or as simple people caught up in events beyond their control. He never writes off groups of people as `wild' or `barbarous', but manages to `read' them even as he faces almost certain death. The absurdity of all this violence, the violence that never ends on this planet, comes through loud and clear. Ryszard, you wrote your best, but nobody in charge listened. Readers of the book, however, will come away with a better understanding of human nature and its universal similarity on every continent, among every race and religion. From the stupidity, waste, and blood, we can learn. We just don't.

Ryszard can do Much Better.......2004-04-08

The Soccer Wars is a timeless diary( timeless in the sense that it lacks chronology, not timeless in the sense of transcendance) that bounces from Eastern Europe to West Africa, the Great Lakes region, Central America and through the west back to Poland. Kapuschinski is usually a more thourough analyst and offers insights along the journey.He suggests many times that this is the book "he never got 'round to writing". Unfortunately, the lack of flow, ideas and critical thought makes it a book he shouldn't have written.

Average customer rating:

A myth-buster!
Great book. Engrossing and a quick read

Ajax, the Dutch, the War
Simon Kuper
Manufacturer: Orion mass market paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Netherlands | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0752842749

Book Description

The Dutch club Ajax is the vehicle through which Simon Kuper recounts the stories of both survival and persecution of members of Amsterdam's Jewish population - with almost 80 per cent of Amsterdam's Jewish Corner wiped out in the War, the long-held notion that, by and large, half the Dutch population had some kind of link to the Resistance has, of late, come into question. Simon Kuper explores this issue and looks deeper into the role of football across Europe in the years both preceding and following World War 2.

Customer Reviews:

A myth-buster!.......2006-01-10

Simon Kuper maintains his easy-flowing style and investigative journalism concerning his topic. I was already suspicious about the 'Dutch tolerance', and this book can be read to shatter all there is...
However, this is not really a book on football or Ajax. Yes, Mr. Kuper is the best to connect football and politics but this time there is more politics than soccer. And it seems that the whole book is organized to shatter a myth in which Ajax is a small part... Anyway, I did not feel any regret to read the book, i am just warning you about what to expect...

Great book. Engrossing and a quick read.......2005-07-05

I bought this book while I was in Amsterdam and began and finished the book on the flight home. The book was enlightening, dispelling many myths and opening my eyes to cultural issues in Holland that are hidden to non Dutch speakers.

Average customer rating:

At the Copa (Prose series)
Marisa Labozzetta
Manufacturer: Guernica Editions Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Stay With Me, Lella (Prose Series 54) (Prose Series 54)

ASIN: 1550712594

Book Description

This collection of stories employs humor and poignancy to expose the social and sexual turmoil between modern day men and women. With keen observations of American culture, these tales feature a mother’s sexual legacy that traps her daughter, a restless dentist discovering an unlikely cure to his ailments, a seemingly happily married suburbanite receiving a jolt of sexual panic when visited by a woman selling knives, and a World War II–era couple meeting after 50 years with stunning results. Insightful and moving, the unique voice that unites this collection leaves a lasting impression.

Football and Fascism: The National Game under Mussolini

Average customer rating:

Football and Fascism: The National Game under Mussolini
Simon Martin
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

History of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 1859737056
Release Date: 2004-11-18

Book Description

This is a cultural history of Italian Fascism viewed through the lens of soccer. The 1930s were the zenith of achievement for Italian football--Italy hosted and won the 1934 World Cup and retained the trophy in 1938. At club level, Calcio was reorganized into a national league, after which the first Italian club teams emerged to dominate European competition. It was at this time that Mussolini's party institutionalized soccer as a fascist game. Italian Fascism fully exploited the opportunities football provided to shape public opinion, penetrate daily life, and reinforce conformity. By politicizing the game, Fascism also sought to enhance the regime's international prestige and inculcate nationalist values. Football and Fascism is an original look at the appropriation of sport to serve political ends during a dark period of Italian history.

