| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £1.45
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Pack Men for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £1.45, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Bissett's ear for cut and thrust, for chiv-sharp wit and tinder-dry insult is incisive, pitch perfect, informed...the writing is subtle, well-paced, authentic and compelling...from the start the story transports you aboard its wheeled madhouse in the company of a colourful band of yahoos that Geoffrey Chaucer would be pleased to have invented'
(Scotsman )"A unique and special novel.
from a Scottish writer in yonks
'Bissett writes subtly, intelligently yet also passionately about men...an outstanding novel'
(Scotland on Sunday )'Told with narrative flair and demotic brilliance, this is a hugely funny, ruthlessly honest and desperately necessary book'
(Sarah Hall, Booker shortlisted author of The Electric Michelangelo )'If Scotland's father of working class consciousness James Kelman had a literary son it might be Alan Bissett...funny, irreverent and moving, let's hope [Pack Men] gets the readership and recognition it deserves'
(Gutter )'Pack Men is a wry, entertaining and mature work...Bissett succeeds in making us root for the most unlikely of antiheroes, even as he implodes'
(Scottish Review of Books )'Pack Men should be required reading for both sets of supporters...Along with the sectarian backdrop, Bissett tackles questions of personal identity, male bonding, sexuality and above all class in a narrative that sneaks much of that subject matter under the surface of a blistering, adrenaline-fuelled romp'
(The List )'The largest Scottish army ever to invade
Review
"A unique and special novel.
from a Scottish writer in yonks
'If Scotland's father of working class consciousness James Kelman had a literary son it might be Alan Bissett...funny, irreverent and moving, let's hope [Pack Men] gets the readership and recognition it deserves'
(Gutter )'Pack Men is a wry, entertaining and mature work...Bissett succeeds in making us root for the most unlikely of antiheroes, even as he implodes'
(Scottish Review of Books )'Pack Men should be required reading for both sets of supporters...Along with the sectarian backdrop, Bissett tackles questions of personal identity, male bonding, sexuality and above all class in a narrative that sneaks much of that subject matter under the surface of a blistering, adrenaline-fuelled romp'
(The List ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Alvin has now graduated from university and is living in Edinburgh and the UEFA cup final is a convenient excuse for him to get together with old pals, Frankie and Dolby. Brian has emigrated and is cleverly replaced by Dolby's young son, Jack, ensuring the pack of 4 remains. Other members of the supporters bus also feature heavily in the story including the man mountain of testosterone Cage and the engaging Chrissie.
As we progress through the book it's clear each character has their own story to tell yet Bissett expertly entwines the characters stories around each other. This allows the book to unfold naturally, with each character given their place in the spotlight at the appropriate time.
From the 1st page of the book the issue of Sectarianism, quite literally, shouts out at us. Throughout the book the issue is debated, discussed and in some cases disregarded by each of the characters. Bissett's fresh approach to discussing this ever thorny subject, prevalent across Glasgow and other areas of Central Scotland, is to be commended. He opens up the debate in a much more honest, open way than others before him have. He is also quick to challenge our preconceptions of some of the supporters we encounter, dispelling the myth that all football supporters are knuckle dragging neanderthals.
It is however Alvin, struggling to come to terms with his own identity, who is the star of the book. As his story unfolds, with clever flashbacks to his student days interspersing the ever more chaotic scenes from Manchester, it becomes clear he has a secret he wishes to share.
This book is much more than a novel about a fan's trip to see his team play football. It will make you laugh, make you think and when you reach the last page you will hope it's not the last time you encounter Alvin and the boys from Falkirk.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
