julinino19's review against another edition
5.0
"I had not expected the violence to be so pleasurable."
Bloody brilliant.
Bill Buford, an American that studied and resided in the U.K., decided one day that he needed to go to an English football game. You can't live in England and never have that experience, can you?
What came after was a journalistic deep dive into the gruesome world of football – specifically its "hooligans" and the overly passionate "firms" that wreak havoc anywhere they can, all in the name of the sport.
Why did I pick this up?
Because I want to read what I have dubbed "footy books," which are essentially books about football, or at least where football plays a major role. This one was highly recommended when I looked up "best books about soccer."
It did not disappoint.
Pros
- Brilliant writing
- Fascinating subject matter
- Crazy, real life accounts of football hooliganism
- Theories are presented and analyzed
Cons
- Probably not for everyone
- Can be very grotesque
It's tough to read sometimes. These men (they all seem to be just men) are insane. They use their obsession with their teams as an excuse to be violent. They loot, they destroy, they punch, they stab, they drink, and even piss everywhere they go on a match day.
Buford vividly describes his encounters, and I was constantly curious to see what conclusions he would come to.
It hurt to see it all take effect on him. Turns out it can be easy to be aggressive for aggressiveness sake after a long day of being around literal deviants.
"Violence is their antisocial kick, their mind-altering experience...I understood this and was convinced by it, but was still not satisfied."
This isn't just a fantastic piece of journalism – this is a brilliant analysis of the sociology behind the "crowd" and the power that lies in numbers.
Buford did his homework, citing several ethical studies that attempt to break down why a crowd has been something to fear since human existence.
"The second principle was the most important: everyone – including the police – is powerless against a large number of people who have decided not to obey any rules. Or put another way: with numbers there are no laws."
Who would like this?
Footy fans. Non-fiction readers. Those interested in social dilemmas.
Bloody brilliant.
Bill Buford, an American that studied and resided in the U.K., decided one day that he needed to go to an English football game. You can't live in England and never have that experience, can you?
What came after was a journalistic deep dive into the gruesome world of football – specifically its "hooligans" and the overly passionate "firms" that wreak havoc anywhere they can, all in the name of the sport.
Why did I pick this up?
Because I want to read what I have dubbed "footy books," which are essentially books about football, or at least where football plays a major role. This one was highly recommended when I looked up "best books about soccer."
It did not disappoint.
Pros
- Brilliant writing
- Fascinating subject matter
- Crazy, real life accounts of football hooliganism
- Theories are presented and analyzed
Cons
- Probably not for everyone
- Can be very grotesque
It's tough to read sometimes. These men (they all seem to be just men) are insane. They use their obsession with their teams as an excuse to be violent. They loot, they destroy, they punch, they stab, they drink, and even piss everywhere they go on a match day.
Buford vividly describes his encounters, and I was constantly curious to see what conclusions he would come to.
It hurt to see it all take effect on him. Turns out it can be easy to be aggressive for aggressiveness sake after a long day of being around literal deviants.
"Violence is their antisocial kick, their mind-altering experience...I understood this and was convinced by it, but was still not satisfied."
This isn't just a fantastic piece of journalism – this is a brilliant analysis of the sociology behind the "crowd" and the power that lies in numbers.
Buford did his homework, citing several ethical studies that attempt to break down why a crowd has been something to fear since human existence.
"The second principle was the most important: everyone – including the police – is powerless against a large number of people who have decided not to obey any rules. Or put another way: with numbers there are no laws."
Who would like this?
