Theatre of Silence: The Lost Soul of Football by Matthew Bazell
Having seen this book advertised on an e-mail update from Arsenal's protest group- The Black Scarf Movement- I hoped that the book would really help bring to life the issues with the modern game from a fans' perspective and leave with a lot of satisfaction, as my lack of eloquence has often meant I've struggled to express these issue to many of TV-watching friends who adore Monday night football. But with ths book my anguish was quelled, as Matthew Bazell (who is a Gooner!) manages to articulate my views for me, making the book a satisfying read, as I was able to read it cover to cover constantly nodding and grunting approval at Bazell's views.
Although many of the ideas Bazell presents in the book are not the most complex, flowery and fantsyful figments of the magination, he writes the book with a cutting honesty and realism, with his passion being poured into each and every word. As a reader this really allows you to be submerged in his passionate thoughts and feelings, as he vividly brings to life the issues with modern football, from a very personalised and heartfelt standpoint- which makes the book all the more effective, as the reader can appreciate Bazell's standing as an everyday fan. He is one of the 'people' that the 'people's game' should be providng for with greater care.
The book itself is quite simply. It neatly comprises of different chapters, which each in theory, summarise one or two issues with modern football. bazell sticks to this simple theory relatively well, managing make each chapter differ suitably by introducing light-hearted anecdotes to back up his points, drawing on his experiences of the diffrent issues and helping fans to relate to them. If one criticism can be made of the book, it is that Bazell can sometimes become a little repetitive-especially towards the latter stages of the book- and some issues and particular points of frustration can be reiterated a little too much, although he manages to cut short his repetition with a well-manufactured and subtle ending, which ties up all loose ends well and arrives at one of the major points of the book.
This book may essentially be a rant, venting frustration at the way modern football is governed, but it is certainly an erudite, controlled and often witty one. Indeed, Bazell manges to balance his somber realism with appropriate doses of sarcasm, irony and humour, adding a more light-hearted shade to a book that may appear at a glance to be overly downcast.
So for all football fans who can see the issues of the modern game, and wish to face up to them once for all, with a straight-talking and honest account from one of their own- look no further than this book.
Having seen this book advertised on an e-mail update from Arsenal's protest group- The Black Scarf Movement- I hoped that the book would really help bring to life the issues with the modern game from a fans' perspective and leave with a lot of satisfaction, as my lack of eloquence has often meant I've struggled to express these issue to many of TV-watching friends who adore Monday night football. But with ths book my anguish was quelled, as Matthew Bazell (who is a Gooner!) manages to articulate my views for me, making the book a satisfying read, as I was able to read it cover to cover constantly nodding and grunting approval at Bazell's views.
Although many of the ideas Bazell presents in the book are not the most complex, flowery and fantsyful figments of the magination, he writes the book with a cutting honesty and realism, with his passion being poured into each and every word. As a reader this really allows you to be submerged in his passionate thoughts and feelings, as he vividly brings to life the issues with modern football, from a very personalised and heartfelt standpoint- which makes the book all the more effective, as the reader can appreciate Bazell's standing as an everyday fan. He is one of the 'people' that the 'people's game' should be providng for with greater care.
The book itself is quite simply. It neatly comprises of different chapters, which each in theory, summarise one or two issues with modern football. bazell sticks to this simple theory relatively well, managing make each chapter differ suitably by introducing light-hearted anecdotes to back up his points, drawing on his experiences of the diffrent issues and helping fans to relate to them. If one criticism can be made of the book, it is that Bazell can sometimes become a little repetitive-especially towards the latter stages of the book- and some issues and particular points of frustration can be reiterated a little too much, although he manages to cut short his repetition with a well-manufactured and subtle ending, which ties up all loose ends well and arrives at one of the major points of the book.
This book may essentially be a rant, venting frustration at the way modern football is governed, but it is certainly an erudite, controlled and often witty one. Indeed, Bazell manges to balance his somber realism with appropriate doses of sarcasm, irony and humour, adding a more light-hearted shade to a book that may appear at a glance to be overly downcast.
So for all football fans who can see the issues of the modern game, and wish to face up to them once for all, with a straight-talking and honest account from one of their own- look no further than this book.
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