The Liverpool FC Forum > Opinion
#SHANKLY100 - David Peace: 'Red or Dead' - The RAWK Review
Twelfth Man:
Finished it this morning. Before it came out I said, if Peace manages to get into the DNA of the great man I would be thrilled. He did that and some more. Shankly feels like family now, fleshed out, a real person. Don't normally read sport books because I feel the drama happens on the pitch, court, ring and writing about it seems superfluous to me.
I'm a fan of Peace, read all his books apart from the Japan series. I get why he uses repetition in his books, it accurately captures the inner thoughts of driven single-minded people like Clough and Shanks. In the beginning it felt like it was being overdone. But I soon learned to read the repetitive parts like a hymn, skim reading the oven cleaning after a defeat, you know the words, you know what is gong to happen, how he'll deal with it. After that it got a lot easier. Loved the chats with Matt Busby and Don Revie.
The real drama and most enjoyable bits for me from a novelistic point of view come in the second half of the book, the interviews with Harold Wilson, Scottish TV, chats with fans at the local cafe. He feels like a real person I know rather than a historic icon now. The man was a saint, and I love him.
Agger:
Just finished it and I can only agree with everyone else. Fantastic book and very inspiring.
Thinking this might be a good christmas present, wonder if you have to be a Liverpool supporter to really appreciate it. Otherwise you might find it a bit of a struggle with the seasons written very similar.
MichaelA:
If you've not read this yet, why not? Make sure it's on your Christmas list - otherwise you're a wool ;)
CRAZY HORSE EMLYN:
Held on until Xmas for this.
Now very gutted, Mr Shankly has just retired.
Don't know what's going to become of Liverpool FC either.
Fitzy.:
Just finished this. I deliberately kept away from all reviews and RAWK-focus as I wanted to read it without prejudice. I tend to do this with most things as I want to be surprised, intrigued or disappointed without being prompted to do so.
First off, the OP by Michael A is great - a real homage to the book
As for the book, it's like nothing I've ever read. As times 50 pages whistled by without missing a beat. I was living those results, clenching my fists or screwing my face with equal measure depending on the outcome. It got me totally absorbed and I couldn't wait for my next sitting to read how the season ends or how the match will go. I also loved the insights into the training, the match days, the club politics, the man's politics and his moral purpose. All these things have largely been common knowledge for a while but looking at it through the prism of a novel made it all so much more intense but also richer. I always thought I was a student of the club and its history, but I'm now way more informed.
However, it would be disingenuous of me to say I loved it from start to finish. It was attritional at times with the repetition. I started off enjoying the quirk but it then became something I was 'getting through' in the slower chapters. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the style and I felt it reflected Shankly's own methodology in his preparations and lifestyle - do, repeat, do, repeat, do, repeat...but while marks for artistic style were high I could have happily seen less of it at times.
But ultimately I'm so pleased to have read it and would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the man and his significance in the club's history and present. It makes you regard Shankly as more than a statue with messianic draw. It makes realise this was an extraordinary man with a clear vision and driving mantra that ran through everything he did...keep it simple.
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