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Review
"Promised Land is fantastic. It's beautifully written, powerful and full of insight about sport and life."--Ian McMillan
"An original, passionate, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable account of the highs and lows of Leeds United."--The Times
"Anthony Clavane has delivered an absorbing, compelling and very personal history, and dissection, of Leeds, the city and the club."--David Peace
"...takes us on a journey from his family's flight from the pogroms in Russia - to the Kop at Elland Road."--James Brown, former editor of Loaded, Jack and GQ
"Clavane writes in the accessible-- and emotional-- style of a good sports journalist, statistics enough for most soccer pedants."--Jewish Chronicle
"Anthony Clavane charts the highs and lows of the club right up to promotion at the end of last season"--Sports Magazine
"Superbly written and a great read...three histories, all great stories...There's wit, wisdom, a bit of weirdness...and a lot of wonder"--Leeds, Leeds, Leeds (official magazine of Leeds Utd)
"Clavane plaits together the football club, the integration of the Leeds Jewish community, and the socio-economic history of the area"--Sport Journalists Association
"Promised Land is wonderful. It's very evocative...a fantastic book"--BBC Radio 4
"...a well-written, emotional and thoughtful chronicle"--Daily Telegraph
"An engaging and ambitious popular history which is crafted from the author's own personal story, passions and obsessions."--Esquire
"Clavane is... brilliant on the disappearing of the United dream in the smoke and mirrors of dodgy corporate finance"--Sunday Herald
"an absorbing and superbly wide-ranging history of Leeds United"--Independent
"...rich, complex book about football and fandom, origins and expectations, Promised Land is more than just promising; it's absolutely brilliant"--Independent on Sunday
"Broad and general yet hugely personal; socio-historical but sporty; academic but approachable; partisan but even-handed; sensitive but unsentimental... prompts the reader to evaluate his or her stereotypes, assumptions and attitudes concerning Leeds because it's so well-written and interesting"--Sports Blog, Times Online
"splendidly acute, richly evocative and autobiographically laced... No page goes unturned without the eyebrow raising at some telling detail"--David Stubbs, When Saturday Comes
"compelling... glorious... this book will have an appeal far beyond football."--The Guardian
"An original, passionate, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable account of the highs and lows of Leeds United."--The Times
"Anthony Clavane has delivered an absorbing, compelling and very personal history, and dissection, of Leeds, the city and the club."--David Peace
"...takes us on a journey from his family's flight from the pogroms in Russia - to the Kop at Elland Road."--James Brown, former editor of Loaded, Jack and GQ
"Clavane writes in the accessible-- and emotional-- style of a good sports journalist, statistics enough for most soccer pedants."--Jewish Chronicle
"Anthony Clavane charts the highs and lows of the club right up to promotion at the end of last season"--Sports Magazine
"Superbly written and a great read...three histories, all great stories...There's wit, wisdom, a bit of weirdness...and a lot of wonder"--Leeds, Leeds, Leeds (official magazine of Leeds Utd)
"Clavane plaits together the football club, the integration of the Leeds Jewish community, and the socio-economic history of the area"--Sport Journalists Association
"Promised Land is wonderful. It's very evocative...a fantastic book"--BBC Radio 4
"...a well-written, emotional and thoughtful chronicle"--Daily Telegraph
"An engaging and ambitious popular history which is crafted from the author's own personal story, passions and obsessions."--Esquire
"Clavane is... brilliant on the disappearing of the United dream in the smoke and mirrors of dodgy corporate finance"--Sunday Herald
"an absorbing and superbly wide-ranging history of Leeds United"--Independent
"...rich, complex book about football and fandom, origins and expectations, Promised Land is more than just promising; it's absolutely brilliant"--Independent on Sunday
"Broad and general yet hugely personal; socio-historical but sporty; academic but approachable; partisan but even-handed; sensitive but unsentimental... prompts the reader to evaluate his or her stereotypes, assumptions and attitudes concerning Leeds because it's so well-written and interesting"--Sports Blog, Times Online
"splendidly acute, richly evocative and autobiographically laced... No page goes unturned without the eyebrow raising at some telling detail"--David Stubbs, When Saturday Comes
"compelling... glorious... this book will have an appeal far beyond football."--The Guardian
Book Description
A fascinating journey into the dark heart of the ill-fated Leeds United football club in the tradition of The Damned United
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Unfortunately, the author/publisher have made a cataclysmic error with this book. They have sold it short. Sold it out. Bottled it. Typical Leeds.
