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cultneophyte7's review
5.0
This book is simply incredible! One of the best football related books I’ve ever read, and I've read quite a few! I might never have read this book had I not come across a friend’s review which totally caught my attention. Reading her review made me realize that this book actually held the answers to many of the questions, the answers to which I’ve always wanted.
This book tells almost everything one needs to know about the greatest sports rivalry (actually, it’s way more than that!) in the world. Lowe has written it from a completely neutral viewpoint, praising as well as criticizing both clubs whenever needed. He has explained the history of both the clubs and the rivalry itself in great detail, providing first hand accounts.
Turns out that there is more to this book than just football. The chapters related to the Spanish Civil War and how it shaped the rivalry will definitely clear many misconceptions carried by most fans. Then there’s all the information and anecdotes about Legends on either side, all the way from Di Stefano and Kubala to Ronaldo and Messi. Not just that, the amount of history and culture included in this book is just overwhelming!
Not just Barcelona or Real fans, but anyone even remotely interested in football or history or both should give this book a go.
This book tells almost everything one needs to know about the greatest sports rivalry (actually, it’s way more than that!) in the world. Lowe has written it from a completely neutral viewpoint, praising as well as criticizing both clubs whenever needed. He has explained the history of both the clubs and the rivalry itself in great detail, providing first hand accounts.
Turns out that there is more to this book than just football. The chapters related to the Spanish Civil War and how it shaped the rivalry will definitely clear many misconceptions carried by most fans. Then there’s all the information and anecdotes about Legends on either side, all the way from Di Stefano and Kubala to Ronaldo and Messi. Not just that, the amount of history and culture included in this book is just overwhelming!
Not just Barcelona or Real fans, but anyone even remotely interested in football or history or both should give this book a go.
500daysofamar's review
5.0
Very well (sometimes melodramatically) written. Great overlap between history and progression of the rivalry.
bulwerka's review
5.0
Sid Lowe has captured the spirit and history of El Clasico so well that it is hard to put this book down. I lean more towards Barcelona, but really have no firm horse in this race. What I love about this book is how it presents with enthusiasm the story of each teams rise and fall through various epochs and how they fit into greater Spanish history. Definitely geared towards the soccer/football fan, while Lowe tries to explain how important players like di Stefano, Kubala, Cruyff, Puskas, etc. are, they are explained only in the context of the sport. If you aren't familiar with the ins and outs of the game, it may just sound like a bunch of random adjectives strung together. As a fan of the game overall, this is one of the must-read books.
bokil's review
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Fascinating historical look at an incredible rivalry.