Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Riverhead Books (1998), Edition: 1st Riverhead trade pbk. ed, 247 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Nonfiction. ...the writing is rich, lucid, and sure to win loyal readers. (VOYA.) HTML:In America, it is soccer. But in Great Britain, it is the real football. No pads, no prayers, no prisoners. And that's before the players even take the field. Nick Hornby has been a football fan since the moment he was conceived. Call it predestiny. Or call it preschool. Fever Pitch is his tribute to a lifelong obsession. Part autobiography, part comedy, part incisive analysis of insanity, Hornby's award-winning memoir captures the fever pitch of fandom�??its agony and ecstasy, its community, its defining role in thousands of young men's coming-of-age stories. Fever Pitch is one for the home team. But above all, it is one for everyone who knows what it really means to have a losing seas… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member roblong
Read it to get me in the mood for the new season, and it worked a charm - done without much fanfare and really effective, full of 'ah, yes, I know that' moments, in a good way. Strange now to read about Arsenal in their pre-Wenger days when everybody hated them (I certainly did).
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
I have often wondered what makes people (well, mainly men) spend ever increasing sums following football teams, getting royally ripped off while the players get richer and further away from their fans in every possible way........This novel (though it's not really fiction) goes some way to
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explaining the mindset of the fanatical fan. Hornby brings a warming combination of laddishness and intellect to the subject, and even if you don't like football there are some good jokes here. I particularly liked the gloriously improbable proposition of picking a favourite dismissal to take to a desert island. Wonderfully eccentric, but I knew exactly what he meant. Show Less
LibraryThing member Wanderlust_Lost
This book is the reason I am an Arsenal fan. This is a semi-autobiographical survey of football and football culture through the modern ages. At times hilarious, informative, and just plain awesome this book is a must for any fan of football.
I do have to say though that despite its awesomeness the
I do have to say though that despite its awesomeness the
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book does drag in small portions. I own that this is completely because of my lack of knowledge on football as a whole so I can't knock off too many points for that, but as it wasn't as enjoyable for me as it could have been I've rated it a 4. Show Less
LibraryThing member anikins
i love this book (even if i'm not really an arsenal fan). well-written by a clearly obsessive fan, its apologies for being so in the text were not needed, really. it's hilarious, well-knowing and overall a good, fun read.
LibraryThing member timj
Lots of laughs, lots of soul searching and a great deal of irrational fanaticism. An insight into what makes some people tick.
LibraryThing member trench_wench
Having been forced into being an Arsenal fan from an early age (I blame my older brother), I have to admit the deep shame of not having read this book until now. The book is really a sort of memoir - Hornby can mark all the major events of his life by what was happening with the Gunners at the
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time. I found his musings hilarious, and I love Hornby's upfront and honest style. This is not just a book for Arsenal supporters or football fans, it is a book for anyone who has ever had an obsession that has dominated most of their lives. he also has some pertinent remarks to make about the less savoury aspects of football, and the state of the beautiful game today. Very enjoyable - one you can dip in and out of easily too. Show Less
LibraryThing member istvan13
Simply the best sports book ever written, because it doesn't really discuss what happens on the field. No, it asks a deeper question: Why do so many people care so much about a team of rich men who play a boys' game? Why do we put such value on sports teams? It's a gripping tale of obsession —
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and the need to belong. Fantastic. Oh, and it's about Arsenal, too. That makes it even better. Show Less
LibraryThing member miketroll
This retrospective journal of an ardent soccer fan was a big hit in the UK when it was first published in 1992. The appeal of the book is by its nature limited. Few outside the UK would grasp many local references. Indeed, a long-standing interest in English League football is almost a prerequisite
Still, Fever Pitch remains one of the most thoughtful books written about any sport. The phenomenon of obsessive, lifelong adherence to an English football club (in Hornby’s case, Arsenal) is vastly different to the US experience of following a football or baseball team. In the US, people go to sports events for pleasure, to have a good time, often with their families. In Britain, attendance at soccer matches is a predominantly male thing, a matter of serious, intense identification with the team, not pleasure in the game.
Hornby explores this intensity with real knowledge borne of personal experience. It is wholly irrational, but…. as he dryly observes, young men develop obsessions while young women develop personalities. He also argues, interestingly, that the boredom, disappointment and anticlimax accompanying regular football watching are a focus, an outlet for the depressive feelings that are part and parcel of dull, southern English suburban life. It’s not only extrovert feelings that need expression!
One wonders how Hornby will update some aspects of his story. For most of it, Arsenal are a team with more potential than achievement, and even their real success in the early 90s looks like being short-lived. Hornby still sees Arsenal as the team everyone loves to hate.
