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Murakami Diary
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £4.43
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 Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all!
Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!!
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Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all!
Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!!
Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog.
Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams
Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life.
A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it....
Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's
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Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all!
Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!!
Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog.
Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams
Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life.
A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it....
Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's
Incredible, 04 Nov 2008
What a wonderful book. Full of humour and sensitivity and absolutely riveting. Written with a lot of strength and a lot of power.
An incredible life this man had and it's all here. The affection and respect held for Joe from everyone who encountered him is inspiring. And it just leaps off the page..
The chapter titles are class!
When's the movie?
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Keane: The Autobiography
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £2.60
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Product Description
The most talked about, written about and argued over sports autobiography of 2002, Keane: the Autobiography does not disappoint. This story of Manchester United and Ireland captain Roy Keane's brilliant and controversial career, written in collaboration with Irish journalist and former professional footballer Eamon Dunphy, crackles with score-settling vigour. It presents a revisionist view of a life in football that has had tabloid editors rubbing their hands with glee almost from the moment the fiery, confrontational midfielder made his British debut for Nottingham Forest under arch eccentric Brian Clough right through to his sensational bust-up with international boss Mick McCarthy and subsequent departure from the 2002 Irish World Cup squad on the eve of the finals. Amid all the wrangling and point-scoring Dunphy and Keane have written a rags-to-riches review of Keane's journey from a poor, battling background in Cork to the £50k a week highlife at Old Trafford. It's very entertaining, although an independent biographer would doubtless have put a less heroic spin on proceedings. The two key headline-grabbing stories--the war with McCarthy and the allegedly deliberate injuring of Alfie Haaland--read somewhat differently in the book from the way they did in the papers. Make no mistake about it, Keane is frank about his own failings, franker about the failings of others and prepared to spill the beans to some extent about being the odd-man-out in the Old Trafford glam-fest. But this is very much his side of the story. --Alex Hankin
Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all! Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!! Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog. Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life. A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it.... Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's Incredible, 04 Nov 2008
What a wonderful book. Full of humour and sensitivity and absolutely riveting. Written with a lot of strength and a lot of power.
An incredible life this man had and it's all here. The affection and respect held for Joe from everyone who encountered him is inspiring. And it just leaps off the page..
The chapter titles are class!
When's the movie? Roy's keen, 10 Oct 2008
This blankly-titled, ghost-written autobiography is Roy Keane's stab at telling the story of his career. Eschewing the modern trend for dwelling intensely upon aspects of your personal life KEANE's narrative zooms in on the particular details and events of his football career. That means we hear about the many rejection letters he received from English clubs (including Aston Villa, Chelsea and Derby County); time spent with his Irish club Cobh Ramblers; his introduction to English football with Nottingham Forest and the mixed fortunes that he enjoyed at club and country level with Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland.
In the revised edition of this autobiography Keane remarks upon the fact that "Critics have long complained about sports autobiographies that reveal nothing". Fortunately, for the reader KEANE does not suffer from this failing. He is as candid as his Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough was in his pomp. Nobody, and nothing, is free from his wrath. The book is littered with examples. He speaks of his preference for dogs over people by arguing that unlike humans, canines "won't betray you or otherwise let you down". Following defeat in the 2000 Champions League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen he derides his Manchester United team mates for being more interested in material objects and goods ("Rolex watches, garages full of cars... mansions") rather than concentrating on the game of football which enabled them to get these things in the first place.
The criticisms he openly voices about the Republic of Ireland set-up show that hell hath no fury like Roy Keane scorned. He kicks out at the organisational body that runs Irish football (the Football Association of Ireland) by waspishly remarking that to describe them as "amateur would be an insult to amateurs". That censorious attitude extends to Englishman Jack Charlton, who had been lionised in Ireland because of the unprecedented success the country had enjoyed under his management. Firstly, he states that he does not like him personally. "I found it impossible to relate to him as a man". This is followed by a comparison with his then club boss Clough which extends his attack to his professional capabilities: "Clough was astute and capable of detailed analysis, Charlton merely blustered, was short on detail, long on generalization". Those sentiments help to contextualize the history which under-laid his infamous walk-out from the 2002 World Cup.
Sometimes, as you turn page after page, to find more unrelenting, criticism you can become weary. Ex-Manchester United team mate Jaap Stam clearly felt that Keane was too keen, too headstrong. In Stam's autobiography he wrote that Keane was `on another planet'. What is his response to this slight? He agrees. Proudly, he replies "Yes, Jaap. Planet Manchester United, where I always wanted to be". Periodically, his single-mindedness and fury comes across in his angry prose. Recalling a spell outside of football for a season because of injury he argues that "seen from a windowless gym on a winter afternoon, the game looked like a bad movie, full of spivs, bluffers... hangers-on... and bad actors".
Keane's reflections upon his various managers are particularly illuminating in light of his latest job as manager of Sunderland. Clearly, if he wishes to emulate Alex Ferguson, his long-term manager at Manchester United, he will have to work hard. In praising Ferguson for his diligence Keane observes that he knows Manchester United comprehensively: "[He]watches A team and reserve matches as keenly as the first team; will know as much about a youth team player... as about the first team players". He may also wish to be more sensitive and caring than some of his managers have been on occasions. At one point he recalls an incident in which following a stray pass-back to his goalkeeper resulted in a goal against his team manager Brian Clough punched him in the face in the dressing room. His toleration of the incident shows him to be a product of a different era in football. Casually, he describes Clough's actions as "part of my learning curve".
KEANE is, like its author, blunt and uncompromising.
The Stuff of True Leaders, 21 Jul 2007
You don't have to be Irish, A Man Utd fan or a beer drinker to appreciate the autobiography of a true leader. I'm neither of the above three and yet I found this book compelling reading. Several notable anecdotes including the famous Haaland and Saipan incidents but I will remember this book for a long time because of one popular quote;
"The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish."
Not Fit forToilet Paper, 29 Jun 2007
This book is an abosolute discgrace.
