Topic: LFC books

[cornelius]

Have you read 'Bill Shankly - It's Mich More Important Than That' by Stephen F. Kelly?

It starts when Shankly is at Huddersfield and goes through his entire career with Liverpool. I read it and enjoyed it.

Btw the on site spell checker does not recognize ' Shankly' 

Yup, I thought that was a fantastic book.

I'll second that. It's very informative. I think people have a tendency to just think that they know the Shankly story off by heart to the point where it almost becomes a caricature. A number of times things crop up in the book and you find yourself thinking 'wow I never realised that'.

Two other Kelly books that I would say are 'must haves' are Dalglish and The Kop.

Autobiography wise I only have 4. Dalglish, John Barnes, A matter of opinion by Alan Hansen and Souness - the Mismanagement years.

I would seriously recommend that every red at least reads the Souness book.

[Absolut Rojo]

could anyone comment on 'john barnes:  out of his skin' for me, please?  it's published by wsc books and have been wondering whether it's worth paying the tax & shipping for...?

[Ned Kelly]

One more dissenter here. It took me over two months to fight my way thru it. I kept re-reading chapters wondering if I'd missed something. Though it did get better toward the end, some of the writing is cringeworthy. I particularly disliked the countless passages in which John tells us how special the club and the fans are, instead of illustrating precisely why we are special. And I really don't need convincing.

Totally agree , probably the worst book I've ever read . He was forever going on about Red and Blue , which became very tedious .

I have finished John Kieth's 'Manager of the Millenium' recently which was a good read . I also thought Kenny's and Jocky's books where great .

Has anybody out there got any books on the 'forgotten man' Joe Fagen ? It's like one of Anfields greatest ever servants never existed .

[cornelius]

Has anybody out there got any books on the 'forgotten man' Joe Fagen ? It's like one of Anfields greatest ever servants never existed .

Good point.

One for Paul Tomkins perhaps. How's about writing a book on Fagan's tenure as manager for your next challenge Paul?

[conrad-m]

Could i very modestly, ahem, recommend

THE RED REVOLUTION - LIVERPOOL UNDER HOULLIER
(Mainstream Press, 2002)

 

[nidgemo]

There's this book, Golden past something...

I'm not a fan of steven f kellys writings - much too dry...

I recommend (along with others)

Alan Edge - Faith of our Fathers
Evo trilogy (have you seriously not read them Jon? - genuinely, do. You'll love them)

possibly hard to get now, but REALLY the best autobiographies of any ex reds

Ian Rush - Rush
Bruce Grobbelaar - More than Somewhat

Both excellent, excellent books, concentrating more on the life of the people, the fun and feelings, the team cameraderie etc of the times rather than results and games. Great reads.

[nidgemo]

Good point.

One for Paul Tomkins perhaps. How's about writing a book on Fagan's tenure as manager for your next challenge Paul?

Good call. I'd love to read that, both his back room stuff and successful and turbulent two years as manager.

[Timbo's Goals]

...He was forever going on about Red and Blue , which became very tedious...

..er I've heard of missing the point but that comment really does take the biscuit. It's the very thrust of the book for god's sake. It's why he wrote it.

As I said in a previous response I just cannot relate to slamming the efforts of fellow Reds who attempt to enrich our fan culture. Utterly churlish.

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Timbo, i know that wasn't aimed at me purely as i said i couldn't get into it, but irregardless of whether someone has the guts to write a book, the paying public have the right to post their opinions.

In my case it was just a case of not enjoying it even though i understood all it was coming from. A personal opinion is purely that, and if people aren't allowed to say what they think, people shouldn't get worried about receiving criticism.

[Timbo's Goals]

Timbo, i know that wasn't aimed at me purely as i said i couldn't get into it, but irregardless of whether someone has the guts to write a book, the paying public have the right to post their opinions.

In my case it was just a case of not enjoying it even though i understood all it was coming from. A personal opinion is purely that, and if people aren't allowed to say what they think, people shouldn't get worried about receiving criticism.

