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Review can also be found on: diaryofdifference.com/2018/05/24/gunshots-goalposts-the-story-of-northern-irish-football-benjamin-roberts-book-review/
For the lovers of football and history - this book will be of your interest. If you happen to have any connecting with Northern Ireland as well - this book is made for you!
<img src="https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/510KFWLQLML.jpg"/>;
I don’t think I fit in the description above. I love watching football - but I am not a football maniac, that knows who plays where, the club’s managers and who is on top of the Champion’s League this year. I love me some good sports matches, and I know a lot of players by name or face, but that’s about it.
Now - Gunshots & Goalposts: The Story of Northern Irish Football - the book that covers the stories of many football players in the past century in Northern Ireland.
While it covers so many stories, I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters, and I choose to blame this on the way the book was written.
Which - is not a bad thing at all. Why? Because, this book is not meant to make you fall in love with the characters. It is instead, meant to show you the real picture of their lives, the politics that were ongoing in that time, and give you a brief history lesson of what you happened to miss in high school. All related to football, of course.
For me, it was very useful to learn a bit about the politics and history. Before I started the book, I knew NOTHING about Northern Ireland’s history. I knew NOTHING about their football history. This was a great first book for me to dive into the waters of the history of Northern Ireland's football.
The author, Benjamin Roberts, has done a wonderful job in the description and research. It covers a lot of the history period from the First and Second World War, the protestants vs catholics, the unionists vs nationalists, the east vs the west.
This book reminds me a lot of a movie that has been made in the country where I was born - Macedonia. The movie was called ‘’The Third Half’’ and deals with Macedonian Football during World War II, and the deportation of Jews from Macedonia. It reminded me a bit of this, even though in this book we don’t connect with the characters, or dive into their stories too much.
This is a three-star book for me - for the sole reason that this is not a book that I would usually read, and I wouldn’t read books similar to this one either. I enjoyed it, at times, but wouldn’t re-read it. However, I would definitely recommend it to people that love both football and history. I just prefer books where I connect with the characters.
For the lovers of football and history - this book will be of your interest. If you happen to have any connecting with Northern Ireland as well - this book is made for you!
<img src="https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/510KFWLQLML.jpg"/>;
I don’t think I fit in the description above. I love watching football - but I am not a football maniac, that knows who plays where, the club’s managers and who is on top of the Champion’s League this year. I love me some good sports matches, and I know a lot of players by name or face, but that’s about it.
Now - Gunshots & Goalposts: The Story of Northern Irish Football - the book that covers the stories of many football players in the past century in Northern Ireland.
While it covers so many stories, I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters, and I choose to blame this on the way the book was written.
Which - is not a bad thing at all. Why? Because, this book is not meant to make you fall in love with the characters. It is instead, meant to show you the real picture of their lives, the politics that were ongoing in that time, and give you a brief history lesson of what you happened to miss in high school. All related to football, of course.
For me, it was very useful to learn a bit about the politics and history. Before I started the book, I knew NOTHING about Northern Ireland’s history. I knew NOTHING about their football history. This was a great first book for me to dive into the waters of the history of Northern Ireland's football.
The author, Benjamin Roberts, has done a wonderful job in the description and research. It covers a lot of the history period from the First and Second World War, the protestants vs catholics, the unionists vs nationalists, the east vs the west.
This book reminds me a lot of a movie that has been made in the country where I was born - Macedonia. The movie was called ‘’The Third Half’’ and deals with Macedonian Football during World War II, and the deportation of Jews from Macedonia. It reminded me a bit of this, even though in this book we don’t connect with the characters, or dive into their stories too much.
This is a three-star book for me - for the sole reason that this is not a book that I would usually read, and I wouldn’t read books similar to this one either. I enjoyed it, at times, but wouldn’t re-read it. However, I would definitely recommend it to people that love both football and history. I just prefer books where I connect with the characters.
Flowerpower (154 KP) rated Bend It like Beckham (2003) in Movies
Apr 24, 2017
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Black and Blue: How Racism, Drugs and Cancer Almost Destroyed Me in Books
Nov 28, 2019
Even if you hate football or Chelsea, READ THIS
Wow. What a book. Sadly because this is a sports book non football fans may ignore this book. It doesn't matter what you are into you can't deny Paul Canoville's incredible journey. The first black player for Chelsea this incredible player came in to football at a very ugly time and endured abuse of sickening racism from his own supporters. That alone would make a good book in itself but Paul lost his career, turned to drugs, suffered grief, battled with cancer, fathered children, danced to lots of music and so much more. Paul has had an incredible life and is on the other side fighting against racism and educating the kids. The man is adorable, he's made some big mistakes but he learns from them.
