“Fever Pitch” by Nick Hornby – $10.88
Top Photo Credit: Ben17_34
“Fever Pitch” by Nick Hornby is, on a basic level, an autobiography and memoir of his life-long obsession with Arsenal, the English Premier League club. Now, I am not a fan of English Football (I am also an American, so from here on out I will be calling it soccer). It’s not that I dislike it, I’ve just never really had the chance to follow it the way I have with, say, the Green Bay Packers, for whom fandom sits like a latent virus in the blood of anyone born in Wisconsin.
Because I knew next to nothing about English soccer, the minutiae that Hornby indulges in sometimes lost me, but overall he uses a light touch. Hornby isn’t recounting plays from forgotten games 20 years ago because he thinks the reader particularly cares. He’s doing it to question why he himself cares so much.
In this way, the book is an analysis of the meaning of sports. Hornby, as he readily admits, is more than just a fan of Arsenal. Cripplingly obsessive might be closer to the mark. He questions this a bit, but doesn’t seem too bothered by it. He looks at what this obsession means to him and what he has gained from it.
Hornby identifies with the ups and downs of Arsenal and this gives a certain structure to his life. As he points out, soccer, like great art, has a way of symbolizing whatever you need it to. There’s a universal quality to following a favored sports team for years and years, and any fan will recognize parts of himself here.
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For a second, I was confused by the sight of my favorite sports team on the front page of Dappered. I will definitely have to make this purchase; thanks for the share!
I just hope there are no T*ttenhum fans on Dappered..
Viva La Arsenal!
Though I support Liverpool, this looks like an interesting read that can be appreciated any devoted fan
good book, but if you haven’t read any Hornby start with High Fidelity
God I hate Arsenal.
This is a fantastic autobio
http://goo.gl/Q7slM
If I could like this comment repeatedly, I would!
If you think Arsenal has ups and downs, be a Spurs fan.
Yea, pratyk, we’re everywhere.
I totally agree. I enjoyed Fever Pitch, but being more of a music nerd High Fidelity definitely struck a chord (geddit?) with me.
Agreed. Although I don’t have a horse in the EPL race Wenger, Thierry Henry, and this book has made Arsenal my least favorite team in England.
Anybody support MLS clubs on Dappered?
The problem with the MLS is the games aren’t good enough. The rest of the world is fortunate that the US has American Football, Basketball and Baseball to take its best athletes otherwise you’d thrash us at football too.
The trouble is that the talent left for the MLS just isn’t good. I’ve been to a few Galaxy games and it’s the equivalent of watching a third division game from back home (the UK).
That said, I love to watch the passion of the fans, and to be involved in any game over here is good. I’m from Newcastle, so I had the NUFC logo tattooed on me at age 3, but I loved ‘Fever Pitch’. Hornby is a great writer.
Oh, and for those of you who haven’t seen it before – here’s the correct names of the games…
http://www.eatliver.com/img/2009/3849.jpg
Wait, so today is opening day for baseball, a true American Gentleman’s sport, and you guys post about soccer?
Sorry sir. Come on You Spurs !
1. No correlation
2. Didn’t they already open in Tokyo last week?
I apologize to Joe, whom I always assumed was a Chelsea supporter, ever since he posted a picture of a pit hairless Frank Lampard.
Nope, I’m not a Chelsea supporter (but boy you’ve been reading for awhile haven’t you.) Haven’t watched EPL in awhile but there was a year or two there where I was keeping track weekly/daily of what the club at White Hart Lane was doing.
English football is nice and all but Spanish football is where it’s at. Spain is the reigning world champion, reigning European champion and Barcelona is the reigning world champ at the club level.
Booo Arsenal.
YNWA
I attend practically every SJ Earthquakes match. It’s definitely had its tough days but the only way, in my eyes, that US will have good soccer is by us supporting MLS which means a lot more money which means a lot of good things. No stopping soccer in the US from here. Call me crazy I guess.
MLS – Philadelphia Union…… FTW
I’m glad there is another person in the Dappered community supporting MLS. I’m a Portland Timbers season ticket holder and have been to every home game since 09 (except for some friendlies and USOC games that conflict with my schedule).
I’m glad there is another person in the Dappered community supporting MLS. I’m a Portland Timbers season ticket holder and have been to every home game since 09 (except for some friendlies and USOC games that conflict with my schedule).
except against Portland.
except against Portland.
Also a great movie, yes, it came out before the jimmy fallon boston redsox fever pitch. and a much better actor in colin firth. Btw Bryce, DOOP!
MLS – Chicago Fire
The Championship – Southampton F.C.
Also, I always wondered how Americans became followers of their respective football club. If it isn’t Manchester United it’s Arsenal; if it isn’t either one it’s Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur; if not any of the above it’s Liverpool. For me, being the “everyone likes that team so I’ll this team” I eyed the team where my aunt lives, so, enter Southampton. Nottingham F.C. (who also competes in Championship) is another team I support if they aren’t going up against Southampton.
I would just like to point out that Joe admitted to a Tottenham persuasion. Your move, Arsenal fans.
The movie adaption with Colin Firth is good too.
While a decent movie in its own right, the Farrelly Bros/Jimmy Fallon/Drew Barrymore version is so far removed from the book they should have just changed the name all together.