Heartland
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Review
"Movingly traverses the territory of the human heart." --"Independent on Sunday"
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It is the May 2002 local elections in the Black Country, the ''Tipton Three'' have been arrested and sent to Guantanamo and the BNP confidently expect new seats on the council. England are about to play Argentina in the World Cup while a local league clash is billed by the press as ''a match to spark a race war''. A passionate, page-turning story about grass-roots politics, football and the far right in a multicultural, working class town - HEARTLAND is one of the finest English novels of the decade.
''This is what fiction should be and what readers want it to be: passionately engaged. The ambition and achievement shine forth from every sentence'' - David Peace, author of THE DAMNED UTD
''A writer with a wonderful ear for dialect and an unblinking sense of Britain as it is today. Anthony Cartwright's patient, attentive storytelling shines a glowing light on areas of our common experience that the English novel usually consigns to darkness.'' - Jonathan Coe
''Heartland is beautiful, moving and important. Victories and defeats on and off the pitch are tenderly rendered in this acute portrait of identity and community'' - Catherine O'Flynn
''A great book about football ... captures just what it''s like to be engaged in the complex plot of a game, whether as fan or a player. If you read a better complement to the game this year you''ll be lucky.'' When Saturday Comes
''An impressive novel, glimpsed through the prism of a pair of football matches.'' D. J. Taylor, Guardian
''This brilliant realised novel expertly interweaves the stories of friends on either side of a stricken community's social and religious divide.'' Esquire
''This slice-of-life novel is ambitiously structured. A welcome and timely take on England now, from a talented and thoughtful writer.'' Carol Birch, Independent
''The real strength of this novel lies in the vivid Black Country vernacular and the framework carefully constructed to fit the football match in Sapporo.'' Daily Mail
''Movingly traverses the territory of the human heart.'' Independent on Sunday
'Heartland has similar scope to Don DeLillo's Underworld and such ambition pays. This impressive novel succeeds in giving voice to a part of the country that is more frequently spoken about than listened to.' The Observer
SELECTED FOR BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME
''This is what fiction should be and what readers want it to be: passionately engaged. The ambition and achievement shine forth from every sentence'' - David Peace, author of THE DAMNED UTD
''A writer with a wonderful ear for dialect and an unblinking sense of Britain as it is today. Anthony Cartwright's patient, attentive storytelling shines a glowing light on areas of our common experience that the English novel usually consigns to darkness.'' - Jonathan Coe
''Heartland is beautiful, moving and important. Victories and defeats on and off the pitch are tenderly rendered in this acute portrait of identity and community'' - Catherine O'Flynn
''A great book about football ... captures just what it''s like to be engaged in the complex plot of a game, whether as fan or a player. If you read a better complement to the game this year you''ll be lucky.'' When Saturday Comes
''An impressive novel, glimpsed through the prism of a pair of football matches.'' D. J. Taylor, Guardian
''This brilliant realised novel expertly interweaves the stories of friends on either side of a stricken community's social and religious divide.'' Esquire
''This slice-of-life novel is ambitiously structured. A welcome and timely take on England now, from a talented and thoughtful writer.'' Carol Birch, Independent
''The real strength of this novel lies in the vivid Black Country vernacular and the framework carefully constructed to fit the football match in Sapporo.'' Daily Mail
''Movingly traverses the territory of the human heart.'' Independent on Sunday
'Heartland has similar scope to Don DeLillo's Underworld and such ambition pays. This impressive novel succeeds in giving voice to a part of the country that is more frequently spoken about than listened to.' The Observer
SELECTED FOR BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The cover quote from David Peace says simply: 'This is what fiction should be' - and that seems to me to say it all; I simply wanted to echo that sentiment. Afterglow was excellent, I think this is even better: if you believe fiction can be serious and provocative and entertaining and still reek of integrity on every page, read this and be inspired. Forget Beckham, this man should be a star.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not an easy book to read. There are no quotation marks; it is comprehensive in its' use of Black Country dialect at all times; and it switches between four or five scenarios - often in the same paragraph. So don't expect a light and fluffy read.
Nonetheless, it has plenty of merits. The social insight is sharp and well-observed, with good details squirreled away and not signposted as if you are a moron. The description of failed footballers and their slow decline is well described, and Cartwright avoids crude stereotyping of `good' and `bad' characters; all the characters have their virtues and flaws, excuses and reasons. The politics carry the grubby amateurism that pervades local council life, and different cultures are sensitively and skilfully observed. As social commentary, it works very well.
It is intended as a `slice of life' with no distinct beginning or end, but for me this is a drawback to the book. As the story continues, it becomes clear that it lacks a coherent direction, and so lacks any momentum or pace. It moves at one speed, knowing it will never reach a conclusion. I think Cartwright could legitimately have taken the story somewhere, and created an arc to some of the characters, without sacrificing the social realism and authenticity he sought.
Provided you are prepared to work at physically reading this, you will get an excellent slice of Black Country life in 2002, without judgements or moralising. Next time, I would like to see Cartwright commit more to a plot, which needn't mean sacrificing the fundamentals he has developed so well here.