Anything that is touched by Eamon Dunphy is a complete disaster.
Eamon Dunphy - Boil on the face of Humanity... TOP, 30 Sep 2006
Best footballers book i have read. He says the brutal true and it is ace couldn't put it down nearly cost me my degree hehe. And i ain't even a Man utd Fan Best book ever!, 21 Mar 2006
I read this book last summer. I think I finished the first two pages and I said to one of my friends "this is the best book I've ever hold in my hands.! Forget the Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, you have to read this book!" and when I finished it, a week or so later, I was so sorry that it wasn't my book..that I'd just borrowed it... This is the best book ever, no doubt about it! I love this book, you really get a good impression of the Irish man. Everything you might want to know about him, like why he tackled Alfie Haaland and if it was on purpose, you find an answer in this book. READ IT!
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The Boy in the Cupboard
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £2.36
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Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all! Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!! Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog. Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life. A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it.... Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's Incredible, 04 Nov 2008
What a wonderful book. Full of humour and sensitivity and absolutely riveting. Written with a lot of strength and a lot of power.
An incredible life this man had and it's all here. The affection and respect held for Joe from everyone who encountered him is inspiring. And it just leaps off the page..
The chapter titles are class!
When's the movie? Roy's keen, 10 Oct 2008
This blankly-titled, ghost-written autobiography is Roy Keane's stab at telling the story of his career. Eschewing the modern trend for dwelling intensely upon aspects of your personal life KEANE's narrative zooms in on the particular details and events of his football career. That means we hear about the many rejection letters he received from English clubs (including Aston Villa, Chelsea and Derby County); time spent with his Irish club Cobh Ramblers; his introduction to English football with Nottingham Forest and the mixed fortunes that he enjoyed at club and country level with Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland.
In the revised edition of this autobiography Keane remarks upon the fact that "Critics have long complained about sports autobiographies that reveal nothing". Fortunately, for the reader KEANE does not suffer from this failing. He is as candid as his Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough was in his pomp. Nobody, and nothing, is free from his wrath. The book is littered with examples. He speaks of his preference for dogs over people by arguing that unlike humans, canines "won't betray you or otherwise let you down". Following defeat in the 2000 Champions League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen he derides his Manchester United team mates for being more interested in material objects and goods ("Rolex watches, garages full of cars... mansions") rather than concentrating on the game of football which enabled them to get these things in the first place.
The criticisms he openly voices about the Republic of Ireland set-up show that hell hath no fury like Roy Keane scorned. He kicks out at the organisational body that runs Irish football (the Football Association of Ireland) by waspishly remarking that to describe them as "amateur would be an insult to amateurs". That censorious attitude extends to Englishman Jack Charlton, who had been lionised in Ireland because of the unprecedented success the country had enjoyed under his management. Firstly, he states that he does not like him personally. "I found it impossible to relate to him as a man". This is followed by a comparison with his then club boss Clough which extends his attack to his professional capabilities: "Clough was astute and capable of detailed analysis, Charlton merely blustered, was short on detail, long on generalization". Those sentiments help to contextualize the history which under-laid his infamous walk-out from the 2002 World Cup.
Sometimes, as you turn page after page, to find more unrelenting, criticism you can become weary. Ex-Manchester United team mate Jaap Stam clearly felt that Keane was too keen, too headstrong. In Stam's autobiography he wrote that Keane was `on another planet'. What is his response to this slight? He agrees. Proudly, he replies "Yes, Jaap. Planet Manchester United, where I always wanted to be". Periodically, his single-mindedness and fury comes across in his angry prose. Recalling a spell outside of football for a season because of injury he argues that "seen from a windowless gym on a winter afternoon, the game looked like a bad movie, full of spivs, bluffers... hangers-on... and bad actors".
Keane's reflections upon his various managers are particularly illuminating in light of his latest job as manager of Sunderland. Clearly, if he wishes to emulate Alex Ferguson, his long-term manager at Manchester United, he will have to work hard. In praising Ferguson for his diligence Keane observes that he knows Manchester United comprehensively: "[He]watches A team and reserve matches as keenly as the first team; will know as much about a youth team player... as about the first team players". He may also wish to be more sensitive and caring than some of his managers have been on occasions. At one point he recalls an incident in which following a stray pass-back to his goalkeeper resulted in a goal against his team manager Brian Clough punched him in the face in the dressing room. His toleration of the incident shows him to be a product of a different era in football. Casually, he describes Clough's actions as "part of my learning curve".
KEANE is, like its author, blunt and uncompromising.
The Stuff of True Leaders, 21 Jul 2007
You don't have to be Irish, A Man Utd fan or a beer drinker to appreciate the autobiography of a true leader. I'm neither of the above three and yet I found this book compelling reading. Several notable anecdotes including the famous Haaland and Saipan incidents but I will remember this book for a long time because of one popular quote;
"The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish."
Not Fit forToilet Paper, 29 Jun 2007
This book is an abosolute discgrace.
Anything that is touched by Eamon Dunphy is a complete disaster.
Eamon Dunphy - Boil on the face of Humanity... TOP, 30 Sep 2006
Best footballers book i have read. He says the brutal true and it is ace couldn't put it down nearly cost me my degree hehe. And i ain't even a Man utd Fan Best book ever!, 21 Mar 2006
I read this book last summer. I think I finished the first two pages and I said to one of my friends "this is the best book I've ever hold in my hands.! Forget the Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, you have to read this book!" and when I finished it, a week or so later, I was so sorry that it wasn't my book..that I'd just borrowed it... This is the best book ever, no doubt about it! I love this book, you really get a good impression of the Irish man. Everything you might want to know about him, like why he tackled Alfie Haaland and if it was on purpose, you find an answer in this book. READ IT!
I wish I had missed it, 24 Oct 2008
I really loved the 1st book and raved about it to anyone who would listen. I kept checking the internet for the sequal which I thought would answer my questions regarding Charlie and the rest of the children. If you think this one will do it think again. In my opinion this one could have been put in a couple of chapters in the next book. Of course I still love Martha and will certainly be buying the follow up but if I'd known I would have missed this one out.
