Rating: 
Summary: Excellent summation of fans' view of football.
Review: I write just 48 hours after Arsenal have completed the Double for the second time (16 May 1998)! How Nick Hornby must be celebrating! We went to Highbury for the first time in the New Year, knowing that somewhere in the crowd was the Nick Hornby. We thought we saw his done-head on the pitch - sorry, my mistake, that was Steve Bould!Seriously, though, I read this book last summer and my daughter, aged 14, read it after me. We rate it 10, because it sums up everything British football supporters feel about British football. "Fever Pitch" speaks for us so well that most of us who are football supporters feel that we should have written this book ourselves! Much as he may dislike the description, Nick Hornby is typical of the modern British football supporter, middle-class, analytical, cynical yet obsessive. With the demolition of the terraces has gone football's cloth cap image. In its place are the people who can afford £15 or so per match (£60 for a family of four with no child reductions) to sit in Highbury's all-seater North Bank. I liked the format, autobiography written as a series of match reports. I identify with Nick Hornby when he relates that he sat petrified in his seat for an hour before kick-off, terrified that Arsenal might lose, and, later on, willing on the final whistle. I love the arrogance in which he writes that it really was not good enough: Arsenal were out of Europe, had not won the FA Cup and were only fourth in the League! The bits I enjoyed most was the account of how an un-named Everton centre half (we all know who he was!) scored an own goal and how Malcolm MacDonald claimed it for his own! Also, how Cambridge United, when they scored, played "Oh what a lovely bunch of coconuts!" on the tannoy. His accounts of football hooliganism in the 1980s are graphic and should down in the history books. Although I am with Hornby 100% when he writes about football, he does not convince me so much when he gets on to the male psyche - maybe becaus! e I am a woman. When Hornby is writing about football, he is writing from the gut. On the male psyche, I feel he is digesting what other people have said and written and he does not carry so much conviction. I am a woman and a football supporter. Maybe there is another book to be written about woman football supporters - we are a growing band.
Rating:
Summary: Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby is one of the best football books
Review: Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby is one of the best football books around. But it is about much more than football, it gives a rare glimpse into the psyche of the British football fan. In his book, football is a metaphor for all aspects of life, romance, family, and career. Hornby¡¦s amusing narratives perfectly encapsulate the unique relationship a football fan has with their favorite team. Even as a Manchester United fan I find it fascinating to read about his obsession with and dedication to Arsenal.
At the most superficial level, this book provides a very detail account of Arsenal from the late 60s through the beginning of the 90s, and the increasingly violent behavior by football fans during the late 70s and early 80s, and the negative impact it had on his feelings for the games.
Hornby describes vividly how his life was related to Arsenal's achievements. When Arsenal was doing good, Hornby was doing good. When Arsenal was having an off-season, Hornby fell into depression. It is interesting to observe the development of Hornby's obsession, because it can happen to anyone. With the backdrop of his often witty accounts of Arsenal games, Hornby talks about how his life evolves with his family, his girlfriend, and his students. Football is like a common world language, and Hornby uses it to interact with his students. And watching football with his father was one the highlights of his childhood.
Every game has an analogy in life for the football fan. For Hornby, a tight game ending in defeat is a painful reminder of a break with his girlfriend.
While this obsession with football is almost innate, sometimes Hornby felt immature, especially when he was unable to control his overwhelming passion for the game in front of his students.
In humorous pros Hornby highlights how football and life come together on the pitch and is definitely worthy of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: black and white and read all over
Review: This is a cool book, and a very good book, but a tiny little "je ne sais quoi" keeps me from giving it that last and final fifth star. To summarize the book superficially in a sentence, it's an autobiographical retelling, in a very witty first-person voice, of the author's (London journalist Nick Hornby) lifelong love of soccer and his passion for the English pro soccer team Arsenal (which plays in London). Thrown in are side stories about his boyhood, his relationship with his parents, and his posse of friends, love interests, and workmates who either do or don't share his love of the sport. One problem for North Americans is that this is a truly English book, in that it contains tons of references to little villages in England, little UK customs, judgments and descriptions of London neighborhoods, etc., that left me feeling like a Yankee hick who'd never left the trailer park. Indeed, that is my problem and not the author's, but North Americans who don't know English culture well will feel lost at times. Another problem is that the book, like the TV show "Seinfeld," isn't really about anything. Sure, there's a lot of chatter about soccer, but not in any sort of methodical or educative way. It's basically a willfully disorganized diary about 20 years in the life of a clever, witty Englishman (from about age 10 to about age 30) who allows soccer to dominate his worldview and, alas, his whole life. It comes down to the amusing musings of a 30-something Londoner, which makes the book fascinating but not monumental. The obsession with soccer is the strength and the weakness of the work. If you want to learn about English pro soccer, you will be disappointed. If you want to learn first-hand, from a very imaginative and clever soul, about what it was like for one particular person to grow up soccer-mad in southeastern England the 1970's and 1980's and how it impacted the rest of his life, then this is the book for you. I'm a big fan of Nick Hornby, and a better book of his, and a better "starter book" for him, is "High Fidelity."