You can HATE football and still find this book very special indeed and it deserves to be made into a movie. Every person i have persuaded to read it has thanked me for the recommendation. It one the best sports book the year it was released and would be a contender for one of the greatest ever.
You can HATE football and still find this book very special indeed and it deserves to be made into a movie. Every person i have persuaded to read it has thanked me for the recommendation. It one the best sports book the year it was released and would be a contender for one of the greatest ever.
Mason (6 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Rocket League in Video Games
Aug 29, 2018
Customize your car and get ready for a game of football... a worldwide known game that can produce hours of fun ... I play this a lot with friends from around the world.. have a laugh while playing
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) created a video about Soccer Manager 2018 in Apps
Nov 22, 2017
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Remember the Titans (2000) in Movies
Nov 28, 2020
Denzel Washington (1 more)
Will Patton
Fight For What You Love The Most
Remember The Titans- is a excellent movie. Its powerful, moving, heartwarming, dramatic, family-moving, and based on a true story. Also it has a excellent cast. Both Denzel Washington and Will Patton are excellent. I didnt realize that Ryan Gosling was in this. He is so young in this. Anyways its a excellent football movie.
The plot: In Virginia, high school football is a way of life, an institution revered, each game celebrated more lavishly than Christmas, each playoff distinguished more grandly than any national holiday. And with such recognition, comes powerful emotions. In 1971 high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the local school board was forced to integrate an all black school with an all white school, the very foundation of football's great tradition was put to the test.
Its excellent.
The plot: In Virginia, high school football is a way of life, an institution revered, each game celebrated more lavishly than Christmas, each playoff distinguished more grandly than any national holiday. And with such recognition, comes powerful emotions. In 1971 high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the local school board was forced to integrate an all black school with an all white school, the very foundation of football's great tradition was put to the test.
Its excellent.
Dean (6921 KP) rated The Longest Yard (2005) in Movies
Jun 28, 2018
The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Harris Fantasy Football Podcast in Podcasts
Jan 26, 2018
This is THE Fantasy Football podcast to listen to. Get Smarter without crutch arguments
Listen to a guy who watches the film of every game with every player. He see's thru the B.S. spouted by people who only look at the box score. Think of him as a talent evaluator, situation can't be predicted, but talent always seems to make it's way into the starting lineup. know who the good players are and you can see the breakouts coming. know when a guy is living off reputation and don't draft them early. plus it's just smart football conversations.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Third Half (Treto Poluvreme) (2012) in Movies
Aug 5, 2019
Powerful and emotional!
Determined to build the best football club in the country, Dimitry hires the German coach, Rudolph Spitz, to galvanize his rag tag team but - when the first Nazi tanks roll through the city and Rebecca, the beautiful daughter of a local banker, elopes with his star player, all Dimitry's plans must change.
A fight for freedom and keeping the nationality, a fight for love, a fight for survival - this is a must watch to everyone that has interest in history, or loves romance or football.
Emotional until the very end, powerful in every scene, and surrounded by funny moments throughout.
A fight for freedom and keeping the nationality, a fight for love, a fight for survival - this is a must watch to everyone that has interest in history, or loves romance or football.
Emotional until the very end, powerful in every scene, and surrounded by funny moments throughout.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Early Man (2018) in Movies
Jan 29, 2018
Like Wallace & Gromit meets Mean Machine meets the Flintstones
As a massive Wallace & Gromit fan, I was really looking forward to this being released. I had no idea it revolved around football, but this didn't dominate too much.
The stone age tribe are merrily going about their bunny-hunting business when their happy little valley is invaded by bronze age man looking for a new source of their beloved metals. But unlike the Bad Religion song "We're All Gonna Die", early man didn't walk away when modern man took control, early man stood up to the challenge. This ultimately leads to the throwing down of a football challenge where the brutes will take on Real Bronzio in a football match.
The plot was nothing new, but there was enough humour injected throughout the film to make it an entertaining watch, and the cast of voices really add a lot (Rob Brydon in particular).
The stone age tribe are merrily going about their bunny-hunting business when their happy little valley is invaded by bronze age man looking for a new source of their beloved metals. But unlike the Bad Religion song "We're All Gonna Die", early man didn't walk away when modern man took control, early man stood up to the challenge. This ultimately leads to the throwing down of a football challenge where the brutes will take on Real Bronzio in a football match.
The plot was nothing new, but there was enough humour injected throughout the film to make it an entertaining watch, and the cast of voices really add a lot (Rob Brydon in particular).