Beautifully written, 16 Sep 2008
I feel like i really know Martha Long, she has such a way of engrossing you in the words there is no skipping chapters with her!
I know this is awful but i was left slightly disappointed becuase i thought all the questions that went unanswered in the first book would be answered in this one, but i think she may have left it open to write another one.
I now want to know what happens next!
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American Son: My Story
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £9.39
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Rough Ride
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £4.37
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Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all! Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!! Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog. Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life. A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it.... Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's Incredible, 04 Nov 2008
What a wonderful book. Full of humour and sensitivity and absolutely riveting. Written with a lot of strength and a lot of power.
An incredible life this man had and it's all here. The affection and respect held for Joe from everyone who encountered him is inspiring. And it just leaps off the page..
The chapter titles are class!
When's the movie? Roy's keen, 10 Oct 2008
This blankly-titled, ghost-written autobiography is Roy Keane's stab at telling the story of his career. Eschewing the modern trend for dwelling intensely upon aspects of your personal life KEANE's narrative zooms in on the particular details and events of his football career. That means we hear about the many rejection letters he received from English clubs (including Aston Villa, Chelsea and Derby County); time spent with his Irish club Cobh Ramblers; his introduction to English football with Nottingham Forest and the mixed fortunes that he enjoyed at club and country level with Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland.
In the revised edition of this autobiography Keane remarks upon the fact that "Critics have long complained about sports autobiographies that reveal nothing". Fortunately, for the reader KEANE does not suffer from this failing. He is as candid as his Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough was in his pomp. Nobody, and nothing, is free from his wrath. The book is littered with examples. He speaks of his preference for dogs over people by arguing that unlike humans, canines "won't betray you or otherwise let you down". Following defeat in the 2000 Champions League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen he derides his Manchester United team mates for being more interested in material objects and goods ("Rolex watches, garages full of cars... mansions") rather than concentrating on the game of football which enabled them to get these things in the first place.
The criticisms he openly voices about the Republic of Ireland set-up show that hell hath no fury like Roy Keane scorned. He kicks out at the organisational body that runs Irish football (the Football Association of Ireland) by waspishly remarking that to describe them as "amateur would be an insult to amateurs". That censorious attitude extends to Englishman Jack Charlton, who had been lionised in Ireland because of the unprecedented success the country had enjoyed under his management. Firstly, he states that he does not like him personally. "I found it impossible to relate to him as a man". This is followed by a comparison with his then club boss Clough which extends his attack to his professional capabilities: "Clough was astute and capable of detailed analysis, Charlton merely blustered, was short on detail, long on generalization". Those sentiments help to contextualize the history which under-laid his infamous walk-out from the 2002 World Cup.
Sometimes, as you turn page after page, to find more unrelenting, criticism you can become weary. Ex-Manchester United team mate Jaap Stam clearly felt that Keane was too keen, too headstrong. In Stam's autobiography he wrote that Keane was `on another planet'. What is his response to this slight? He agrees. Proudly, he replies "Yes, Jaap. Planet Manchester United, where I always wanted to be". Periodically, his single-mindedness and fury comes across in his angry prose. Recalling a spell outside of football for a season because of injury he argues that "seen from a windowless gym on a winter afternoon, the game looked like a bad movie, full of spivs, bluffers... hangers-on... and bad actors".
Keane's reflections upon his various managers are particularly illuminating in light of his latest job as manager of Sunderland. Clearly, if he wishes to emulate Alex Ferguson, his long-term manager at Manchester United, he will have to work hard. In praising Ferguson for his diligence Keane observes that he knows Manchester United comprehensively: "[He]watches A team and reserve matches as keenly as the first team; will know as much about a youth team player... as about the first team players". He may also wish to be more sensitive and caring than some of his managers have been on occasions. At one point he recalls an incident in which following a stray pass-back to his goalkeeper resulted in a goal against his team manager Brian Clough punched him in the face in the dressing room. His toleration of the incident shows him to be a product of a different era in football. Casually, he describes Clough's actions as "part of my learning curve".
KEANE is, like its author, blunt and uncompromising.
The Stuff of True Leaders, 21 Jul 2007
You don't have to be Irish, A Man Utd fan or a beer drinker to appreciate the autobiography of a true leader. I'm neither of the above three and yet I found this book compelling reading. Several notable anecdotes including the famous Haaland and Saipan incidents but I will remember this book for a long time because of one popular quote;
"The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish."
Not Fit forToilet Paper, 29 Jun 2007
This book is an abosolute discgrace.
Anything that is touched by Eamon Dunphy is a complete disaster.
Eamon Dunphy - Boil on the face of Humanity... TOP, 30 Sep 2006
Best footballers book i have read. He says the brutal true and it is ace couldn't put it down nearly cost me my degree hehe. And i ain't even a Man utd Fan Best book ever!, 21 Mar 2006
I read this book last summer. I think I finished the first two pages and I said to one of my friends "this is the best book I've ever hold in my hands.! Forget the Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, you have to read this book!" and when I finished it, a week or so later, I was so sorry that it wasn't my book..that I'd just borrowed it... This is the best book ever, no doubt about it! I love this book, you really get a good impression of the Irish man. Everything you might want to know about him, like why he tackled Alfie Haaland and if it was on purpose, you find an answer in this book. READ IT!
I wish I had missed it, 24 Oct 2008
I really loved the 1st book and raved about it to anyone who would listen. I kept checking the internet for the sequal which I thought would answer my questions regarding Charlie and the rest of the children. If you think this one will do it think again. In my opinion this one could have been put in a couple of chapters in the next book. Of course I still love Martha and will certainly be buying the follow up but if I'd known I would have missed this one out.
Beautifully written, 16 Sep 2008
I feel like i really know Martha Long, she has such a way of engrossing you in the words there is no skipping chapters with her!