Hooligan Wars: Causes and Effects of Football Violence (Mainstream Sport)

Average customer rating:

Hooligan Wars: Causes and Effects of Football Violence (Mainstream Sport)

Manufacturer: Mainstream Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Violence in Society | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Sports Psychology | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

Sociology of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1840186704
Release Date: 2002-10-03

Book Description

Whenever football hooliganism breaks out, the government, the football authorities, the police, and journalists are all too ready to offer quick-fix solutions—solutions that rarely consider the underlying causes of the violence. Is it about boys becoming men, racism, and the hatred of all things foreign, or about a defence of territory and national pride? This title looks behind the easy answers by comparing England's fan culture to football supporters' experience in France, Germany, and Holland. The role of fascist groups is investigated, the effect of media coverage of hooliganism is analyzed, and the impact of all-seater stadiums reviewed.

Average customer rating:

Letting numbers ONLY tell the story.
Comprehensive statistical history of a long-forgotten league

The American Soccer League
Colin Jose
Manufacturer: Scarecrow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0810834294

Book Description

Soccer was one of the most popular sports in the United States during the 1920s, often drawing huge crowds in relatively small towns to see the world's best players compete. Documented through thousands of newspaper clippings, hundred of written inquiries, memoirs, and personal accounts, this book faithfully records not only the results, the goalscorers, the lineups of teams that made up the American Soccer League from 1921 to 1931, but uncovers as much information as possible about the teams and players and their unique biographies.

Customer Reviews:

Letting numbers ONLY tell the story........2006-05-21

This meticulously-researched book contains maybe 500 pages of extensive statistics and 20 pages (if that) of narrative text. If you're looking for the written history with analysis, anecdotes, exciting moments re-told, or a personal story of the ASL, this book might not be for you. If you are looking for page after page of player names, exact dates, accurate game results, even goalscorers, than this is a no-brainer must for your collection. A typical entry: p 304 NEWARK AMERICANS 1931 (FALL) Nov 27 v Hakoah Away Loss 2-5 goals by Archie Stark and (?) McCombie. Also includes 17 pages of team photos, newsprint articles, and snapshots. I was looking for the story and not the stats, so I give it a 3. It's not very useful for the casually interested fan of the beautiful game

Comprehensive statistical history of a long-forgotten league.......1998-12-12

This book fills a critical gap in the historic literature of American Soccer, by providing a comprehensive statistical history of the first true major soccer league in this country.The ASL was as powerful as the NFL during the 1920's, but later folded and faded into complete obscurity, for decades existing as little more than rumor. Colin has singlehandedly reconstructed their entire history from box scores and news articles culled from newspaper microfilms.

His reconstruction of a significant part of American soccer history comes at an important time as the professional game enjoys unprecedented growth and new fans are beginning to redisocver the game's long heritage in the United States.

The statistical summaries are thorough, from player stats to linescores, and team histories. The news items and description of league activity is fairly basic but adequate. Most interesting are essays illustrating how the league fit in with the rest of the American soccer landscape of the era, and the extensive records of European stars who were attracted to the league by its generous salaries. There is a nice selection of rarely seen photographs of early players and teams, including Archie Stark, the Boston Wonder Workers and the New York Hakoah All-Stars.

Amazon.com

For a month every four years, millions around the world turn their attention to the World Cup, where the most skillful soccer players proudly represent their countries. Brian Glanville, a sports journalist and soccer commentator, brings his wit and detailed knowledge of the game to The Story of the World Cup, a breezy romp through the competition's history and personalities. Although Glanville is obviously knowledgeable about his subject--from its origins to its politics--he is careful not to patronize his readers. He strolls through the narrative much like a tour guide, pausing here and there to reflect or evangelize on events that would perhaps go unnoticed by the untrained eye. But Glanville never forgets the real stars of this story: the players. Some are names that are recognizable, like Maradona and Pele--whom he follows from beginning to end (and in some cases, sordid end); others are the lesser-known stars, ranging from Beckenbaur and Cruyff to Garincha and Moore. Each team has its own unique story, whether it be the fallen genius of Argentina's Maradona or the perpetual bad luck of the Dutch. There is also a subtle message here: Glanville suggests that soccer return to basics and warns of the dangers of too much glitz and bureaucracy. The Story of the World Cup is both educational and entertaining--one part encyclopedia, one part drama. --Jeremy Storey

Customer Reviews:

GOOD........2006-02-22

Objectivity is absent at times in this very thorough history. He inflates the importance and success of British Footballers. But, since England has never won the European Cup and last won the World Cup in 1966 I guess few readers will find his bias surprising. However, he does have a computer chip Knowledge of the "World's Most Popular Sport." He gives the most detailed accounts of the World Cups of the 1930's and 50's that I have ever come across. In depth analysis , vivid portraits of great players and games are in abundance. The true fan will feel like you have just been at the stadium having viewed a classic match.