Footy fans. Non-fiction readers. Those interested in social dilemmas.
pnsk13's review against another edition
4.0
I thought the book started off better than than it ends. It delves into the fascinating but disturbing world of English soccer hooliganism but the real theme is less about the sport and more about the dynamics of “the crowd.” The journalism was good and the beginning anecdotes were some of the funniest things I’ve ever read. However the humor is overwhelmed by descriptions of violence that become redundant. By the closing chapter my progressively fading interest seemed to directly parallel the author’s own building disillusionment with the material.
minega31's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely electrifying chronicle of the football hooligan culture in England in the 1980's. The author is an American journalist living in England who-despite having no interest in football-decided to embed himself with football hooligans to see how they tick, and the results are very absorbing. Some of the stories covered here are jaw-dropping, and it covers a whole host of subjects: crowd dynamics and mob violence, the role of identity in sub-cultures, racism in England and plenty more. Its beautifully written and very insightful. Essential reading even for non-football fans.
pdmarquart's review against another edition
3.0
First few chapters were great... then it turned into ramblings...
oedipa_maas's review against another edition
5.0
I really didn't know what I was in for; I have only a passing interest in soccer in general, and have spent perhaps a total of two months in England in my whole life, but Buford's episodic narratives are told in such a way that the reader can actually feel the mounting tension, anticipation, and excitement as the scenarios move towards the ecstasy found in the violence of crowds. It never tires or repeats, and by the end the reader can completely understand the author's feelings towards what he's been studying, and the ending is perfectly written.
The best non-fiction book I read this year.
The best non-fiction book I read this year.
rachelol's review against another edition
3.0
Read for history class.
I can't decide between 2.5 and 3 stars.
I really did not like the language Buford used to describe people.
I can't decide between 2.5 and 3 stars.
I really did not like the language Buford used to describe people.
ellimister's review against another edition
2.0
Read by the author and a well done book, I just didn’t care for the content.
juliabway's review against another edition
4.0
I had put this on hold so long ago that I couldn’t remember what exactly it was about. Uh, something about a chef, maybe? Turns out Bill Buford’s OTHER book was about working with the chef Mario Batali, but this one was about English football hooligans.
This is an absolutely shocking read. I can’t tell you how many times I gasped. Anyone who is worried about excessive Anglophilia might want to read this book which gives you a pretty distressing glimpse of the violent, racist, drunken, clannish hooliganism of England. The only thing we have remotely close to this is the college football culture, but I don’t think it’s really in the same league as European football fanaticism. Just a shocking read. I do believe things have improved since this was published in 1990, though.
This is an absolutely shocking read. I can’t tell you how many times I gasped. Anyone who is worried about excessive Anglophilia might want to read this book which gives you a pretty distressing glimpse of the violent, racist, drunken, clannish hooliganism of England. The only thing we have remotely close to this is the college football culture, but I don’t think it’s really in the same league as European football fanaticism. Just a shocking read. I do believe things have improved since this was published in 1990, though.
eely225's review against another edition
5.0
A years-long participatory investigation into the nature of crowd violence, Buford separates himself from other authors by treating football hooliganism less as novel spectacle and more as a reflection of internal bankruptcy of some kind. Although he begins his time with the violent supporters intrigued by them, he eventually is forced to see the whole enterprise as painfully banal. The process by which he goes from wide-eyed novice to battered cynic is compelling to experience with him. He does not create a formula for why it happens, but he is very clear on how. And his attempts to explain it are both compelling and, occasionally, poetic.
More than anything, the book is unique in making clear how the extreme behavior of hooligans is not a strange aberration, rather it is a natural consequence of universal impulses. The reader, like the author, is not exempt from criticism as the thrill of power, violence, and movement carry us along. That I read the book so quickly is a testament, I think, to the twin impulse of exultation and horror that create crowd violence and the culture around it.
Highly recommended and, I think, one that will be hard to forget.
More than anything, the book is unique in making clear how the extreme behavior of hooligans is not a strange aberration, rather it is a natural consequence of universal impulses. The reader, like the author, is not exempt from criticism as the thrill of power, violence, and movement carry us along. That I read the book so quickly is a testament, I think, to the twin impulse of exultation and horror that create crowd violence and the culture around it.
Highly recommended and, I think, one that will be hard to forget.