So what does he say now that Arsenal have risen to the level, in several successive years, of glamorous European superstars? The team everyone loves to hate? Arsenal?
Love them!
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to understanding. Still, Fever Pitch remains one of the most thoughtful books written about any sport. The phenomenon of obsessive, lifelong adherence to an English football club (in Hornby’s case, Arsenal) is vastly different to the US experience of following a football or baseball team. In the US, people go to sports events for pleasure, to have a good time, often with their families. In Britain, attendance at soccer matches is a predominantly male thing, a matter of serious, intense identification with the team, not pleasure in the game.
Hornby explores this intensity with real knowledge borne of personal experience. It is wholly irrational, but…. as he dryly observes, young men develop obsessions while young women develop personalities. He also argues, interestingly, that the boredom, disappointment and anticlimax accompanying regular football watching are a focus, an outlet for the depressive feelings that are part and parcel of dull, southern English suburban life. It’s not only extrovert feelings that need expression!
One wonders how Hornby will update some aspects of his story. For most of it, Arsenal are a team with more potential than achievement, and even their real success in the early 90s looks like being short-lived. Hornby still sees Arsenal as the team everyone loves to hate.
So what does he say now that Arsenal have risen to the level, in several successive years, of glamorous European superstars? The team everyone loves to hate? Arsenal?
Love them!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Griff
A must read for anyone with an obsession. Hornby's? Arsenal football. Reading about his life at (and thinking about) the pitch should resonate with anyone with an equal, though different, obsession (sports or otherwise).
For those Tull fanatics, substitute albums, group members, concerts, pre- and
Hornby writes with such wit, such self deprecating humor, and yet, with an insight that leaves an impact. Fever Pitch provided a quick and enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
For those Tull fanatics, substitute albums, group members, concerts, pre- and
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post-concert gatherings and sightings for championships, players, matches, and pub discussions. In doing so, it may be a frightening self revelation. The extent to which obsessive behavior melds into daily life is eye opening. The mention of a memorable lyric to someone here. ("It's only the giving that makes you what you are.") The humming of a favorite tune there. (For a Thousand Mothers in my case.) The proud exclamation of history witnessed. ("I saw Tull perform A Passion Play in its entirety!") The demonstration of years of devotion. ("When I first saw them play, Clive and Glenn were still in the group.") The glory. ("I still have my copy of Rolling Stone that featured Ian on the cover.") The agony. ("I was devastated when Ian released Walk Into Light. Where was the acoustic guitar? What was with all that Vettese keyboard crap?") It all sounds a bit like Hornby and his mention of big wins, devastating losses, and total domination of his life by Arsenal football.Hornby writes with such wit, such self deprecating humor, and yet, with an insight that leaves an impact. Fever Pitch provided a quick and enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member rudyleon
After seeing and loving the movie, I started the book. And found that while the movie was completely comprehensible to the American (contrary to Hollywood's misbegotten beliefs...), the book was not. There's too much insider British football trivia embedded in the narrative flow -- and the trivia
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mattered too much to be able to follow the tale. Unfortunate -- I think this must be a fantastic book! Show Less
LibraryThing member seawolfsanctuary
You wrote: As an Arsenal fan myself, I'm bound to be biased but Hornby writes with such an extraneous topic coverage that it becomes a book filled with stories and anecdotes that certainly any bloke would laugh with. Covering events such as the Hillsborough disaster with such compassion and
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delicacy which equal the joy and excitement of Anfield '89, every page is brought to life through his own storytelling. I loved it but the film was crap in comparison. Stick with this one and you won't regret it. Show Less
LibraryThing member manatree
another "commuter bus read"
Hornby's always a good read, this one was dampened by my utter lack of knowledge of the English soccer realm. Entertaining none the less.
Hornby's always a good read, this one was dampened by my utter lack of knowledge of the English soccer realm. Entertaining none the less.
LibraryThing member shalulah
Nick Hornby is a kind of hero to me, & soccer is my favorite game. I love his style here, to give the underiniatiated like myself a background in English football while dishing out a personal story that makes me feel I'm seeing through a man's eyes, & the character is sensitive &
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sympathetic. Show Less
LibraryThing member SirRoger
I recommend this book to those who wouldn't mind understanding a football fanatic's obsession/experience, since it might just give insight into one's own obsessions.