With a blurb that screams 'partisan' louder than a chant from the Kop, it's easy to understand why other reviews dismiss the book as "written by a fan, for fans". To be considered a work only of interest to its subjects. Only relevant for those who accept its glaring hypothesis; that Leeds United are the football story of our times. Only to be read by Leeds fans, by Leeds people, by Leeds Jews.
This is plainly a travesty.
Instead, this is Promised Land. A tale of broad and sweeping scope. Of wide ranging, hard hitting themes. With the unmistakable political, social and economic agenda to be expected of a writer from the Mirror.
It's true that no author can ever hope to sum up a century of social, economic, relgious and football history. But this book tries. And it does so, not just from the perspective of a man or a community or a city (and it covers all of those themes), but from the perspective of modern Britain. This is the story of a football club which speaks to anyone interested in the ebbs and flows of our country's recent past.
The rise and fall of Northern Man. Of Labour. Of Thatcher. Of prosperity. Of jobs and shopping and fashion. Of immigrant communities through the decades. Of a community desperate to fit in and to find its place. Of a family fighting to survive and belong.
In some ways, this book is Andrew Marr for the football fan.
But unfortunately, with it's cover and it's blurb, it has been presented as fiercely particular. As one man's story written for his peers. For his classmates at school. For the community he's left behind.
And yes, there are a lot of Judeo-specific and Leeds-specific and Judeo-Leeds-specific stories and references. There are words and phrases and characters that will resonate more with some than others. But in my view, this only adds to the whole. There is a sense of a genuine history that is personal, but which adds depth to the broader, universal, picture.
I hope that any football fan, anybody from an immigrant community, anybody that has family history connected to the club, to the city, to the rise and fall of 'Northern Man', anyone with any connection, however slight, isn't put off by the presentation and picks this book up.
Particularly, anyone that remembers 'Dirty Leeds' or the Don, or has any interest at all in the amazing recent history of the club, will find in this book a fascinating context for all those headlines. For all the controversy. And, I suppose, for the trials and travails of the football seasons that have ended, or even only just begun.
With a blurb that screams 'partisan' louder than a chant from the Kop, it's easy to understand why other reviews dismiss the book as "written by a fan, for fans". To be considered a work only of interest to its subjects. Only relevant for those who accept its glaring hypothesis; that Leeds United are the football story of our times. Only to be read by Leeds fans, by Leeds people, by Leeds Jews.
This is plainly a travesty.
Instead, this is Promised Land. A tale of broad and sweeping scope. Of wide ranging, hard hitting themes. With the unmistakable political, social and economic agenda to be expected of a writer from the Mirror.
It's true that no author can ever hope to sum up a century of social, economic, relgious and football history. But this book tries. And it does so, not just from the perspective of a man or a community or a city (and it covers all of those themes), but from the perspective of modern Britain. This is the story of a football club which speaks to anyone interested in the ebbs and flows of our country's recent past.
The rise and fall of Northern Man. Of Labour. Of Thatcher. Of prosperity. Of jobs and shopping and fashion. Of immigrant communities through the decades. Of a community desperate to fit in and to find its place. Of a family fighting to survive and belong.
In some ways, this book is Andrew Marr for the football fan.
But unfortunately, with it's cover and it's blurb, it has been presented as fiercely particular. As one man's story written for his peers. For his classmates at school. For the community he's left behind.
And yes, there are a lot of Judeo-specific and Leeds-specific and Judeo-Leeds-specific stories and references. There are words and phrases and characters that will resonate more with some than others. But in my view, this only adds to the whole. There is a sense of a genuine history that is personal, but which adds depth to the broader, universal, picture.
I hope that any football fan, anybody from an immigrant community, anybody that has family history connected to the club, to the city, to the rise and fall of 'Northern Man', anyone with any connection, however slight, isn't put off by the presentation and picks this book up.
Particularly, anyone that remembers 'Dirty Leeds' or the Don, or has any interest at all in the amazing recent history of the club, will find in this book a fascinating context for all those headlines. For all the controversy. And, I suppose, for the trials and travails of the football seasons that have ended, or even only just begun.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
This is more than the North. More than Leeds. More than Leeds United. More than Leeds Jewry. More than social change.
It's all of that and more.
This is a narrative carefully and lovingly crafted.
Picture a weaver weaving. The author takes all of the threads and makes the richest of yarns.
Is any thread dominant?
No not all.
Do you have to be from the North, born in Leeds, middle aged, Leeds United fan or even Jewish ?
No you do not.