I know this is awful but i was left slightly disappointed becuase i thought all the questions that went unanswered in the first book would be answered in this one, but i think she may have left it open to write another one.
I now want to know what happens next!
Reveals more about Kimmage than about cycling?, 19 Nov 2008
Plenty of other reviewers have picked up on the obvious bitterness that Kimmage displays towards his chosen sport, as well as his obvious lack of real drive to succeed meaningfully in it; so I'm not going to dwell on that. The anecdote about Sean Kelly and the sauna is sufficient: I won't ruin it for you here. Unlike Kimmage, Kelly was notorious for his brutal training regime. In his own words, from the mid-1980s, Kelly said that if he expected to be able to race for seven hours, then his training 'spins' had to last for eight hours or more. On the evidence he presents in this book, it's hard to imagine Kimmage spending eight hours training on his bike in a week, making it easier to understand why he was only ever an also-ran at best.
What the book does remind one of is how ghastly and brutal a sport professional cycling is; and this is written as one who has raced and has followed the sport enthusiastically for over two decades. No other mainstream sport comes close to the relentless physical exertion, pain and injuries that are a guaranteed by-product of competing on the bike. Even the most casual student of the sport will be familiar with the endless list of doping offenders, virtually from the sport's inception, and including many of the greatest champions, from Coppi to Hinault and onwards. And all those top riders who loathed cycling - Lucien van Impe possibly the most famous. Son of a Belgian miner, it was the bike or the pits. He hated both, but at least the bike meant being in the open air.
Apart from the winning and the money, does anyone enjoy the actual act of competitive cycling itself, aside from the dubious and fleeting pleasure of inflicting pain on your opponents when it's going well? It's a sport dominated by the sons of working people, for whom pain and a grim working environment appear a necessary and accepted part of life. They are tough, brutal people, marked out by extreme tenacity and utter physical ruthlessness. And if everyone else is doping, why not join them? Who gives a stuff, in the end? Especially if you know the chances of getting caught are tiny, even today. Just look at the recent Olympics and the endless string of new world records, with sprinters cruising in at sub-9.8 times. Dope anyone?
Kimmage was an idealist in a world of realpolitik. Naive and, you get the impression, hiding his lack of real appetite for his sport behind his principles. And, in the end, he just wasn't tough enough. He didn't want it enough to play in the big time. But at least he did find out what he is good at. The writing is great and it's a compelling, very enjoyable read, take from it what you will. To anyone who knows the sport at all, learning that so many riders dope is not exactly up there with Saul on the road to Damascus. But there's a lot of good stuff in here and some great anecdotes. Well worth a read.
The Date, The Day...It's All Written Down, 04 Sep 2008
Paul Kimmage is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Sunday Times newspaper in the United Kingdom. Born in Dublin, he is a former professional cyclist who competed in the 1980s - alongside compatriots Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Martin Earley. In "Rough Ride", Kimmage looks back on his life on the bike - he touches on his amateur years, though he focuses more on his time as a professional. While the move into professional cycling was a dream come true for Kimmage, the reality of professional cycling wasn't quite the dream he had hoped for : never mind the physical and psychological difficulties associated with the sport, cycling had a widespread drugs problem.
The 1980s were great times for Irish cycling - Sean Kelly was successful from one end of the decade to the other, while Stephen Roche won the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the World Championships in 1987. Kimmage, however, was a domestique and never won a race. He entered the professional ranks with RMO in 1986, before moving to Fagor-MBK in 1989 - where he rode alongside Stephen Roche until the Tour de France. He abandoned that race and - despite having intended to quit at the end of that season - he never rode professionally again.
Kimmage was one of four new pros taken on by RMO in 1986 - however, as one of the few non-French riders, it was initially difficult for him to integrate into the team. Nevertheless, Andre 'Dede' Chappuis quickly became a friend - as, in time, did Jean Claude Colotti and Thierry Claveyrolat. As an amateur, Kimmage had heard rumours about the drug-taking in the professional ranks. However, he was determined to stay clean - even, initially, refusing to take the vitamin shots. (The shots were injected and, in Kimmage's mind, syringes meant doping. Nine stages of the 1986 Tour de France changed his mind : he wouldn't have been capable of starting stage 10 without a shot of Vitamin B12). So far as I know, vitamin shots don't count as doping - I may be wrong - but they certainly would certainly appear innocent enough to the man in the street. Similarly, caffeine tablets also sound reasonably innocent - however, they would return a positive test. Nevertheless, they were quite commonly used - taken early enough in the stage, the caffeine would've been out of the system by the time the cyclist reached doping control.
However, things in cycling went far beyond vitamins and caffeine tablets. Kimmage remembers arriving at a race in his early days carrying a briefcase, something that caused a bit of a slagging from the other riders. It was only later that he discovered many other cyclists carried pills and syringes in theirs - while Kimmage himself was only carrying his passport and a few letters. Since not every race tested for drugs, cyclists knew which races they could 'charge up' for safely. While it was never openly encouraged by the management, they were occasionally reminded of their duty as professionals - especially when there were world ranking points at stake. It wasn't uncommon for syringes full of amphetamines to be used, not only in these races but also in Criteriums. EPO, of course, only arrived in the 1990s - but Kimmage also touches on it in the second edition.
"Rough Ride" was first published in 1990 and, while he wasn't expecting it to be universally welcomed, he wasn't expecting the reception the book received. His friendships with Sean Kelly and Martin Earley survived - both are thanked for their support following the book's first publishing - though Thierry Claveyrolat and Jean-Claude Colotti weren't quite so understanding. Worse, things worked out terribly with Stephen Roche. It's clear from reading the book that Kimmage idolised Roche and that riding alongside him at Fagor was a dream come true. Roche, however, seemed to view the book as a personal attack, and was very quick to talk about the possibility of legal action. I'm not sure if the court case ever arrived...the cleanup cycling certainly hasn't. A sad book, but a very highly recommended one.