[Be advised: the Barrymore/Fallon movie "based" on this book bears little to no resemblance to it. The only similarity is that
[Be advised: the Barrymore/Fallon movie "based" on this book bears little to no resemblance to it. The only similarity is that
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there's a guy obsessed with a sport.] Show Less
LibraryThing member knitcrazybooknut
An original memoir, written entirely around various football (soccer) games. Well-written, completely engaging, and only slightly too focused on football for a non-fan, Fever Pitch takes you down the road with Mr. Hornby from youth to adulthood. When I picked this book up to read it, I thought it
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was a novel. He held my attention so well, I devoured it in a matter of days, reading only in brief glimpses. Great for commuting or reading in snippets, as it's divvied up into brief chapters matching the games he's chosen to write about here. Well balanced, plotted, and easily read, with plenty of chances to recognize your own obsession as he describes his own. Show Less
LibraryThing member Othemts
Hornby writes a memoir of his life through the prism of his fandom of the Arsenal football club. Each entry starts with a particular football match but spins out from there to include details of Hornby's life, family, career, and how the fate of his team reflects the ebb and flow of his life. It's
Even though this book has been adapted into two different movies that make it out as a love triangle among man, woman, and the sport he's obsessed with, this book is not a novel. It's a memoir about soccer in the same way that Rocky is about boxing or Jaws is about a shark. Hornby uses memories of his beloved Gunners matches as a launching point to tell stories of his life, his obsession, and worldview. He also examines English culture and sporting life as it changes over the course of his life. A funny and insightful memoirs, this book is NOT just for sports' fans.
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a great personal analysis of fandom, sports obsession, and group identity. If you've seen either of the films supposedly based on this book keep in mind that this is a memoir not a novel and there is no "love triangle" element in which a man is caught between the sport and a woman.Even though this book has been adapted into two different movies that make it out as a love triangle among man, woman, and the sport he's obsessed with, this book is not a novel. It's a memoir about soccer in the same way that Rocky is about boxing or Jaws is about a shark. Hornby uses memories of his beloved Gunners matches as a launching point to tell stories of his life, his obsession, and worldview. He also examines English culture and sporting life as it changes over the course of his life. A funny and insightful memoirs, this book is NOT just for sports' fans.
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LibraryThing member hippietrail
I don't like sport and I don't understand soccer, but I still really enjoyed this book!
LibraryThing member wenestvedt
Loved the book; the Red Sox-themed movie adaptation was good enough if one pretends it's not at all related to this book.
LibraryThing member hudsy
Made obsession acceptable
LibraryThing member CloggieDownunder
I pretty much hate all forms of football. The fact that I read a book about football (to the British, that is: the rest of the world calls it soccer) from cover to cover, smirking, chuckling and at times laughing out loud, attests, once again, to the talent of Nick Hornby as a wordsmith. This book
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is witty and clever, incredibly insightful about obsession and definitely worth a read! Show Less
LibraryThing member paulmorriss
Although I love Nick's fiction I'm not really a fan of football, so I abandoned this book after a bit. I tried skipping through to find the biographical bits, and then I realised the book is a biography really.
LibraryThing member ursula
If you don't know, Fever Pitch is about soccer and his obsession with it, specifically with Arsenal. (Not Jimmy Fallon and his obsession with baseball - did they use the Red Sox in the movie? I know nothing about baseball.) The book isn't a romantic comedy, either.
I like Hornby's writing, mostly,
Also, there's honestly not enough of Nick Hornby himself in the book. He talks about how as a child, going to soccer matches gave him a means to communicate with his dad after his parents' divorce. These sections are good. Later, as an adult, he mentions suffering from years-long depression and having failed relationships, but there's not much made of those things. It's hard to get a handle on what was really going on - and saying that his depression was magically cured by Arsenal's winning season is either flippant or disingenuous. We don't have any way to tell which, because while he makes relatively frequent mention of the depression, we don't really find out much beyond that.
Overall, not a particularly strong Hornby book, but it was an early one (published in 1992), so I guess that's to be expected.
A quote:
"They offered me a drink and I declined, so they shook my hand and offered commiserations and I disappeared; to them, it really was only a game, and it probably did me good to spend time with people who behaved for all the world as if football were a diverting entertainment, like rugby or golf or cricket. It's not like that at all, of course, but just for an afternoon it was interesting and instructive to meet people who believed that it was."