Smooth, incisive history.......2003-11-03

Glanville brings wit, humor and a critical eye to his history of the World Cup. More than simply a dry rehash of scores and stats, this book almost has a literary flavor, painting pungent, vivid and memorable portraits of the players and their times.

You get a feel for the drama, the excitement and the raw energy of the World Cup. For example, it is not simply stated that the Brazilians cultivated Mexican fans in 1970, but Glanville adds such memorable lines as "The Brazilians pursued a shrewd policy of 'beads for the natives..'.

Glanville's description of players, even obscure ones, shows dry wit, a keen eye and someone who has done his homework. Most writers would have dashed off a conventional 3-word blurb. Not Glanvile. For example, in describing sturdy Russian sweeper Chesternev(?) Glanville speaks of him "sweeping up diligently in his crouching bird-dog style.." Likewise another player is described not merely as a fast winger but " a strongly-built, moustached, and melancholy figure, with fabled control and finishing power."

And indeed, so he was. You get the sense that this is soccer as it should be played- with supreme confidence and absolute conviction. Despite the literary flavor, this book has meat, solid meat. Who wants a simple rehash of what went down? Glanville begins every chapter with a background to the Cup- the sometimes unsavoury politics and posturing, the jealousies, the disappointments of good players who didn't make the cut. Then he breaks down the detail of the contenders- their strengths and weaknesses. Like I said, this is meaty analysis, not another
rehash of stats we already know.

The viginettes and scenes are amazing, Puskas eating monkey nuts in Chile, grousing about Hungarian football, Pele's audacious attempt to beat Viktor from 50 yards out in 1970, the father of Spanish player DiStefano in 62 flying in with a mysterious "magic linament" to heal his son, the "spontaneous" 1970 Mexican crowd that conveniently and noisly gathered outside the English team's hotel, keeping the players awake all night, before the match with Brazil, the blazing speed and mesmerizing moves of the deformed winger- Garrincha of Brazil, the cheeky "street" caper of Maradona's infamous "Hand of G-d" goal, the brave comebacks of Germany in 1982 and 1986, the redemption of the scandal-smeared Paolo Rossi, and so on.. You almost get the sense of being there on the field.

Those expecting a cheerleading tome for soccer officialdom would do best to look for another book. Glanville is not afraid to expose the seedy side of the game, nor criticize the FIFA bureaucracy, hooligan fans, coaches and abominable refereeing where warranted, nor do the cynical players and tactics escape his censure.

There are some minor quibbles. In his 1966 edition, Glanville correctly describes Brazil's swift right winger Garrincha as a mulatto, but in the 1970 edition, he is transformed into a South American Indian. In fact, Garrincha was part black, and this is confirmed in Joseph Page's book "The Brazilians". Of course with Brazil, racial categories are fuzzy, but Glanville does correctly point out that the introduction of black players in that country transformed the game. Some might object to Glanville even mentioning race, but it is interesting nevertheless to see the width of the Black Disapora, and the increasing blend of cultures in sports, and how sports can, in its own limited way, bring people together. Thanks to Glanvile, these glimpses range from "the Black Diamond" Leonidas of Brazil back in 1938, to the swift black winger Andrade of Uruguay circa 1950, to Gatejens, scorer of the shocking goal that upset England in 1950 (yes, the segregated, Jim Crow US had "colored" players), to the pantherine Eusebio and silky smooth Coluna of Portugal in 1966, to the corruscating Teofilo Cubillas of Peru of 1970, to the powerfully built sweeper, Tresor, of France.

Glanville's book is also invaluable for its many pictures of past players, particularly the older editions. The newer editions chop out a lot of interesting detail- after all the book can only keep expanding as the years pass. But all in all, a must read for every true soccer fan. Something for everyone- the young fan looking for heroes and pictures, the educated dabbler, or the hard-core afficionado.

