A review by julinino19
Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
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.