Nonetheless, it has plenty of merits. The social insight is sharp and well-observed, with good details squirreled away and not signposted as if you are a moron. The description of failed footballers and their slow decline is well described, and Cartwright avoids crude stereotyping of `good' and `bad' characters; all the characters have their virtues and flaws, excuses and reasons. The politics carry the grubby amateurism that pervades local council life, and different cultures are sensitively and skilfully observed. As social commentary, it works very well.
It is intended as a `slice of life' with no distinct beginning or end, but for me this is a drawback to the book. As the story continues, it becomes clear that it lacks a coherent direction, and so lacks any momentum or pace. It moves at one speed, knowing it will never reach a conclusion. I think Cartwright could legitimately have taken the story somewhere, and created an arc to some of the characters, without sacrificing the social realism and authenticity he sought.
Provided you are prepared to work at physically reading this, you will get an excellent slice of Black Country life in 2002, without judgements or moralising. Next time, I would like to see Cartwright commit more to a plot, which needn't mean sacrificing the fundamentals he has developed so well here.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The attack on the world trade centre in New York and a World Cup football match in Japan less than a year later are both real events central to this black country portrait skilfully written by Mr.Cartwright in only his second novel. And like his first, the dialogue is in rich locally accented dialect.
Not everyone will remember where they were when England took on Argentina in the World Cup in June 2002 but the tragic events 9 months earlier are surely etched on everyone's memory. And it's fresh in the aftermath of 9/11 that the story begins and we find Rob, the central character here, drinking in the middle of the day (because of the time difference in Japan)with several members of his family in a packed and rowdy clubhouse in Dudley,West Midlands,England.
Rob is a teacher's assistant at a local run down school and although still young was never able to emulate his famous father's success as a professional footballer. Indeed, although he still plays for his local Sunday League team, age has caught up with him and he's about to hang up his boots for good. But not before a crucial match against a rival muslim side featuring Zubair his missing best friend's brother.
Unbeknown to Rob, Adnan's whereabouts are secretly kept by Jasmine, another old school friend who's only recently come to teach at the school where Rob's now working.
Meanwhile Rob's Uncle Jim is a Labour councillor diplomatically opposing plans for a mosque to be built on the town's former steelworks site without appearing in cahoots with the growing popularity of the BNP.
This book is powerful and sometimes disturbing but can be enjoyed by everyone from teachers, pupils, footballers, political enthusiasts, gang members and people with an interest in contemporary England.
Compelling and engaging and above all beautifully interwoven. The stories carefully overlap into a haunting, memorable read.
Not everyone will remember where they were when England took on Argentina in the World Cup in June 2002 but the tragic events 9 months earlier are surely etched on everyone's memory. And it's fresh in the aftermath of 9/11 that the story begins and we find Rob, the central character here, drinking in the middle of the day (because of the time difference in Japan)with several members of his family in a packed and rowdy clubhouse in Dudley,West Midlands,England.
Rob is a teacher's assistant at a local run down school and although still young was never able to emulate his famous father's success as a professional footballer. Indeed, although he still plays for his local Sunday League team, age has caught up with him and he's about to hang up his boots for good. But not before a crucial match against a rival muslim side featuring Zubair his missing best friend's brother.
Unbeknown to Rob, Adnan's whereabouts are secretly kept by Jasmine, another old school friend who's only recently come to teach at the school where Rob's now working.
Meanwhile Rob's Uncle Jim is a Labour councillor diplomatically opposing plans for a mosque to be built on the town's former steelworks site without appearing in cahoots with the growing popularity of the BNP.
This book is powerful and sometimes disturbing but can be enjoyed by everyone from teachers, pupils, footballers, political enthusiasts, gang members and people with an interest in contemporary England.
Compelling and engaging and above all beautifully interwoven. The stories carefully overlap into a haunting, memorable read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
pure drivel
worse book ever read, total waste of time and money, nothing happens, jumps about all over the place but goes nowhere
Published on 23 Mar 2010 by C. Mackintosh
Perfectly understand the Britain of today.
Heartland, Anthony Cartwright.
The Midlands, spring 2002. Racial tensions are rising due to the proposed building of a "Super Mosque" on the site of the old factory that... Read more
The Midlands, spring 2002. Racial tensions are rising due to the proposed building of a "Super Mosque" on the site of the old factory that... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2010 by Victor Ward
What the """ ?
I gave up reading this book after a few pages because I was so irritated by the absence of quotation marks. Read more
Published on 9 July 2009 by Peter Humpleby
A compelling and topical read
It's been some time since a book has drawn me in as this one did but from the off the characters seize your imagination and challenge your stereotypes. Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2009 by Mr. Charles R. Oldfield
An enthralling read!
The vividly crafted characters came alive through their thoughts and dialogue and soon felt like 'old friends'. Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2009 by G. Hallett
Not just for football fans!
Set in the midlands, this is a story of politics, football, family strife and love. Two football games are described throughout - the 2002 World Cup match between Argentina and... Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2009 by Wynne Kelly
A powerful and gripping novel
`Heartland' is a powerful and gripping novel. The real-life tensions of a community on the verge of crisis are echoed by the unfolding drama of two football matches: one when... Read more
Published on 29 April 2009 by N. L. Charlwood
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