Rating: 
Summary: Don't go in expecting a Hornbyesque book
Review: Thanks to the once in every four year buzz I get when the World Cup is taking place I thought that it was an appropriate time to begin reading the only Hornby book that I hadn't yet cracked which incidentally is his autobiography and a loving testament to the game of football. With those factors in mind, I figured I couldn't go wrong with this one but sadly, for the first time, I was a bit let down by one of Hornby's books. My main problem with this book stems from the fact that I missed out on approx. 30% of the context because I didn't know the people (players and coaches), places and teams that he spends a great deal of time espousing on. This book is written with the assumption that the reader is steeped in all the lore, historical trivia and nuance of British football and for those with limited knowledge, well I suppose they'll find themselves grasping at times trying to catch up with Hornby's detailed play-by-play enactments of memorable goals and on field blunders. Another thing - this is Hornby's first book and it shows. For those readers accustomed to his flowing, easy to digest prose in future works ('High Fidelity,' 'About a Boy,' 'How to be Good') you might be a bit surprised at how clunky his words form here. Yes, there are some very Hornbyesque passages and moments but for the most part it can be choppy reading at times but is interesting in the framework of mind knowing how his future works will evolve into crystalline works of literary brilliance. On the positive note, this book will certainly strike a chord for every hardcore sports fanatic out there. Hornby lovingly touches on the idiosyncracies that every true 'fan' experiences from: Superstitious ritual, disdain for the casual and/or bandwagon fan, the psyche of those who faithfully follow bad teams, etc. Also, you'll find the occassional gem on the beauty of Football/Soccer as a pure sport that makes reading through this 247 page book ultimately worthwhile.
Rating:
Summary: Best sports fan book ever
Review: Sports fan? You'll like this book.
Soccer fan? You'll really live this book.
English soccer fan? You'll love this book.
Arsenal fan? This will be one of your favorite books ever.
I am all of the above. But I am also a fan of good writing. Nick Hornby has proven (with books such as "High Fidelity " and "About a Boy") that he's an excellent writer. In tackling (pun intended) the sport and team he is obsessed with, Hornby is being faithful to the notion that writer's should deal with topics familiar to them.
"Fever Pitch" is a love story. It is about one person's unconditional love for a sports team. There have been other such books before, but none better. Hornby explores the intersecting of love of team (and living and dying with their results) with the annoying business of the "rest of life." Any sport fan will be able not to just relate to the book, but seem themselves in it. Those familiar with English football (soccer to the heathen) will identify all the more.
Sports fans should read this book for a glimpse at how others see us.
Rating:
Summary: Laughing out loud funny!!
Review: I had heard a lot about Hornby's books, and quite few guys I know had recommended them as hilariously funny. "Fever Pitch" was recommended as the absolute best one, so I thought I'd better read it. The book is about Arsenal, Hornby, and what it means to be a soccer (football) fan (not a hooligan, just severely addicted to soccer). And oh my God! Hornby qualifies for the die-hard group by far! We are talking about *serious* addiction to soccer!! Or what do you say to scheduling your whole life (career & work / partner / social etc) around the possibility of a re-play of a game? Or saying "no" to weddings because it collides with an Arsenal match? Someone at work told me that this book would be insightful to understanding English men / soccer fans.. If that is true - I'll stay clear! Since I am not English, I probably missed a few (good?) jokes due to my obvious lack of native soccer lingo. But even so, there was plenty for me to enjoy. And the book certainly made me laugh out loud, several times. "Fever Pitch" was a fast and easy read and I read this book in a few sittings. It was a very, very, funny and highly entertaining book. Absolutely recommended!
Rating:
Summary: black and white and read all over
Review: This is a cool book, and a very good book, but a tiny little "je ne sais quoi" keeps me from giving it that last and final fifth star. To summarize the book superficially in a sentence, it's an autobiographical retelling, in a very witty first-person voice, of the author's (London journalist Nick Hornby) lifelong love of soccer and his passion for the English pro soccer team Arsenal (which plays in London). Thrown in are side stories about his boyhood, his relationship with his parents, and his posse of friends, love interests, and workmates who either do or don't share his love of the sport. One problem for North Americans is that this is a truly English book, in that it contains tons of references to little villages in England, little UK customs, judgments and descriptions of London neighborhoods, etc., that left me feeling like a Yankee hick who'd never left the trailer park. Indeed, that is my problem and not the author's, but North Americans who don't know English culture well will feel lost at times. Another problem is that the book, like the TV show "Seinfeld," isn't really about anything. Sure, there's a lot of chatter about soccer, but not in any sort of methodical or educative way. It's basically a willfully disorganized diary about 20 years in the life of a clever, witty Englishman (from about age 10 to about age 30) who allows soccer to dominate his worldview and, alas, his whole life. It comes down to the amusing musings of a 30-something Londoner, which makes the book fascinating but not monumental. The obsession with soccer is the strength and the weakness of the work. If you want to learn about English pro soccer, you will be disappointed. If you want to learn first-hand, from a very imaginative and clever soul, about what it was like for one particular person to grow up soccer-mad in southeastern England the 1970's and 1980's and how it impacted the rest of his life, then this is the book for you. I'm a big fan of Nick Hornby, and a better book of his, and a better "starter book" for him, is "High Fidelity."
