How Soccer Explains the World : An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
Author(s): Franklin Foer
“An eccentric, fascinating exposé of a world most of us know nothing about.” — The New York Times Book Review
"Foer’s skills as a narrator are enviable. His characterizations… are comparable to those in Norman Mailer's journalism." — The Boston Globe
A groundbreaking work—named one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated—How Soccer Explains the World is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world’s most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy. From Brazil to Bosnia, and Italy to Iran, this is an eye-opening chronicle of how a beautiful sport and its fanatical followers can highlight the fault lines of a society, whether it’s terrorism, poverty, anti-Semitism, or radical Islam—issues that now have an impact on all of us. Filled with blazing intelligence, colorful characters, wry humor, and an equal passion for soccer and humanity, How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
Review(s):
“Important. . . . Foer’s book sets one thinking about the great American isolation. If we want to understand the world, we should probably try to understand soccer.”
“An insightful, entertaining, brainiac sports road trip.”
“Sensational. . . . The smartest sports book of the summer.”
“What a brilliant idea! Franklin Foer provides a personal yet richly-reported look at how approaches to soccer tell us so much about different societies and their cultural attitudes. He even uses the game to dissect the ideological and class divides in America. The result is both amusing and revealing -- and delightfully provocative.”
“Franklin Foer’s book shows that soccer is much more than just kicking the ball around -- it is about the way soccer exists in people’s lives. Brilliantly written and well thought out, it is required reading not just for soccer lovers, but anyone who wants to understand what is going on in the world today.”
“A wildly entertaining romp through the world with a smart, nervy guide. Tucked into this amazing snapshot of unconventional wisdom is a brilliant description of the chilling interface of sports and politics and how it’s used to manipulate our lives.”
“Important and controversial as the subject of globalization is, it’s not often much fun to read about. This book is a dazzling exception -- and no less a contribution to serious study of the issue for being a delight. It’s full of lively tales, colorful characters, and humor -- all on behalf of explaining, clearly and convincingly, how the world is changing in momentous ways.”
“Most people who write about globalization never leave the world of fancy hotels and conferences. Franklin Foer actually went out and did a day’s work. His reporting among soccer’s lumpen proletariat illuminates the dark complexities of globalization.”
“Franklin Foer has written a book that is significantly entertaining if you like soccer, and entertainingly significant if you do not.”
“I’ve always admired Franklin Foer’s smart, insightful reporting, but here he does something I couldn’t have predicted: took me into a world I was completely unfamiliar with and brought it alive with wit, a sense of adventure -- and cultural and geopolitical ramifications I wouldn’t otherwise have imagined.”
ISBN: 9780061978050