- Hardcover: 480 pages
- Publisher: Macmillan; 1st edition (21 Aug 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0230706347
- ISBN-13: 978-0230706347
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 15.8 x 4.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 39,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Here, at last, is a definitive account of Cantona's extraordinary life...Auclair writes with an elegance most native sportswriters might envy...A truly great book...' --GQ
`An imaginative and groundbreaking book' --Kevin McCarra, Guardian
'At once elegant and exhaustive... This book, about an outstanding gifted footballer by an outstandingly accomplished journalist. A tour de force.' --Brian Glanville, World Soccer
`A meticulously detailed examination of a fascinating character... an unusual book, one that might just usher in a new age of football biography.`
--Jonathan Wilson, 4-4-2 Magazine
`An imaginative and groundbreaking book' --Kevin McCarra, Guardian
'At once elegant and exhaustive... This book, about an outstanding gifted footballer by an outstandingly accomplished journalist. A tour de force.' --Brian Glanville, World Soccer
`A meticulously detailed examination of a fascinating character... an unusual book, one that might just usher in a new age of football biography.`
--Jonathan Wilson, 4-4-2 Magazine
Product Description
Many have tried to persuade Eric Cantona to write his autobiography. He never will. Philippe Auclair has interviewed every key player in Cantona's life to produce a biography that reveals, for the first time, the heart and inner thoughts of this most extraordinary character. Cantona played for six different French clubs, making his international debut at twenty-one, before coming to England in 1992 and making an immediate impact with Leeds United. He transformed the team but became even more talismanic when he moved to Manchester United, where to this day Manchester United fans refer to him as 'King Eric'.Eric Cantona graced the Premiership like few others and he remains a deeply compelling figure to anyone who cares remotely about football. Cantona quotes: 'I'm so proud the fans still sing my name, but I fear tomorrow they will stop. I fear it because I love it. And everything you love, you fear you will lose.' 'I have never and will never find difference between the pass from Pele to Carlos Alberto in the final of the World Cup in 1970 and the poetry of the young Rimbaud.'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
First of all I would like to say that this is a fantastic book on the subject of one of the most fascinating characters certainly in football, if not in all sports. Auclair has managed to write a comprehensive account of Cantona's life right up until he retired from football in 1997 and there is even references from sources written beyond this date to make it easily the best book on the market on this particular subject.
However there are two major concerns from myself. The first is as a result of the author's constant nitpicking of Eric's ghost-written autobiography from 1994, 'Cantona: My Story', which he regularly puts down for its lack of content and factual inaccuracies. With regards to the former, Auclair's book certainly puts it to shame, however the latter gave me the impetus to begin nitpicking with this particular book and found dozens of mistakes based on dates, scorelines, names and even many spelling errors- Manchester United physio Rob Swire being referred to as Robert Swaires stands out.
The second of my concerns is due to the content of his time in England in which Auclair unnecessarily refers to almost every single game that Cantona played in and divulges his contribution to each of them. Though this is informative it is hardly insightful into the greater workings of Cantona. He brings attention to this in the final chapter so it is obviously something that is shared by the author but surely some editing could have negated any reason to share this with the reader at all?
As I say this is the best book on Eric Cantona and I enjoyed reading it but it is still not a masterpiece in the world of sports biographies.
However there are two major concerns from myself. The first is as a result of the author's constant nitpicking of Eric's ghost-written autobiography from 1994, 'Cantona: My Story', which he regularly puts down for its lack of content and factual inaccuracies. With regards to the former, Auclair's book certainly puts it to shame, however the latter gave me the impetus to begin nitpicking with this particular book and found dozens of mistakes based on dates, scorelines, names and even many spelling errors- Manchester United physio Rob Swire being referred to as Robert Swaires stands out.
The second of my concerns is due to the content of his time in England in which Auclair unnecessarily refers to almost every single game that Cantona played in and divulges his contribution to each of them. Though this is informative it is hardly insightful into the greater workings of Cantona. He brings attention to this in the final chapter so it is obviously something that is shared by the author but surely some editing could have negated any reason to share this with the reader at all?
As I say this is the best book on Eric Cantona and I enjoyed reading it but it is still not a masterpiece in the world of sports biographies.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A meticulously researched and elegantly written homage to one of the legends of the modern game. Mr Auclair never attempts to conceal his bias but the unflinching accuracy of his narrative of Cantona's career is compelling and, in the end, persuasive. As a football journalist Auclair is obviously an "insider" but he eschews gossip and rumour, choosing instead to search for the deeper philosophical, cultural, and economic connections between the man and the game.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an astonishing work that not only raises the bar for all sports biographies, it sets a new benchmark for biographies in general. Impeccably sourced and laden with personal insight I came away with a much better understanding of the genius that is Eric. This is an absolute must for all sports fans especially for those who have admired Eric for so long as he is finally revealed in all his three-dimensional and flawed but human glory.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
the book that would be king
Not just a story but a pyschological explanation of one of the games greats. Insightful look in the turbulent career from an informed author who knows his subject. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr D. Fleming
cantona
not a good read rather boring in fact ,takes to long to get into the main story about a great player .
Published 10 months ago by Mr. B. Smith
Oui, Oui
I bought this book with a little trepidation given that you should never study your heroes too closely less you discover feet of clay. Read more
Published 11 months ago by CorkRebel67
Fitting Tribute
This is a great football biography of a player who is an all time legend at OT. The book gives an honest account of Eric's football career both in praise of his genius as a... Read more
Published 17 months ago by King Eric
Not just another money spinning sports bio...
For football fans who followed the premier league through the Cantona era, this makes for some excellent reading. Read more
Published 20 months ago by tho
Cantona Just Great !!!
This book was part of a birthday present for my husband. He is a great Manchester United fan so was very happy to receive a hard back book about one of his favourite players. Read more
Published on 2 April 2010 by Mrs. M. Main
Best Cantona book
This is the best bio I've read in years. It explains the man behind the star. I feel I know more about The King than just his great performances and goals. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2010 by S. J. Hall
An excellent book on The King
Being a huge fan of Cantona and of his charismatic/arrogant style I've understood why so many books have failed to capture his essence - he is a difficult man. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2010 by B. Chapman
Exhaustive work that echoes its subject's flaws
Phillipe Auclair is a widely respected French football writer and author, and long term resident of London. Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2010 by J A C Corbett
Very enjoyable
A different style of biography and one that is deserved of a man who transformed English football. I was reading the book and didn't quite comprehend Cantona's impact culturally... Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2010 by A. Taylor
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