- Hardcover: 407 pages
- Publisher: Little Brown and Company; 1st edition (May 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0316557366
- ISBN-13: 978-0316557368
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 16.5 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 953,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
This wonderful, compelling book seems destined to join the shortlist of football classics (INDEPENDENT )
A gripping and engaging tale (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
The most essential football book other than FEVER PITCH and THE GLORY GAME (FOUR-FOUR-TWO MAGAZINE )
reads like good fiction. (OBSERVER ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
A gripping and engaging tale (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
The most essential football book other than FEVER PITCH and THE GLORY GAME (FOUR-FOUR-TWO MAGAZINE )
reads like good fiction. (OBSERVER ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
* 'A gripping and engaging tale'
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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First Sentence
The day before I went back to Italy, I got a fax from a man named Giuseppe. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The day before I went back to Italy, I got a fax from a man named Giuseppe. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first season spent in the dizzy heights of Serie B, in their entire history, by Castel Di Sangro is shared by American writer Joe McGinniss in this fascinating book.
McGinniss spends the entire 1996/97 season in the small hamlet of Castel Di Sangro. It's calcio (football to you and me, maybe soccer to the author) club is at the very heart of this remarkable tale of survival. The author gets so close to the team though that the book is about far more than football. Lies, deception, scandal and tragedy all come to the fore whilst the footballing miracle unfolds.
In fact, so much unfolds between September 1996 and May 1997, that you will not want to do anything else but read on. The book, by and large, seems to be written with the American audience in mind, which in actual fact helps the tale have small respites for avid football followers. The season is described chronologically, which again makes the story very readable.
The only negative is that the author, despite by his own admission being new to the sport, seems to consider himself an expert in the game. Frequently he describes how he told the manager to do this or that, and seems genuinely surprised when the experienced Italian coach rebuffs his ideas.
Overall, a fascinating tale of an almost surreal season for Castel Di Sangro. Joe McGinniss is welcomed so much into the heart of the community and club, that we find out a great deal about the activities of a small Italian football club, in this intelligently written story.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a fantastic read and literally has you sat on the edge of your seat trying to guess what will happen next. The first season of lowly Castel Di Sangro in Serie B of the Italian football league is a roller coaster ride and ends with a fantastic twist. The reviews of each league game are brilliantly written and really do have you screaming for the final whistle and a win for Castel.
The book goes into slightly too much detail about the basics of football at times but this obviously increases its target audience to those who don't know too much about the game. It really is a great read and a fascinating true story. The only blemish is the author who clearly knows little about European football and the passion which surrounds it. It is almost embarrassing at times to listen to his opinions and points of view as he is very often misguided and uninformed. Saying that, it adds a bit extra to the story as you get sucked into the politics and passion of Italian football.
The book goes into slightly too much detail about the basics of football at times but this obviously increases its target audience to those who don't know too much about the game. It really is a great read and a fascinating true story. The only blemish is the author who clearly knows little about European football and the passion which surrounds it. It is almost embarrassing at times to listen to his opinions and points of view as he is very often misguided and uninformed. Saying that, it adds a bit extra to the story as you get sucked into the politics and passion of Italian football.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As an english football follower for nearly 50 years I consider myself to have a competent knowledge of the game. When I read the synopsis I liked the sound of this book and was very much looking forward to reading it. The story is a great one and really explores the lives of the players and people associated with the club and the story unfolding is some times unbeleviable. However the author ruins the book, he thinks that by watching a few games at the world cup in America he is an expert on the game, he pokes his nose in when it is not wanted, and completely abuses the goodwill and hospitality shown to him by the club and the people of Castel di Sangro. He does not understand the Italian way of life or the Italian way of doing things. It is a shame because it is a great story that could of been written much much better by a more competent writer with a better understanding of football and with the commonsense to understand the Italian way of doing things rather than show so little understanding of lives and culture outside of the USA. Shame.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A gem
One of my top ten books of all time. Great read as I love lower league football and backwater Italy. Great work!
Published 3 months ago by Crimelover 1904
Not flawless, but an engrossing read
If asked to nominate an episode of scarcely-believable sporting drama, most people would have little difficulty in proffering an example. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Liam
unique story
I have read a few reviews of this book where there is a great disappointment and irritation at the author bumbling his way into the inner sanctum of the club. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Graham Crowe
ok
the item was delivered on time, and its conditions as described, no issues at all, no problems as usual. ok.
Published 8 months ago by fb
Short review
The received item was in the expected shape and was more than reasonably priced. Thank you very much I am very satisfied
Published 8 months ago by Jesper Wedel Eskildsen
What a buffoon McGinniss is!
Sports stories don't come much better than Castel Di Sangro. The plucky underdog wins promotion against the odds and takes on the big boys of Italy's second division. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Frustrated
Great Story - Ruined
I think this review will mirror most on here that have acheived 3 stars or less. As an avid follower of lower league English football (not soccer) and witness to my very own... Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2009 by Delle Alpi
Who says the Italian league is boring!!!!
I need to admit I was sceptical when my girlfriend bought me The Miracle of Castel di Sangro for my Christmas but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2009 by J. J. Greenhorn
Interesting/Annoying
It was a fascinating time, when a village team rose close to, what was then, the best football league in the world. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by Mr. Antonio Cavaldoro
Couldnt put it down
What a fantastic book Joe has written. It gives a wonderful insight on football, on Italy and on how football is played in the lower leagues all over the world. Read more
Published on 6 May 2009 by S. Patel
Listmania!
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