Anyone who really knows me will understand that I have a love of books…if not of Christmas!
On that basis and using that formula I was (half-) excited to get some suggestions from our friends at Stanchion Books. If these recommendations are of interest, get in touch with them direct. Enjoy.

A Season with Verona

“A Season with Verona” is without doubt doubt one of my favourite books. It combines most of the things I love in life – groundhopping, football, Italy and a healthy dose of social comment. I have gone on to read much of what Parks has written in English and much of his Italian-language content. We swap the odd comment on Facebook etc. The Guardian says, “A Season with Verona, the cult classic by Tim Parks, charted the highs and lows of a year spent following Hellas Verona, an unfashionable provincial club.”
Think Fever Pitch with deeper perspectives or the “Netflix Bank Under Siege” with a smoother storyline AND deeper perspectives. Many will have read “Miracle of Castel di Sangro” and there are parallels but whereas McGinniss plays at understanding football, Parks DOES understand football and has a genuine passion for everything that happens off the field as well as enjoying our “Beautiful Game.”

Stanchion says, “Is Italy a united country, or a loose affiliation of warring states? Is Italian football a sport, or an ill-disguised protraction of ancient enmities?

Tim Parks goes on the road to follow the fortunes of Hellas Verona football club, to pay a different kind of visit to some of the world’s most beautiful cities. This is a highly personal account of one man’s relationship with a country, its people and its national sport. A book that combines the pleasures of travel writing with a profound analysis of one country’s mad, mad way of keeping itself entertained.”

Absolute 10/10 recommendation. Check here

On an Italian theme…..

More than Maradona : The Birth, Death and Rebirth of SSC Napoli

“This first English-language history of one of Italy’s most popular teams appeals to both supporters and newcomers alike, revealing the reasons so many are smitten with SSC Napoli, even before they won their third title.

Diego Maradona spent less than seven seasons with Napoli, but during that time the Italian club soared to its greatest heights, winning the Serie A title twice and the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italia, and UEFA Cup once.

Until very recently, for most soccer lovers, the Partenopei story begins and ends with Maradona. Yet Napoli’s history is packed with fascinating figures, from owners to players to the legend-turned-sport-director who brought in the beloved deity.

More than Maradona highlights this cast of characters, spotlights the side’s most intriguing years, and ties both back to the history and culture of Naples, a rare one-club town. Primarily written prior to the 2023 scudetto, the book concludes with an ecstatic finale covering the season in which Napoli dominated Serie A.”

This is my present to myself. I reserve judgement. I do not know how much Italian she speaks and to understand Italian football I would argue you would need to be comfortable. Does she speak the local Neapolitan language – this is the language of Gli Ultras del Napoli – the clubs fanatical supporters (again see Netflix) Order the book on Stanchion

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