Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Fever Pitch
Book Review: American sports fanatics must read this book.
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book to wonderfully relate to my own fanaticism with my American teams. Hornby described not just himself, but me too. My life revovles around American football just like Hornby 's revovled around soccer. It was a great read. Because I feel like something of a kindred spirit, I have even become an Arsenal fan! I constantly watch soccer on cable television. An American following English Football! Hard for even me to believe. Go Gunnars!Book Review: An autobiography of the new pop-culture
Summary: 5 Stars
"Fever pitch" is Hornby's first well-known book, a precedent to "High fidelity" and "About a boy". Hornby is one of the two british people that has brought a new meaning to pop-culture; the other is Helen Fielding. Hornby's characters are simple, common people that live unusual situations and relationships along his common lives. In this case, Hornby's character is himself, and the book is about his relationship with London soccer team Arsenal. To me this book was fun to read because, like Hornby - although in a much, much smaller degree - I am a soccer fanatic, and, like him, my favourite team - Corinthians Paulista - is also one of the most popular and inconstant teams in my country. Hornby writes his book describing how his life was related to Arsenal's achievements. When Arsenal was doing good, Hornby was doing good. When Arsenal was struggling, Hornby was in depression. Of course, there's much more to it than just that, but it is interesting to observe the development of Hornby's obsession, because it can happen to anyone, at any time.
The problem with "Fever pitch" is that, if the reader doesn't like or doesn't know soccer there will be a lot of skipped paragraphs, and maybe the book will be put aside before the end. Even if the reader can see this story as a metaphor, soccer is ever-present and cannot be dissociated from Hornby's life. I liked it and understood it because soccer IS a very present thing in my life. Maybe if it was about cricket, I would not have liked it.
Grade 8.8/10
Book Review: An enjoyable read about sports obsession and Nick Hornby
Summary: 4 Stars
If you loved High Fidelity and About A Boy, Fever Pitch gives you loads of background information about Hornby, the man, the boy, the football obsessive, the music fan, and the writer. You don't have to care a bit about football or Arsenal when you start reading. If you have the least bit of sports fan(atic) in you, the book will make you wish you could have spent some time in the terraces of the various stadiums agonizing along with the fortunes of your favorite team. And I'm convinced that Hornby plans any new books to be released after football season, so he could schedule his book tours without missing any Arsenal games.Book Review: Another Hornby Great
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an incredible book. I picked it up because i've read Hornby's others (About A Boy, High Fidelity), and loved them. But admittedly, i was most interested because the guy i was dating at the time was obsessed with British Football, most notably Manchester United. I really don't know anything about soccer, so at first some things were hard to follow, but by the end of the book, i felt intimate with the team (nowhere near Hornby's obsession...obviously). i now check FC websites for updates as my local paper acts as though anything outside of Illinois doesn't exist. Anyway, for people who are unfamiliar with soccer, this is a great read, and can be as enjoyable as if you really understand what's going on. Hornby's wit and incredible writing comes out so clearly in this book, and you feel for Hornby and Arsenal as if it was you and your team.Book Review: Any sportsfan will love this book
Summary: 5 Stars
This novel is a tribute to Arsenal, the game of football (or soccer as you say over there) and all other sports. Any devoted fan, of any team, who have watched a game and felt the hope, the pain and then finally the desperation after a lost game will love this book.As always when it comes to novels - read the book, it is ten times better than the film (with the same name but with a totally diffrent plot).