The World Cup Gospel According to Brian.......2002-02-07

Finally, a literary and creative man writing about soccer! Mr. Glanville's encyclopaedic knowledge of the game and his plethora of behind-the-scene anecdotes make this book deliciously enjoyable. Each World Cup is peppered with authentic style making the reader feel like he is smelling chalupas inside Azteca Stadium or bratwurst in Munich's Olympiastadion. The poetic narrative of legendary games such as 1970's Italy vs West Germany or 1982's West Germany vs France is almost Nobel Prize material.

However, his British twist is conspicuously ubiquitous in the form of inflating paragraphs about obscure Scottish and Welsh footballers that most international soccer hounds don't know or care about... or in lambasting on Maradona time and time again! Objectivity may not be his forte, but Glanville's epic writing of a World Cup history is second to none.

Brilliant.......2002-02-02

Brilliant history of the game. I grab and read anything I can by Brian Glanville. Excellent.

Great descriptions of World Cup Atmosphere.......1999-10-14

Glanville superbly describes the atmosphere and events that made each World Cup unique. This sometimes means being critical of officials, World Cup organizers, and FIFA, but he is fair to all parties involved. Glanville does a great job of relating how outside events effected events on the pitch (such as England being harassed by locals outside their hotel in Mexico in 1970). My only complaint is that in describing games, he often glosses over the final result or score, or frames the paragraphs so that the outcome of the game is lost in a sea of descriptions. I often had to consult the scores at the end of each chapter to be sure exactly who had come out on top of some of the first round matches. But overall, this book captures the excitement of the world's greatest sporting event.

Average customer rating:

12-0 to the Arsenal
Graham Weaver
Manufacturer: Mainstream Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books

Australia 1922-1998 (The International Line-ups and Statistics Series)

Average customer rating:

Australia 1922-1998 (The International Line-ups and Statistics Series)
John Punshon , and John Robinson
Manufacturer: Soccer Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1862230226

Average customer rating:

Big Match Manager
Tom Sheldon
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This interactive football game book allows young readers to play out matches using the simple and addictive game format, and at the same time using cunning to piece together clues to find out who is trying to ruin the club's chances of winning the European Cup. Two challenges lie ahead: it's down to the reader's match-playing skill to ensure Hardwick City are in with a chance to win the prestigious cup. And if that isn't a big enough job, four of your players have tested positive for a banned substance. They swear their innocence–do you believe them? If they are telling the truth, then someone set them up. Who might have it in for Hardwick City? How far will they go to ruin your club's reputation and your chance of winning the cup? Readers must use all their skill and smarts to achieve Cup victory, to expose the true villains and save the club. This is brillant fun for all budding football stars, with a great and pacy mystery to solve.

Book Description

In this lighthearted memoir, the author, her husband and children move to a remote mining camp in Africa, where a pet mongoose shares their mud house. Their true adventures are told with humor, as they triumph over snakes, insects, malaria and world travel.

Customer Reviews:

Travel book is a cross between Gerald Durrell and Jean Kerr.......1999-06-04

Think of a cross between Gerald Durrell's adventures collecting animals in the Africa of the '50s and 60's and Jean Kerr's adventures raising children in suburbia, and you'll have a sense of Sue Spencer's delightful memoir.

A great read!.......1999-05-27

Imagine a family of five dealing with bugs,flies,no t.v., no mail, just a mud hut. with a mongoose. What a great lady. What a super book.

Amusing, delightful and enthralling.......1999-05-22

More Creeks kept me laughing, enjoying the adventure, wisdom and wit of an authoress who could only be an Alabamian.

Fun reading -- delectable mix of humor and world travel.......1999-05-19

Sue Spencer's stories about her unusual family's adventures around the world are spiced with irrepressible humor and candor. This is an entertaining trek from Florida swampland to the African bush and the Australian outback. The author is a good storyteller, and her book reveals a a wry, delightful outlook on life -- anywhere.

Unlikely But True.......1999-05-18

What a great story!!! What a witty writer !!! Could have only happened in the fifties,sixties, and seventies from an American perspective. Must read to understand the old world order in a shrinking world.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books