Jon - absolutely no problem with what you say. Of course it's all about personal opinions. My point concerned the more extreme comments about it being cringeworthy, the worst book I've ever read etc etc. Of course they're entitled to say what they like. But equally so am I and I find such comments about a book written by an ordinary fellow Reds fan whether it be Al or Pete or paul or anyone to be at best churlish at worst fatuous. Personally I see such books as enriching our fan culture which I happen to think is as good if not better than any.

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Fucking hell i read worse every day, and as you can tell i do like to read anything i can about our club, team or city, but it is down to pure enjoyment of the book and nothing actually wrong with it, just didn't get into it.

Yep, people who just slag things off because they didn't like it is completely different. Sometimes can be something simple as a completely different upbringing. Considering i left Liverpool before i was 7 can sometimes make it harder to understand what others go through but not enough to say it was cringeworthy. I still finished Alan's book and though i didn't enjoy it, i still read the fucker again the other month.

The blues /reds comment. If the internet had been around like now ten to fifteen years ago i don't think we'd have come accross a comment like that. Can only be due to the bitterness betweent he fans now what wasn't around in the older days.

[Timbo's Goals]

I still finished Alan's book and though i didn't enjoy it, i still read the fucker again the other month.

Now that is hilarious. A bit weird perhaps but hilarious

The blues /reds comment. If the internet had been around like now ten to fifteen years ago i don't think we'd have come accross a comment like that. Can only be due to the bitterness betweent he fans now what wasn't around in the older days.

That's a really salient observation Jon. Completely different perceptions around now of the red/blue relationships

[Rushian]

I think Alan Edge's book is easily the most important book written on Liverpool FC for a multitude of reasons (I'd exclude Phil Scaton's book as it concentrates on Hillsborough). From the historical perspective on growing up in Liverpool pre-Shankly, and the blue/red rivalry through the Shankly and Paisley periods touching on seminal events such as Inter Milan in 65, and culminating in a stunning account og the aftermath of Hillsborough and the lonely fight by a few Reds against the lies perpetutated by the media. It even (almost too) accurately predicts the future of footballing culture and the kowtowing to the mighty god of Sky.

It also has to be remembered it was written pre the internet by a fan in his spare time who didn't have the opportunity to hone his writing on endless forums/websites as many do now. Mr Edge himself would agree that his writing style improved enormously post the book.

I find many Red books completely anodyne, merely reitterating half spoken truths and perpetuating lazy myths about the club. (Auto)Biographies generally leave me cold. Kevin Sampson's Extra Time is a good book, nothing substantial in it but an enjoyable well written travelogue of an unsuccessful season. Paul T's GPRF is another good addition to the Red genre - it feels like a very modern football book, not afraid of opinions, analysis and slaying a few sacred cows (such as Alan Hansen's woeful analysis of the club in recent years).

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

See i'm too young to remember a lot of what the likes of Alan Edge went through growing up being a seventies child, and also the fact we bleeding moved before i was seven didn't help.

Paul Tomkins wrote a book, passed me by that did...

[Timbo's Goals]

I think Alan Edge's book is easily the most important book written on Liverpool FC for a multitude of reasons (I'd exclude Phil Scaton's book as it concentrates on Hillsborough). From the historical perspective on growing up in Liverpool pre-Shankly, and the blue/red rivalry through the Shankly and Paisley periods touching on seminal events such as Inter Milan in 65, and culminating in a stunning account og the aftermath of Hillsborough and the lonely fight by a few Reds against the lies perpetutated by the media. It even (almost too) accurately predicts the future of footballing culture and the kowtowing to the mighty god of Sky.

It also has to be remembered it was written pre the internet by a fan in his spare time who didn't have the opportunity to hone his writing on endless forums/websites as many do now. Mr Edge himself would agree that his writing style improved enormously post the book.

I find many Red books completely anodyne, merely reitterating half spoken truths and perpetuating lazy myths about the club. (Auto)Biographies generally leave me cold. Kevin Sampson's Extra Time is a good book, nothing substantial in it but an enjoyable well written travelogue of an unsuccessful season. Paul T's GPRF is another good addition to the Red genre - it feels like a very modern football book, not afraid of opinions, analysis and slaying a few sacred cows (such as Alan Hansen's woeful analysis of the club in recent years).

