I briefly glanced at a list of recommended sport books for presents this Christmas in one of the Sunday papers last weekend. A lot of the time these articles consist of different journalists/authors licking each other’s balls and saying everything’s great so I didn’t pay too much attention. Is there anything sports related you’ve read this year that you’d recommend? Nothing really stood out for me as being really interesting on the William Hill Sports Book of the Year shortlist. I don’t mind if it’s an autobiography or a narrative of a sporting event or whatever, but I like to read a few sport books while I’m having some derivative of turkey for dinner for the 5th day in succession.
I’m reading O’Garas auto-biography at the moment - in fairness its a decent read. Not much bullshit in it but not a lot revealed that most of us didnt already know. Doesn’t give away a whole lot really. There’s usually 1 or 2 horse racing ones come out this time of year that are either excellent or just re-hashing the same oul thing as last year.
calcio is brilliant
300 pages into Calcio and loads to go yet
Last book I finished was James Lawton “On Football”. He does’t take any shit, oul Jim.
Is Calcio Agnew’s book?
No that’s Forza Italia, you’d read it in 2 days. Calcio is by John Foot and weighs in at around 600 pages.
no- john foot
agnews book is lame as he harps on too much about him
sledge - what do you think of calcio - some interesting stuff in there
dave nevison’s ‘a bloody good winner’ is a must for horse racing fans
anyone hear of a autiobipgraphy about some ice hockey player back in the 60’s/70’s i think?..heard a lot of sports journalists going on about it…its meant to be one of the best sports books ever written…can’t remember the name of the person its about…
I read a bit of Calcio before my last trip over there, it’s a good while ago now. I have another trip coming up in January probably, so will steam into it over Christmas, maybe try to finish it this time. The stuff about the Torino plane disaster is very interesting. There is a picture of that team in Enoteca Torino in Inchicore.
Anyone ever come across the book about that chess player who went nuts? Bobby something? They were raving about it on OTB for a while, but I never bothered my hole picking it up.
I’m in the middle of two books at the moment so I am unlikely to be starting anything in the next couple of weeks.
[quote=“Sledgehammer”]Anyone ever come across the book about that chess player who went nuts? Bobby something? They were raving about it on OTB for a while, but I never bothered my hole picking it up.
I’m in the middle of two books at the moment so I am unlikely to be starting anything in the next couple of weeks.[/quote]
Bobby fisher? guy who started wearing tin-foil hats?
That’s the lad alright, someone tracked him down and wrote a book about him
Kings of september, story of Offally/Kerry in 1982 is on eof the better sports books iv read. Cracking story and well told.
And of course if you havent read Kimmages book, A Rough Ride, then your at nathin
I read BOD’s book a couple of year’s ago-brutal it was.
Kimmage’s book was superb indeed.
The Lifelong Season by Keith Duggan was class too.
Sweet William-The Life of Billy Conn is one I’m dipping into at the minute. About an Irish Boxer from Pittsburgh in the 30’s and 40’s.
[quote=“Sledgehammer”]
Last book I finished was James Lawton “On Football”. He does’t take any shit, oul Jim.[/quote]
Indeed not. Has a cut off Keane today http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-keane–the-fighter-who-quit-when-most-needed-1052354.html
And took a swipe at Ronaldo yesterday
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-messis-maturity-the-true-measure-against-which-ronaldo-falls-short-1044189.html
My favourite sports book this year was by the Times writer Simon Barnes called The Meaning of Sport. A couple of years old now but I like his style.
Read Blood Brothers about the Cork hurlers too but was dissapointed.
Playing the enemy by John Carlin is supposed to be good. Its about 1995 world cup in SA. More about politics than sports but supposed to be a cracking read.Looking forward to reading it over the break
Is that the same John Carlin who wrote a book about Real Madrid?
“In search of Robert Millar” is a good read
Recently picked up ‘American At Large’, a collection of George Kimball’s Irish Times stories over the past ten years. Very good, even if you’ll have read a few of them and can get them all online. Its nice to have them there to just open up at random on the bus for a good story of NFL controversy, gargling with golfers or getting stoned with baseball players etc…