Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. It is a perfect window into the cross-currents of today's world, with all its joys and its sorrows. In this remarkably insightful, wide-ranging work of reportage, Franklin Foer takes us on a surprising tour through the world of soccer, shining a spotlight on the clash of civilizations, the international economy, and just about everything in between. How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
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From Publishers Weekly
Foer, a New Republic editor, scores a game-winning goal with this analysis of the interchange between soccer and the new global economy. The subtitle is a bit misleading, though: he doesn't really use soccer to develop a theory; instead, he focuses on how examining soccer in different countries allows us to understand how international forces affect politics and life around the globe. The book is full of colorful reporting, strong characters and insightful analysis: In one of the most compelling chapters, Foer shows how a soccer thug in Serbia helped to organize troops who committed atrocities in the Balkan War—by the end of the war, the thug's men, with the acquiescence of Serbian leaders, had killed at least 2,000 Croats and Bosnians. Then he bought his own soccer club and, before he was gunned down in 2000, intimidated other teams into losing. Most of the stories aren't as gruesome, but they're equally fascinating. The crude hatred, racism and anti-Semitism on display in many soccer stadiums is simply amazing, and Foer offers context for them, including how current economic conditions are affecting these manifestations. In Scotland, the management of some teams have kept religious hatreds alive in order to sell tickets and team merchandise. But Foer, a diehard soccer enthusiast, is no anti-globalist. In Iran, for example, he depicts how soccer works as a modernizing force: thousands of women forced police to allow them into a men's-only stadium to celebrate the national team's triumph in an international match. One doesn't have to be a soccer fan to truly appreciate this absorbing book.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Americans are fond of jokes that play on our incomprehension of soccer, and, at times, this ignorance seems an apt metaphor for our intellectual disengagement from the world. But we ignore the world-- and its favorite sport--at our peril. In his wonderfully conceived treatise, journalist Foer uses soccer as an arena in which to examine world events, such as Balkan genocide (Serbian gangster Arkan helped form Milosevic's paramilitary troops from among Red Star supporters), and worldviews, such as U.S. culture wars (he uses the game as a metaphor for our divided attitudes about globalization, an issue that underlies our cultural split). Evenhanded and well reported, it's written in a crisp and engaging style that will hook even readers who have no idea how the "beautiful game" is played. Perfectly timed to coincide with soccer's growing coolness (team jerseys are a hipster's must-have), this excellent book belongs with two other great soccer-outsider inquiries, Bill Buford's Among the Thugs (1992) and Joe McGinniss' The Miracle of Castel di Sangro (1999). Keir Graff
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Foer is an excellent writer, and for those who aren't familiar with the history of the sport this is an excellent introduction. For those who are already well-read on football, much of this will be too familiar. The religious and political context of the Celtic v. Rangers rivalry, the laughable corruption of Brazilian football, and basically every other story in this book has already been covered by other writers. Though the globalization theme tries to bring a new perspective to these old stories, it just feels gimmicky. If you've already read Simon Kuper's FOOTBALL AGAINST THE ENEMY you'll regret spending your money here. If you haven't read Kuper's book, but you're interested in the sport, buy it immediately. This is light reading designed for those who know nothing about the sport's history. For those looking for more depth and more entertainment, skip this and go straight to Kuper, David Winner's BRILLIANT ORANGE, and Alex Bellos' FUTEBOL: SOCCER, THE BRAZILIAN WAY. All three are excellent, entertaining, and provide more insight into the topics Foer touches on. To summarize: the typical American reader with limited soccer knowledge will enjoy this, those with real interest in the subject would do well to move on to more meaty fare.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An equally compelling read for both football fans and casual social science buffs
May 22 2013
By Conrad
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
While Franklin Foer is somewhat riding on the coat-tails of Simon Kuper's "Soccer Against the Enemy" (1994), Foer presents the most readable and accessible non-fiction study of the cross-over between football and politics / social behaviors. Instantly readable, Foer goes around the world and looks at several themes of globalization, and how soccer acts as either a mechanism or manifestation of these phenomenons. There is something here both for casual fans - who might want to know the gritty details behind the El Classico rivarly - to hardcore fans (the rise of Shakthar Donetsk's, Ukraine's soccer federation and the Oligarchs was timely written as both Donetsk and the Oligarch-backed president saw large-scale success after the book's publication).
If you liked this book, I'd also recommend: Soccer Against the Enemy by Kuper, Africa United by Steve Bloomfield and Soccer Empire by Laurent Dubois.
If you liked this book, I'd also recommend: Soccer Against the Enemy by Kuper, Africa United by Steve Bloomfield and Soccer Empire by Laurent Dubois.
Format:Paperback
The title could easily be the other way around. While Foer uses soccer as a metaphor to explain globalization, his theory states that soccer explains the world, I believe the opposite is true. Globalization has allow players access to clubs the once only read and dreamed about. This book has enough about the game, but the true gem in this book is a series of riveting real-life stories that have much more meaning than just the game itself. I would give the book 5 stars, but I just wished there was a little more soccer and a little less sociology. Nonetheless, a splendid read from beginning to end, very captivating.
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3.4 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The not so beautiful game
Sure this book can be compared to Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy, but it stands well on its own. I'm sure most soccer fans know of the infamous Red Star Belgrade vs. Read more
Published on Nov 16 2005 by Brian Maitland
4.0 out of 5 stars
Globalization & soccer: together at last.
This book is a quick and easy read. But it is also a piece of obviously well-researched journalism by someone whose love of the game is apparent. Read more
Published on Sep 4 2005 by Garth Bishop
3.0 out of 5 stars
This is well-trod ground
Foer is an excellent writer, but for football fans who read a lot about the sport, much of this will seem overly familiar. Read more
Published on July 9 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Game Tours
This is a strong work. Like J.C. Hallman's "The Chess Artist" for Chess and Stephan Fatsis' "Word Freak" for Scrabble, Foer goes on a world tour via soccer... Read more
Published on July 5 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
YOU CAN'T PUT IT DOWN
The reviews will tell you how insightful this book is, and how much it has to say about the way we live now. All of that is very true. Read more
Published on July 4 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book!
This book is one of the most keen, interesting, and breathtaking reports on our world. While, you have to understand and like soccer to really enjoy the book, even for non-soccer... Read more
Published on July 4 2004 by Eugene Girin
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