Phenomenal book, full of the contradictions of life on a bike., 03 Aug 2008
Loved it. The latter edition has some articles and interviews which reflect on the ethics of the peloton not having changed from 89. Many people complain about Kimmage's partisan ire and lack of impartiality, but in the initial book it is nothing of the sort. The book is essentially a diary of his personal sporting troubles, and the acceptance that the organisations of cycling force nearly all young riders to reflect that to compete for any length of time doping is a necessity. He talks about his teammates drug use, but in the main it is a general look at the pressures and reality of doping during the tour/season.
It's full of contradictions that nearly all of us have apart from the Merx's, Hinault's and Armstrong's. Kimmage doesn't avoid the accounts of multiple failures and retirements from races. It's clear that he doesn't have the single-mindedness mentality and dedication for winning but also that he had the talent to compete in stages. Without performance enhancers he would never compete on his favoured routes.
The bitterness froths on the subsequent cycling & media aggression towards him. Was he right? Yes. He wasn't attacking his fellow cyclists, bombastic idiots like McQuaid saw fit to undermine him at every turn. It's a shame that McQuaid didn't put some effort into preventing the systemic drug abuse, that led to so many lives being destroyed by EPO in the 90's.
To all the people criticising Kimmage for his lack of proffessionalism, take a moment to think if you ever could get anywhere near finishing the tour. Then think if your true love of cycling would sustain through having to waste yourself for the team, whilst knowing you were racing
against doped up rivals. Yes he becomes very bitter, mainly after the abuse he receives from the cycling administration that should be ensuring a clean peloton.
Interesting insight, 02 Jul 2008
I've read this book twice now.
I agree with some reviewers that there seems to be hypocrisy in Kimmage's accounts - he claims some of his friends and himself are victims of the pressure to dope just to survive however put Landis and Rasmussen up there in the same situation and they are villans.
However what must be remembered is that the villification of Landis et all by Kimmage happened a full 14 years AFTER the first part of the book.
By this time Kimmage has seen countless sabre rattling false dawns of "we'll clean this up" and each time it comes to nothing.
It needs to be remembered that Kimmage's peers that doped in the 80's are running the sport now.
I've read some of his comments in his newspaper articles and it seems has been left betrayed that the sport he loved could harbour so many
years of cheats. Even the great Jacques Anquetil said "Do you think we did all that with just water in our bottles?"
Even the new holier than thou brigade (David Millar) don't come out of this clean on his return to the Peleton he takes advise from the very doctor who 2 of his clients have been implicated in the Peurto scandal. So you can understand Kimmage's "will they ever learn" attitude.
Ironic as i write this that Spain have just won Euro 2008 and yet in the Puerto scandal of 100+ samples seized 24 are alledged to come from La Liga footballers.... Football has no EPO or blood doping controls just amphetamines and class A drugs......
A good enthralling read.
A Sad Tale that Had to Be Written, 13 Feb 2008
What's it like to be a wonderfully talented amateur bicycle racer who gets thrown into the meat-grinder of professional cycling? Kimmage answers the question in honest yet depressing detail.
An example: This book explains that the fatigued riders who did not place in the final stage of the Tour wouldn't be tested for dope, so they were free to take amphetamines. Reading "Rough Ride" is a lot like driving by a car crash. You really want to avert your eyes but can't. Kimmage's story of life as a cycling domestique is fascinating.
Kimmage makes it very clear that he is only telling his own personal story and not accusing any other rider in particular. But the practices he exposes clearly indict the entire profession. His revelations of the culture of doping within the peloton brought him withering criticism. He wasn't the first to get in trouble for revealing cycling's nasty underside. Bernard Thévenet almost died of liver failure from overuse of corticoids. When he confessed that doping was the cause of his health problems and that doping was a common practice within the peloton, the 2-time Tour winner suffered terrible opprobrium from the press, his sponsor and his fellow racers.
I believe Kimmage's book is the first (at least in English) to detail at length what life as a professional truly entailed. Since then former professional Erwann Menthéour has also written a memoir about doping in cycling which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been translated. Both he and Kimmage explained that the term for revealing cyclists' doping to the public is called "spitting in the soup". Menthéour's (who was caught using EPO) reply was "People are saying I am spitting in the soup, but it is necessary when it is poison." In the last year the wall of silence regarding doping has come tumbling down and several famous racers have confessed their misdeeds.
Yet Kimmage's book is the seminal tome and writing it was an act of courage.
The book is more than about doping. It details Kimmage's own failure to properly train and prepare for some seasons. He also describes the gut-busting exhaustion that the lesser riders suffer as they work at their limits for their more talented team leaders.
"Rough Ride" is a well-written book about racing in the 1980s but its lessons apply to the present. It is important reading for any cycling fan with an interest in what it takes to produce the spectacle we so enjoy watching.
- Bill McGann, author of The Story of the Tour de France
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Customer Reviews
Murakami cool, in diary form!, 18 Sep 2008
This is a sweet little diary full of quotes, book covers and associated Murakami paraphernalia; liberally sprinkled with book histories, publishing dates and Japanese holidays.
It's very beautiful, and even comes in a dust jacket, and despite all there is to be enjoyed it still feels quite minimalist; the black and white and red styling complimenting the character of Murakami's novels perfectly.
From a bibliophile's point of view, it is certainly a valued item to keep alongside Murakami's wonderful novels. The only problem i can see is exactly why you would want to write in it at all! Very good, 07 Sep 2008
Firstly the price on Amazon is really good (£9.99 in stores) and secondly its a beautiful diary as odd and as surreal as Murakami Diary ought to be. Its full off quotes, pictures and facts about the books.However, some of the days are that full after a quote its hard to fit any writing in, plus it comes in a dust cover which most people like but i find really annoying, because underneath its plain white and looks dull. But over all its a unique diary and a must have for Murakami Fans! P.S If there was a 4.5 option I would have given it that!!! Husain-Dog, yo spack mo speech, 08 Nov 2008
Husain-Dog, yo spack it nice, like tha cream-king yo are. International relations, innit. Yo put it down real fine. Word atter word, it maks good sense what yo linguistify. Know fo' sure, yo message taken to heart Husain-Dog. Ex Shia, 17 Oct 2008
As an ex Shia I enjoyed many of the arguments that Ed presented in his book and it helped in my journey back towards more orthodox beliefs, namely, those of Ahl Sunnah.