It adds so much if you are.
This is an epic book, well written.
A book that describes and explains fully a club, a community, a city and a century.
A book to be read.
It's all of that and more.
This is a narrative carefully and lovingly crafted.
Picture a weaver weaving. The author takes all of the threads and makes the richest of yarns.
Is any thread dominant?
No not all.
Do you have to be from the North, born in Leeds, middle aged, Leeds United fan or even Jewish ?
No you do not.
It adds so much if you are.
This is an epic book, well written.
A book that describes and explains fully a club, a community, a city and a century.
A book to be read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
This book gives a true football story which lives up to any of its predecessors. On the backdrop of a rapidly changing Britain, and a rapidly changing Northern Britain, this book gives a marvellous insight to a un-chartered History of Leeds as a club and as a city.
Set from a unique fans perspective, the author goes a long way to describing the highs and lows of a Leeds fan in such a way that any football fan of any club could relate. The uniqueness of Leeds and their story takes centre stage.
This however goes only a little way to describing what the book really portrays. It gives a personal history of Britain through a revolutionary period of Britain. Any person looking to gain a unique vision of the social and economic changes of Britain aught to read this book, and if you wish to see it from a football perspective also then you are in for a treat.
But these are again just two elements to the book, for you do not only have the uniqueness of seeing this experience from a footballing fans eyes, who sees a social revolution as well as a football revolution happen. You see it from the eyes of a young Jewish fan. With this you see a secret and un documented history to Leeds from a Jewish perspective. Therefore this book is revolutionary in itself in creating a unique new strand of Leeds support which differs from any stereotype that has existed prior.
For all of these reasons and more I would urge people to buy this book and enjoy it as much as I personally did.
Set from a unique fans perspective, the author goes a long way to describing the highs and lows of a Leeds fan in such a way that any football fan of any club could relate. The uniqueness of Leeds and their story takes centre stage.
This however goes only a little way to describing what the book really portrays. It gives a personal history of Britain through a revolutionary period of Britain. Any person looking to gain a unique vision of the social and economic changes of Britain aught to read this book, and if you wish to see it from a football perspective also then you are in for a treat.
But these are again just two elements to the book, for you do not only have the uniqueness of seeing this experience from a footballing fans eyes, who sees a social revolution as well as a football revolution happen. You see it from the eyes of a young Jewish fan. With this you see a secret and un documented history to Leeds from a Jewish perspective. Therefore this book is revolutionary in itself in creating a unique new strand of Leeds support which differs from any stereotype that has existed prior.
For all of these reasons and more I would urge people to buy this book and enjoy it as much as I personally did.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well received
I purchased the book as a present for my brother in law, though not knowing the author myself, my brother in law seemed to know of him, as he has been on
regional TV... Read more
regional TV... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Edd209
An excellent sports book. A moving social history
Knowing that this won the sports book of the year, and being a Leeds United supporter (obviously I can't help it) I was looking forward to reading Clavane's parallel accounts of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by E. Atkinson
More than a football book; a psychological study and trip down memory...
This book is stunning: more than a piece of sports journalism, it is an intense psychological examination of a city with a turbulent life story, an enduring image (not always... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mark O'Brien
excellent history of leeds united
It will be difficult to write a better book on Leeds United than the author of this one.Leeds born and bred Anthony Clavane writes on the history of the club - its origins, success... Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. M. Fielding
Much more than just a football book
I've lived my entire life in the USA. I first started following football in the late 1960's and grew up idolizing Revie's boys from across the Atlantic. Read more
Published 10 months ago by John R. Farrish
A breath of fresh air
Compared to cricket, Association Football's collective bibliographic output often fails to live up to much literary scrutiny. Read more
Published 12 months ago by leeds-librarian
well wrote tale of not just leeds united but the city of leeds
was pleasently suprised by this book, wasnt just a history of both leeds united and the city of leeds, but a fantastic story throughout. Read more
Published 12 months ago by sberry
Not just another football book....
I had this bought for me as a birthday present. I have over the years, read many football books, not just about Leeds United, but by other authors and about other clubs. Read more
Published 12 months ago by gadget geek
Best in Class
Much more than another football club bio. Anthony Clavane captures and documents the social landscape both locally and nationally as he cleverly weaves it along side the recent... Read more
Published 13 months ago by E. Moore
A northern rival to Fever Pitch.
Let's get this out of the way first; it's the best book about Leeds United and therefore all fellow supporters should read this, not because they will end up learning what the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Francis Barry-Walsh
Listmania!
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