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Bold Type Books

Fear and Loathing in La Liga

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Format: Paperback


Description

Fear and Loathing in La Liga is the definitive history of the greatest rivalry in world sport: FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. It's Messi vs. Ronaldo, Guardiola vs. Mourinho, the nation against the state, freedom fighters vs. Franco's fascists, plus majestic goals and mesmerizing skills. It's the best two teams on the planet going head-to-head. It's more than a game. It's a war. It's El Cláco. Only, it's not quite that simple. Spanish soccer expert and historian Sid Lowe covers 100 years of rivalry, athletic beauty, and excellence. Fear and Loathing in La Liga is a nuanced, revisionist, and brilliantly informed history that goes beyond sport. Lowe weaves together this story of the rivalry with the history and culture of Spain, emphasizing that it is "never about just the soccer." With exclusive testimonies and astonishing anecdotes, he takes us inside this epic battle, including the wounds left by the Civil War, Madrid's golden age in the fifties when they won five European cups, Johan Cruyff's Barcelona Dream Team, the doomed Galáico experiment, and LuíFigo's "betrayal." By exploring the history, politics, culture, economics, and language -- while never forgetting the drama on the field -- Lowe demonstrates the relationship between these two soccer giants and reveals the true story behind their explosive rivalry. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bold Type Books; Illustrated edition (April 8, 2014)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568584504


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 08


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.25 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #433,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #143 in Sociology of Sports (Books) #454 in Soccer (Books) #774 in Sports History (Books)


#143 in Sociology of Sports (Books):


#454 in Soccer (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A history (and soccer) lovers dream
This book comprehensively details the history of the rivalry, from 1902 to present day. Of course you cannot understand the rivalry without understanding the Spanish Civil War and this is where Sid Lowe shines with a ton of detail on those dark days. Personally I thought the best part was the chapter on the Alfredo Di Stefano transfer which I found very similar to the story of how the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees changing both clubs forever. Barca obviously didn't sell Di Stefano but they, like the Red Sox, whiffed on a chance to acquire/keep one of the greatest players of their respective sports. The only flaw of the book I felt was that it felt a little thin when it came to the rivalry present day. It has a detailed overview of Mourinho vs Guardiola but I felt Lowe didn't devote enough pages to Messi vs Ronaldo, ironic considering they are the ones on the cover. Lowe wrote almost nothing on Ronaldo's transfer from Manchester United and little on how Messi ended up at La Masia. But really that's a small nitpick on a otherwise great book. If you want to buy just one book on El Clasico this is the one to buy. Update (10/30/2014): I am changing my rating to 5 from the original 4 stars. When I wrote the review I had read about 50% of it, basically a through scan but now that I've read it more throughly I felt I shortchanged Sid Lowe. What he's written here is a deep rich history of the Real Madrid and Barcelona rivalry that is as much a history book as it is a soccer book. As someone who loves history and soccer this is nirvana. This is no doubt the greatest english language book on the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry and I wonder even if there is a Spanish language book that is better. I stand by my original criticism because I think we all like to read about contemporary stuff because that's the part we've personally experienced but when I read about the Spanish Civil War and how Barcelona and Real Madrid fared and the influence of Francoism on the rivalry (and Spanish society overall) I can't but help admire the totality of Sid Lowe's work. He must've done a enormous amount of research. I'm gushing a bit but I cannot praise this book enough. 5 stars for a book that should be winning literary awards. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2014 by Usni
    • too long, just watch the el clasico instead
way too long, and, amazingly, despite the length, extremely limited in scope. I've actually only made it through half of this and I've decided to put it down for awhile, maybe a few months. It's just not very organized. The narrative is strangely repetitive and full of cliched and obviously forced quotations from odd meetings with old-time players in some room in the basement of the Bernabue ( thats probably spelled wrong). The writing is mediocre. Sid Lowe is no Geleano. In fact, he is not even in the same atmosphere. This book is more a rambling conversation than it is history or thoughtful analysis. and, again, way too long. one day I'll read the second half. Maybe the second half with have more energy and color, since presumably the author would be more familiar with the most recent era of this rivalry, but man, the first 150 pages are a real chore to slog through. I mean, there are only so many ways you can describe how great a player is. The book is at its best when dealing closely with the story of individual players. The historical context and cultural context is very weak. My expectations were way too high for this book. I guess i wanted it to be as exciting as watching these two teams play, but I don't know what I was thinking; that's clearly impossible. i did learn a thing or two from the first 150 pages, but the book doesn't sound authoritative. The author doesn't have the same command of language and history as Geleano. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2014 by Matthew Harris
    • Love for la liga
Ok, I'll be the first to admit that I'm a recent convert to The religion of f Soccer. I'll also Admit that I am obsessed. Especially with the history and the politics of the countries and periods surrounding the game. Sid Lowe's analysis and overview of the history of both of these giants on and off the pitch is incredible. I found myself taking notes and seeking out clips and photo's to help visualize these moments he describes. I began this book with a set ideas of real Madrid and by the end i had a different outlook. it also strengthened my love for barca. Kudos to Sid Lowe to remind us of both teams glories and failures in both of their long histories. A must read for fans of both real Madrid and f2f Barcelona . ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018 by Aaron King
    • For the fanatical football fans with an appetite for it's history
A great read for any football enthusiast and a must have for all FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF fans. Sid Lowe narrates with a passionate attention to detail from an unbiased perspective on a heated rivalry dating back generations. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it drags on in the first few chapters describing the politics of Spain at the time of the civil war and he barely addresses the the current rivalry of the two sides, which are more bitter than ever! The chapters are arranged based on the different era's of the rivalry, so feel free to jump to whatever chapter interests you more. Overall, I enjoyed the read and being a fanatical Barca fan myself this book was an education in the club's history and many of those who represented it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2014 by Amazoned out
    • For a super fan I guess this might be interesting but not ...
The beginning of the book is very interesting as it gets into the time prior to the Spanish Civil War and the time during the War. The book really explores the impact of politics on the clubs and the impact of the War on the two cities, Madrid and Barcelona (its not what you think). The book got less interesting for me when the book turned to a long and detailed discussion of famous players from both clubs. For a super fan I guess this might be interesting but not for me. I am half way through the book and i am hoping it returns to an exploration of the rivalry. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2017 by Ellenzp

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