I just regret the years of moving around groups and ideologies and hope that writings like this could have been available sooner.
With Salams Pertinent exposé written for the culturally aware, 11 Oct 2008
Eye-opening, honest and intense. I read 'The Islamist' back when it was first released, curious yet naive to the true picture of radical Islam in the West. As with any religion, there are followers who have their faith exploited and distorted. 'The Islamist' is a fascinating account of one man's membership to an extreme organisation, as he fell victim to a way of life that terrifies those on the outside.
Although I read this memoir to fuel my interest in current affairs, the main reason I picked it up is because I wanted to grasp the underlying differences between the beliefs of traditional muslims and those of Islamic extremists. It truely opened my eyes to a culture that I had only been exposed to through the media. Reading books on the subject written in third person are great for gaining an overall, more academic understanding, but Ed Hussain here offers a much greater insight into how and why these groups behave.
Terrorism is a subject on everyone's lips, which is why Hussain's story is so important. Personally however, I believe everone should read this book to eliminate the prejudice that is experienced by so many British Muslims. It is a terrible shame that in the 21st century, it is wrongly assumed by many that those who believe in the same God and dress the same follow the same way of life. A very good book brought to you by someone who was there., 27 Sep 2008
I really enjoyed this book, which I found easy to read and gripping. A dynamic and organic view of muslim life for a young man growing up in London, written by a muslim whos belief structure changes as his exposure to the radical and fundmentlist elements increases. A balanced book, that I found interesting and informative and leaves the reader with a thirst for more knowledge. Im really pleased I got this book, buy it.... Clear, contempory, chilling and compulsive, 09 Sep 2008
Great book. A timely counterpoint and contribution to the whole Islam vs. everyone else debate that characterises much / all of the media coverage of this. However, I found the book to be a fascinating and compelling account of one man's search for religious definition and meaning - something that many people experience regardless of their faith or lack of it. As a result I found the book informative as I learnt about the issues between Islam vs. Wahabism that I knew little about but it was also useful to compare and contrast his experiences and struggles with faith with my own, even though as a CofE person I am somewhat removed from his direct experiences. Would commend this to everyone as a valuable view into contempory issues as well as spiritual journey's Incredible, 04 Nov 2008
What a wonderful book. Full of humour and sensitivity and absolutely riveting. Written with a lot of strength and a lot of power.
An incredible life this man had and it's all here. The affection and respect held for Joe from everyone who encountered him is inspiring. And it just leaps off the page..
The chapter titles are class!
When's the movie? Roy's keen, 10 Oct 2008
This blankly-titled, ghost-written autobiography is Roy Keane's stab at telling the story of his career. Eschewing the modern trend for dwelling intensely upon aspects of your personal life KEANE's narrative zooms in on the particular details and events of his football career. That means we hear about the many rejection letters he received from English clubs (including Aston Villa, Chelsea and Derby County); time spent with his Irish club Cobh Ramblers; his introduction to English football with Nottingham Forest and the mixed fortunes that he enjoyed at club and country level with Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland.
In the revised edition of this autobiography Keane remarks upon the fact that "Critics have long complained about sports autobiographies that reveal nothing". Fortunately, for the reader KEANE does not suffer from this failing. He is as candid as his Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough was in his pomp. Nobody, and nothing, is free from his wrath. The book is littered with examples. He speaks of his preference for dogs over people by arguing that unlike humans, canines "won't betray you or otherwise let you down". Following defeat in the 2000 Champions League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen he derides his Manchester United team mates for being more interested in material objects and goods ("Rolex watches, garages full of cars... mansions") rather than concentrating on the game of football which enabled them to get these things in the first place.
The criticisms he openly voices about the Republic of Ireland set-up show that hell hath no fury like Roy Keane scorned. He kicks out at the organisational body that runs Irish football (the Football Association of Ireland) by waspishly remarking that to describe them as "amateur would be an insult to amateurs". That censorious attitude extends to Englishman Jack Charlton, who had been lionised in Ireland because of the unprecedented success the country had enjoyed under his management. Firstly, he states that he does not like him personally. "I found it impossible to relate to him as a man". This is followed by a comparison with his then club boss Clough which extends his attack to his professional capabilities: "Clough was astute and capable of detailed analysis, Charlton merely blustered, was short on detail, long on generalization". Those sentiments help to contextualize the history which under-laid his infamous walk-out from the 2002 World Cup.
Sometimes, as you turn page after page, to find more unrelenting, criticism you can become weary. Ex-Manchester United team mate Jaap Stam clearly felt that Keane was too keen, too headstrong. In Stam's autobiography he wrote that Keane was `on another planet'. What is his response to this slight? He agrees. Proudly, he replies "Yes, Jaap. Planet Manchester United, where I always wanted to be". Periodically, his single-mindedness and fury comes across in his angry prose. Recalling a spell outside of football for a season because of injury he argues that "seen from a windowless gym on a winter afternoon, the game looked like a bad movie, full of spivs, bluffers... hangers-on... and bad actors".
Keane's reflections upon his various managers are particularly illuminating in light of his latest job as manager of Sunderland. Clearly, if he wishes to emulate Alex Ferguson, his long-term manager at Manchester United, he will have to work hard. In praising Ferguson for his diligence Keane observes that he knows Manchester United comprehensively: "[He]watches A team and reserve matches as keenly as the first team; will know as much about a youth team player... as about the first team players". He may also wish to be more sensitive and caring than some of his managers have been on occasions. At one point he recalls an incident in which following a stray pass-back to his goalkeeper resulted in a goal against his team manager Brian Clough punched him in the face in the dressing room. His toleration of the incident shows him to be a product of a different era in football. Casually, he describes Clough's actions as "part of my learning curve".