Rating: 
Summary: Painfully, painfully boring
Review: This book was extremely pointless. Since each entry is a memory, they are written like them so they don't have an insteresting story-telling narrative. Also, some of the entries were just how the game was played and who won, with absolutely nothing interesting to say. And that for 300 pages, completely redundant. This book has no beginning, middle, or end. Just entry after entry of complete pointlessness. Now, it may be because I am not interested in sports, but this is just a football (soccor) journal and nothing more. Hornby was able to shove in a little bit of angst and childhood problems, but it is not nearly significant enough to keep the reader interested. Though the book had some very funny parts, it doesn't make up for the ennui I experienced while reading this book. You know, they made a movie out a this.....HOW?!! It barely works as a piece of fiction or reference book...but a movie?! Jesus. I'm sorry but this was one of the most boring books I've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: An autobiography of the new pop-culture
Review: "Fever pitch" is Hornby's first well-known book, a precedent to "High fidelity" and "About a boy". Hornby is one of the two british people that has brought a new meaning to pop-culture; the other is Helen Fielding. Hornby's characters are simple, common people that live unusual situations and relationships along his common lives. In this case, Hornby's character is himself, and the book is about his relationship with London soccer team Arsenal. To me this book was fun to read because, like Hornby - although in a much, much smaller degree - I am a soccer fanatic, and, like him, my favourite team - Corinthians Paulista - is also one of the most popular and inconstant teams in my country. Hornby writes his book describing how his life was related to Arsenal's achievements. When Arsenal was doing good, Hornby was doing good. When Arsenal was struggling, Hornby was in depression. Of course, there's much more to it than just that, but it is interesting to observe the development of Hornby's obsession, because it can happen to anyone, at any time. The problem with "Fever pitch" is that, if the reader doesn't like or doesn't know soccer there will be a lot of skipped paragraphs, and maybe the book will be put aside before the end. Even if the reader can see this story as a metaphor, soccer is ever-present and cannot be dissociated from Hornby's life. I liked it and understood it because soccer IS a very present thing in my life. Maybe if it was about cricket, I would not have liked it. Grade 8.8/10
Rating:
Summary: Not a penny worth
Review: When I saw this book, I thought that Nick Hornby will tell us about his experiences at the stadium, for example:
The first time that I went to a stadium to see the San Diego Chargers (I live in Mexico but my brother lives there). My brother asked me if I want to go to the game and I told him that yes, so the next day he didn't offer me nothing for breakfast, I didn't comment anything because I thought that we will eat some hot dogs at the stadium, then I saw him to take some beers, sodas, meat and everything to do a barbecue so I asked him if we are going to a barbecue after the game, he just smiled.
When we get to the parking lot at the stadium I just didn't believe my eyes, everybody was having a barbecue I just started to laugh and laugh because here in Mexico you will never do that. (I don't remember who won that game nor the others games that I will tell you in this review). The second time I went to see the Chicago Bears with a friend, I knew that in the stadium they only sell two beers per person per time so in the line for the beers I told my friend:
"Buy two beers.
"No, I don't like so much beer, I only want one.
"I didn't asked you what do you like, I told you what to do!
At the end of the second quarter I asked him for my beer, and he told me that he already drank HIS second beer. The third and last story is when I went to see the Houston Oilers at the Astrodome. Behind me was a group of ten or twelve persons, in that stadium were glasses that contain three beers, so they make a competition to see who drinks all the beer faster, so the first started and he drank almost all the beer but part of it went directly to his pants, everybody was laughing, so when the second started, the first make him laugh and happened almost the same as the first one, to make the story short, at the end, the person who won the competition was the one who has more wet his pants. Now, in this book the writer just wrote all the results of his favorite team of Soccer in England since 1968, that shows us one of two thinks: He has an excellent memory or he has a sports book to write them down, I think that nobody will check if those results are true or not, nobody cares even if you leave in London. If the book would say his stories at the stadium, it doesn't matter which sport is because you are not interested in the sport, you are interested in the people who goes to see that specific sport. If I went to a stadium about 10 times in my life (to see football) and I have this and others stories, I am sure that a person who goes to the stadium to each game of his favorite team must have many stories like this to write them, some of them funny and some sad, but that will keep you interested in the book.
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