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Summary: What a Book!
Review: Having enjoyed "High Fidelity", and wanting to put some perspective around my miserable soccer experience from high school, I read this book. Hornby could be a literary priest he exercised so many demons for me...simply the best money I've spent on a book since Mary Karr's "Liars Club". The book describes all the true grit a sport fan is made of. Naturally Hornby gives some wickedly honest insights into "male thinking patterns", but the crux of this book is largely devoted to explaining himself...in terms of being an Arsenal fan. Enjoy this book!
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Summary: I love this book
Review: When I received `Fever Pitch' a couple of years ago I thought, "How nice. A book about English soccer (of which I am a fan)." While this is partly true, there is so much more to this book than that. It is about dealing with relationships; family, friends and others. It is about the process of growing up, and all the problems it entails. It is about frustration and desire and dreams and secret fears. It is about obsession, in whatever form it takes, and how some people seem to be particularly prone to it. Which means that, ultimately, I feel that I can identify with the author in a way that I have not been able to with other books that I have read. I've now read it seven times in the last 2 years. Every time that I read I laugh, cringe, get angry and cry at the events that Hornby relates. One passage has helped me in particular, Hornby writes "Non-footballing friends and family have never met anyone madder than I; indeed, they are convinced that I am as obsessed as it is possible to be. But I know there are people who would regard the level of my commitment...as inadequate." If only I could get my wife, family and friends to read this book I am sure they would look upon me much more kindly. No matter what your obsession might be, I think that reading this book will help you to understand yourself just that little bit more.
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Summary: The inspiration behind 'High Fidelity' and 'About a Boy'
Review: With 'High Fidelity' opening in theatres soon (supposedly at the end of March 2000), the buzz from Nick Hornby's work will reach a fever pitch. Want to know where Hornby finds the inspiration and raw material to craft the exquisitely detailed and accurate pictures of male angst such as Rob Fleming ('High Fidelity') or Will Freeman ('About a Boy')? Look no further than the life of Hornby himself.On the surface, 'Fever Pitch' follows Hornby's life-long obession with Arsenal, the English Premier league team he dutifully follows through good times and bad. But this is more than a story about football (or soccer, if you will). It's also the story of a complex person struggling to make things right with his family, the various woman that pass through his life, and his career. Make no mistake: the brilliant writer that created Rob Fleming did not appear overnight. Like Rob, Hornby struggled with his passions for years before achieving his breakthrough with 'Fever Pitch.' A previous reviewer notes that this is a biography that does not work because of the author's lack of an 'interesting life.' I disagree - the reason Rob Fleming connects with so many readers (see the 'High Fidelity' customer review section for the raptorous comments from men and women alike) is because of his normalcy and our shock at seeing so many of our own thoughts crystallized so perfectly on the page. The same holds true for 'Fever Pitch,' but with the caveat that a lot of what you read here is distilled through the experience of English football. My recommendation: if you're a football/soccer fanatic, this is a book you simply must read and keep in your collection, regardless of whether you've read either of Hornby's other works. If don't know *anything* about the game and are not too keen to learn, read this book only after you've read 'High Fidelity' and 'About a Boy.' Then sit back and marvel at the connections between the trilogy of characters that are Hornby, Fleming, and Freeman.
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Summary: a book for any Arsenal fan
Review: Nick Hornby is a wonderful author, and Fever Pitch is a superb book. Fraught with passion and clever lines this book brings the essence of soccer to life. Perhaps a little bit obsessive this book brings out the passion of a sport in a way that books seldom acheive, all soccer fans can relate to the way Hornby feels, all soccer fans know the glory and the depression brought by this 'game'. This was a wonderful concept for a way to write an autobiography, and is one of my favorite books.
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Summary: passion of england, brought to life
Review: In this book is brought to life the passion felt by every true english football (soccer for Americans)fan. I can relate to Hornsby being an avid supporter of second division team Oldham Athletic. Five years ago we were in the premiership and beating Man Utd; one of our local rivals, one nil at Wembley in the F.A Cup semi-final, last year we barely avoided relegation. I am part of the 5,000 faithful who turn up every week in the usual rain, hopeful that the good days will return (If they do I hope the 20,000 Man Utd glory hunters don't return also). Although being a Gunner, Hornsbys' days of pain are pretty much over, people around the world should take the opportunity to see how much a part of english lives football really is. Sticking with your team through the lowest of the lows, and the feeling you get from the highs. You could say its only a game, but to the english its a way of life, we have an innate love. This is conveyed in Hornsbys' book, and after reading it, you can begin to understand just how gutted and depressed every english person alive felt after Euro '96 and World Cup '98. Come on America, you may love your sports, but no-one will love a sport more than the english love football;born and bred from our land.
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Summary: Just great!
Review: I am deeply sorry for all the US blokes who will not read this book only because involves that game called soccer. It is not about soccer, it's about life. Every sport fan who would rather watch a dull and meaningless game starring his team (Lakers, Cubs, 49ers, Oilers or whatever) than do everything else should read it. If you are a football fan...this is the ultimate book and you will probably read it at least once every year.
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Summary: Soccer Mom's Seal of Approval
Review: I was in the sports section looking for a good soccer rule book and spied this book instead. So I detoured slightly....and was rewarded with hilarious insight into the sports fanatic's mind. Mr. Hornby has a way with description which transcends gender and culture. A very fun read.
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Summary: If soccer is your love, Nick' s the guy to understand you
Review: Not much more words to say. The ball is your friend, not the girl
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Summary: A great book.
Review: I almost felt myself caring about Arsenal for a moment, fortunately the feeling quickly left me. An excellent book, if anyone tells you its only for 'middle class football fans' tell them to pis* off and ask them how many away games they've been to recently. Incidentally, West Ham and anyone who liked this book, read 'An Irrational Hatred of Luton', its better, longer, sexier and it's got a picture of Pop Robson....
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Summary: So true to life, it's frightening!
Review: Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch" is one of the best sports books written in the modern day. His obsession with the Arsenal Football Club goes beyond being a fan and into being a glutton for punishment. Waiting for Arsenal to make good on a play, waiting for them to score, waiting for them to lose, being miserable in the weather, being physically injured but still standing on the North End of Highbury watching a nil-nil draw, but most of all being a devoted fan, rellishing in the good points about Arsenal (26th May, 1989!) and then returning to the drab, old way again and again, season after season. He describes his love of the team in a way that anyone could apply it to their own favorite team, not just English football, but American football, baseball, hockey, etc. His descriptive humor is what makes you find yourself laughing out loud during the book. A must read for fans of sports everywhere!
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