KEANE is, like its author, blunt and uncompromising.
The Stuff of True Leaders, 21 Jul 2007
You don't have to be Irish, A Man Utd fan or a beer drinker to appreciate the autobiography of a true leader. I'm neither of the above three and yet I found this book compelling reading. Several notable anecdotes including the famous Haaland and Saipan incidents but I will remember this book for a long time because of one popular quote;
"The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish."
Not Fit forToilet Paper, 29 Jun 2007
This book is an abosolute discgrace.
Anything that is touched by Eamon Dunphy is a complete disaster.
Eamon Dunphy - Boil on the face of Humanity... TOP, 30 Sep 2006
Best footballers book i have read. He says the brutal true and it is ace couldn't put it down nearly cost me my degree hehe. And i ain't even a Man utd Fan Best book ever!, 21 Mar 2006
I read this book last summer. I think I finished the first two pages and I said to one of my friends "this is the best book I've ever hold in my hands.! Forget the Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, you have to read this book!" and when I finished it, a week or so later, I was so sorry that it wasn't my book..that I'd just borrowed it... This is the best book ever, no doubt about it! I love this book, you really get a good impression of the Irish man. Everything you might want to know about him, like why he tackled Alfie Haaland and if it was on purpose, you find an answer in this book. READ IT!
I wish I had missed it, 24 Oct 2008
I really loved the 1st book and raved about it to anyone who would listen. I kept checking the internet for the sequal which I thought would answer my questions regarding Charlie and the rest of the children. If you think this one will do it think again. In my opinion this one could have been put in a couple of chapters in the next book. Of course I still love Martha and will certainly be buying the follow up but if I'd known I would have missed this one out.
Beautifully written, 16 Sep 2008
I feel like i really know Martha Long, she has such a way of engrossing you in the words there is no skipping chapters with her!
I know this is awful but i was left slightly disappointed becuase i thought all the questions that went unanswered in the first book would be answered in this one, but i think she may have left it open to write another one.
I now want to know what happens next!
Reveals more about Kimmage than about cycling?, 19 Nov 2008
Plenty of other reviewers have picked up on the obvious bitterness that Kimmage displays towards his chosen sport, as well as his obvious lack of real drive to succeed meaningfully in it; so I'm not going to dwell on that. The anecdote about Sean Kelly and the sauna is sufficient: I won't ruin it for you here. Unlike Kimmage, Kelly was notorious for his brutal training regime. In his own words, from the mid-1980s, Kelly said that if he expected to be able to race for seven hours, then his training 'spins' had to last for eight hours or more. On the evidence he presents in this book, it's hard to imagine Kimmage spending eight hours training on his bike in a week, making it easier to understand why he was only ever an also-ran at best.
What the book does remind one of is how ghastly and brutal a sport professional cycling is; and this is written as one who has raced and has followed the sport enthusiastically for over two decades. No other mainstream sport comes close to the relentless physical exertion, pain and injuries that are a guaranteed by-product of competing on the bike. Even the most casual student of the sport will be familiar with the endless list of doping offenders, virtually from the sport's inception, and including many of the greatest champions, from Coppi to Hinault and onwards. And all those top riders who loathed cycling - Lucien van Impe possibly the most famous. Son of a Belgian miner, it was the bike or the pits. He hated both, but at least the bike meant being in the open air.
Apart from the winning and the money, does anyone enjoy the actual act of competitive cycling itself, aside from the dubious and fleeting pleasure of inflicting pain on your opponents when it's going well? It's a sport dominated by the sons of working people, for whom pain and a grim working environment appear a necessary and accepted part of life. They are tough, brutal people, marked out by extreme tenacity and utter physical ruthlessness. And if everyone else is doping, why not join them? Who gives a stuff, in the end? Especially if you know the chances of getting caught are tiny, even today. Just look at the recent Olympics and the endless string of new world records, with sprinters cruising in at sub-9.8 times. Dope anyone?
Kimmage was an idealist in a world of realpolitik. Naive and, you get the impression, hiding his lack of real appetite for his sport behind his principles. And, in the end, he just wasn't tough enough. He didn't want it enough to play in the big time. But at least he did find out what he is good at. The writing is great and it's a compelling, very enjoyable read, take from it what you will. To anyone who knows the sport at all, learning that so many riders dope is not exactly up there with Saul on the road to Damascus. But there's a lot of good stuff in here and some great anecdotes. Well worth a read.
The Date, The Day...It's All Written Down, 04 Sep 2008
Paul Kimmage is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Sunday Times newspaper in the United Kingdom. Born in Dublin, he is a former professional cyclist who competed in the 1980s - alongside compatriots Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Martin Earley. In "Rough Ride", Kimmage looks back on his life on the bike - he touches on his amateur years, though he focuses more on his time as a professional. While the move into professional cycling was a dream come true for Kimmage, the reality of professional cycling wasn't quite the dream he had hoped for : never mind the physical and psychological difficulties associated with the sport, cycling had a widespread drugs problem.
The 1980s were great times for Irish cycling - Sean Kelly was successful from one end of the decade to the other, while Stephen Roche won the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the World Championships in 1987. Kimmage, however, was a domestique and never won a race. He entered the professional ranks with RMO in 1986, before moving to Fagor-MBK in 1989 - where he rode alongside Stephen Roche until the Tour de France. He abandoned that race and - despite having intended to quit at the end of that season - he never rode professionally again.