I like Hornby's writing, mostly,
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including his nonfiction writing on music and books, which are two other things he loves. However, I felt like something was really missing here, and at least part of that is his sense of humor. Soccer seems to be something he doesn't have much of a sense of humor about - and while the point of the book is how it's serious business to him and how his relationship with the sport has undoubtedly been unhealthy at times, a little more humor wouldn't have been misplaced. Also, there's honestly not enough of Nick Hornby himself in the book. He talks about how as a child, going to soccer matches gave him a means to communicate with his dad after his parents' divorce. These sections are good. Later, as an adult, he mentions suffering from years-long depression and having failed relationships, but there's not much made of those things. It's hard to get a handle on what was really going on - and saying that his depression was magically cured by Arsenal's winning season is either flippant or disingenuous. We don't have any way to tell which, because while he makes relatively frequent mention of the depression, we don't really find out much beyond that.
Overall, not a particularly strong Hornby book, but it was an early one (published in 1992), so I guess that's to be expected.
A quote:
"They offered me a drink and I declined, so they shook my hand and offered commiserations and I disappeared; to them, it really was only a game, and it probably did me good to spend time with people who behaved for all the world as if football were a diverting entertainment, like rugby or golf or cricket. It's not like that at all, of course, but just for an afternoon it was interesting and instructive to meet people who believed that it was."
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LibraryThing member TCWriter
A serious-but funny memoir of a soccer fan, Fever Pitch is writer Nick Hornby's first book -- a memoir that starts with his first Arsenal (an English soccer club) game.
Hornby eventually became a hardcore Arsenal supporter and this book covers the impact his sporting obsession has on his life.
As a
As a diehard Hornby fan, I found this a worthwhile read, though it's a very different work from his better known works of fiction.
Hornby eventually became a hardcore Arsenal supporter and this book covers the impact his sporting obsession has on his life.
As a
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Manchester United supporter since the mid 80s I understand (faintly) what he's experienced, though as a writer, I'm also interested in Hornby's references to his fledgling writing career (this was Hornby's first book, written before he became famous, so it mentions his struggles with confidence and depression).As a diehard Hornby fan, I found this a worthwhile read, though it's a very different work from his better known works of fiction.
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LibraryThing member Vivl
I like football (soccer), I like passion, I like humour and I like good writing. This ticks all the boxes.
LibraryThing member Raven9167
With football (soccer) season just starting, I thought now was as good a time as any to finally crack open Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch. I've only read one football book before since I've only just gotten into the sport within the last year, but I was told this was a seminal text to read on the
But unfortunately, I'm not British, and I haven't spent much time at all in England to understand the British affect or culture. I found myself constantly consulting Wikipedia to find out what the heck Hornby was talking about (analogizing two clashing worlds by referencing two apparently very different British soap operas, for instance), and while I think it certainly taught me something about Britain as a result, I didn't really go into the book hoping for that. Further, I think I may have tried reading this too early in my budding football hobby, as I don't understand football tactics nearly enough to really get at Hornby's point from time to time.
It was refreshing to read that there are people far worse off than I am when it comes to being a fan of a sport or team. While I have a lifelong passion for the Chicago Cubs, and I can certainly recall vividly some of their worst defeats (and I imagine I'd recall triumphs as well, if there were any to contemplate...sigh), I'm not nearly at the level where I can recollect the score of multiple games, let alone who drove in or scored the runs to begin with.
All in all, a pretty good book, and quite funny at times. I only wish I understood the British and football better.
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subject. I liked it enough, especially the parts that transcended football and applied to fandom in general. One particular discussion in which Hornby explains how he nearly panicked when he realized his wife expected him to stay home from some games to watch the kids while she went to the Arsenal games made me laugh quite a bit. Hornby clearly understands how a fan's mind works, in that you're never more than a few moments away from contemplating a player's scoring play or a heartbreaking defeat.But unfortunately, I'm not British, and I haven't spent much time at all in England to understand the British affect or culture. I found myself constantly consulting Wikipedia to find out what the heck Hornby was talking about (analogizing two clashing worlds by referencing two apparently very different British soap operas, for instance), and while I think it certainly taught me something about Britain as a result, I didn't really go into the book hoping for that. Further, I think I may have tried reading this too early in my budding football hobby, as I don't understand football tactics nearly enough to really get at Hornby's point from time to time.
It was refreshing to read that there are people far worse off than I am when it comes to being a fan of a sport or team. While I have a lifelong passion for the Chicago Cubs, and I can certainly recall vividly some of their worst defeats (and I imagine I'd recall triumphs as well, if there were any to contemplate...sigh), I'm not nearly at the level where I can recollect the score of multiple games, let alone who drove in or scored the runs to begin with.
All in all, a pretty good book, and quite funny at times. I only wish I understood the British and football better.
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Subjects
Awards
William Hill Sports Book of the Year (Winner — 1992)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1992
Physical description
247 p.; 5.07 inches
ISBN
1573226882 / 9781573226882