Kimmage was one of four new pros taken on by RMO in 1986 - however, as one of the few non-French riders, it was initially difficult for him to integrate into the team. Nevertheless, Andre 'Dede' Chappuis quickly became a friend - as, in time, did Jean Claude Colotti and Thierry Claveyrolat. As an amateur, Kimmage had heard rumours about the drug-taking in the professional ranks. However, he was determined to stay clean - even, initially, refusing to take the vitamin shots. (The shots were injected and, in Kimmage's mind, syringes meant doping. Nine stages of the 1986 Tour de France changed his mind : he wouldn't have been capable of starting stage 10 without a shot of Vitamin B12). So far as I know, vitamin shots don't count as doping - I may be wrong - but they certainly would certainly appear innocent enough to the man in the street. Similarly, caffeine tablets also sound reasonably innocent - however, they would return a positive test. Nevertheless, they were quite commonly used - taken early enough in the stage, the caffeine would've been out of the system by the time the cyclist reached doping control.
However, things in cycling went far beyond vitamins and caffeine tablets. Kimmage remembers arriving at a race in his early days carrying a briefcase, something that caused a bit of a slagging from the other riders. It was only later that he discovered many other cyclists carried pills and syringes in theirs - while Kimmage himself was only carrying his passport and a few letters. Since not every race tested for drugs, cyclists knew which races they could 'charge up' for safely. While it was never openly encouraged by the management, they were occasionally reminded of their duty as professionals - especially when there were world ranking points at stake. It wasn't uncommon for syringes full of amphetamines to be used, not only in these races but also in Criteriums. EPO, of course, only arrived in the 1990s - but Kimmage also touches on it in the second edition.
"Rough Ride" was first published in 1990 and, while he wasn't expecting it to be universally welcomed, he wasn't expecting the reception the book received. His friendships with Sean Kelly and Martin Earley survived - both are thanked for their support following the book's first publishing - though Thierry Claveyrolat and Jean-Claude Colotti weren't quite so understanding. Worse, things worked out terribly with Stephen Roche. It's clear from reading the book that Kimmage idolised Roche and that riding alongside him at Fagor was a dream come true. Roche, however, seemed to view the book as a personal attack, and was very quick to talk about the possibility of legal action. I'm not sure if the court case ever arrived...the cleanup cycling certainly hasn't. A sad book, but a very highly recommended one.
Phenomenal book, full of the contradictions of life on a bike., 03 Aug 2008
Loved it. The latter edition has some articles and interviews which reflect on the ethics of the peloton not having changed from 89. Many people complain about Kimmage's partisan ire and lack of impartiality, but in the initial book it is nothing of the sort. The book is essentially a diary of his personal sporting troubles, and the acceptance that the organisations of cycling force nearly all young riders to reflect that to compete for any length of time doping is a necessity. He talks about his teammates drug use, but in the main it is a general look at the pressures and reality of doping during the tour/season.
It's full of contradictions that nearly all of us have apart from the Merx's, Hinault's and Armstrong's. Kimmage doesn't avoid the accounts of multiple failures and retirements from races. It's clear that he doesn't have the single-mindedness mentality and dedication for winning but also that he had the talent to compete in stages. Without performance enhancers he would never compete on his favoured routes.
The bitterness froths on the subsequent cycling & media aggression towards him. Was he right? Yes. He wasn't attacking his fellow cyclists, bombastic idiots like McQuaid saw fit to undermine him at every turn. It's a shame that McQuaid didn't put some effort into preventing the systemic drug abuse, that led to so many lives being destroyed by EPO in the 90's.
To all the people criticising Kimmage for his lack of proffessionalism, take a moment to think if you ever could get anywhere near finishing the tour. Then think if your true love of cycling would sustain through having to waste yourself for the team, whilst knowing you were racing
against doped up rivals. Yes he becomes very bitter, mainly after the abuse he receives from the cycling administration that should be ensuring a clean peloton.
Interesting insight, 02 Jul 2008
I've read this book twice now.
I agree with some reviewers that there seems to be hypocrisy in Kimmage's accounts - he claims some of his friends and himself are victims of the pressure to dope just to survive however put Landis and Rasmussen up there in the same situation and they are villans.
However what must be remembered is that the villification of Landis et all by Kimmage happened a full 14 years AFTER the first part of the book.
By this time Kimmage has seen countless sabre rattling false dawns of "we'll clean this up" and each time it comes to nothing.
It needs to be remembered that Kimmage's peers that doped in the 80's are running the sport now.
I've read some of his comments in his newspaper articles and it seems has been left betrayed that the sport he loved could harbour so many
years of cheats. Even the great Jacques Anquetil said "Do you think we did all that with just water in our bottles?"
Even the new holier than thou brigade (David Millar) don't come out of this clean on his return to the Peleton he takes advise from the very doctor who 2 of his clients have been implicated in the Peurto scandal. So you can understand Kimmage's "will they ever learn" attitude.
Ironic as i write this that Spain have just won Euro 2008 and yet in the Puerto scandal of 100+ samples seized 24 are alledged to come from La Liga footballers.... Football has no EPO or blood doping controls just amphetamines and class A drugs......
A good enthralling read.
A Sad Tale that Had to Be Written, 13 Feb 2008
What's it like to be a wonderfully talented amateur bicycle racer who gets thrown into the meat-grinder of professional cycling? Kimmage answers the question in honest yet depressing detail.
An example: This book explains that the fatigued riders who did not place in the final stage of the Tour wouldn't be tested for dope, so they were free to take amphetamines. Reading "Rough Ride" is a lot like driving by a car crash. You really want to avert your eyes but can't. Kimmage's story of life as a cycling domestique is fascinating.
Kimmage makes it very clear that he is only telling his own personal story and not accusing any other rider in particular. But the practices he exposes clearly indict the entire profession. His revelations of the culture of doping within the peloton brought him withering criticism. He wasn't the first to get in trouble for revealing cycling's nasty underside. Bernard Thévenet almost died of liver failure from overuse of corticoids. When he confessed that doping was the cause of his health problems and that doping was a common practice within the peloton, the 2-time Tour winner suffered terrible opprobrium from the press, his sponsor and his fellow racers.
I believe Kimmage's book is the first (at least in English) to detail at length what life as a professional truly entailed. Since then former professional Erwann Menthéour has also written a memoir about doping in cycling which, to the best of my knowled | | |