That's a great perspective Steve. Accurate and true. It doesn't mean people necessarily have to like it but severe dissing of it reveals more about those doing the dissing than it does about the book. As you say it's now 8 years since it was first published and I believe about 10 years since most of it was written. Now in hindsight it's prerdictions on the sky generation effects on football and the disenfranchisement of ordinary fans for the sacred cow of money are pretty impressive.

One thing I feel it never gets the credit for is its underlying humour which for me as a born and bred scouser captures perfectly that older scouse trait of seeing the daft side of everything and not taking things too seriously or too literally. A sort of Bill Bryson festival of litter throwaway style.

[WOOLTONIAN]

Faith of our father's is a class read.

Evo's make me laugh

The Shankly Years - Phil Thompson was a good read

search amazon for other Shankly titles I think there are at least 12

The Great Derby matches - Michael Heatley & Ian Welch has proved very useful in the past.
May not be available now, but likely to be held at Libraries.

I use The British Library index for book searches for publications no longer available.

Someone above mentioned Billy Liddell, the legend that carried the kop
As I read Billy's autobiography first, I was disappointed with the revamp.

[Nerik]

vladallover is the Souness book really that good? I have been tempted to buy it but knowing what a shambles he was ........grrrr

[cornelius]

vladallover is the Souness book really that good? I have been tempted to buy it but knowing what a shambles he was ........grrrr

Erm not wanting to get slayed here, I found the book fascinating.

I think that it's only fair to hear all sides of a story before making a judgement.

I still think Souness is a wanker but I also do have a lot of sympathy with him and I know this sounds contradictory but I still retain a lot of fondness for him.

[skeebo]

Can I recommend Evo's books, absolutely brilliant!

[campioni1984]

Has anyone read Joey Jones` autobiography?

[avidmerrion]

i'm not allowed to post a new topic so i thought i'd put a reply in here.
i'm reading boys from the mersey at the mo.
i'm probably going to sound really stupid now but what is a (Dustin) Hoffman?
it's been bugging me since i started reading it

[Ron]

I'd like to mention the book "Ray of Hope, the Ray Kennedy story" by Dr (now professor) Andrew Lees and Ray Kennedy.

It's a great book that tells you about the young Ray growing up in a mining town near Newcastle, being send home from Port Vale by Stanley Matthews, joining Arsenal and winning the double, getting signed by Liverpool and arriving there on the day Shankly resigned, the great European nights and later his fight against Parkinson's disease.

The great thing is that the book has been written by somebody from outside football, Dr Andrew Lees, a lifelong Liverpool supporter. I think that makes the book a bit more focused on detail and not just football. It's at times also rather depressing, Parkinson's disease is a horrible illness. But it's a great book and I would recommend it.

Ray of Hope, the Ray Kennedy story
ISBN 0-7207-2019-2
First published in 1993

[superste21]

i'm not allowed to post a new topic so i thought i'd put a reply in here.
i'm reading boys from the mersey at the mo.
i'm probably going to sound really stupid now but what is a (Dustin) Hoffman?
it's been bugging me since i started reading it

its in the glossary at the front, 'To disappear or 'get off, man''. Basically to go somewhere or travel somewhere

[Scouser_Phil]

Read Robbie Fowlers autobiography was decent, ordered Gerrards which is available 1st Sept cant wait.

[hooded claw]

Read Robbie Fowlers autobiography was decent, ordered Gerrards which is available 1st Sept cant wait.

Just finishing the former, will do anything to avoid reading the latter.

[damienfromdublin]

Aldo's autobiography is worth a read, section on Hillsborough is very harrowing.

Hansen's is worth a thumb through too....

[Scouser_Phil]

Just finishing the former, will do anything to avoid reading the latter.

Fowler just slags Houllier and Thompson off, funny some of the things in the book though. I cant believe he actually had the balls to go up to Hoddle on the plane after not getting picked for England and then terrirised him. He was a knob Hoddle though with that Elaine woman. Also were he mentions were Macca blagged him on the Real Madrid open top bus after they won the league and some fans spotted him and started singing fowler , that must have been class.

[xavidub]

Any recommendations?
More particularly, I'm concentrating on the Shankly era and much more recent times.

I've read 'Into The Red' by John Williams (mate's copy) and have just bought Tom Darby's Shanks book 'Talking Shankly'. Any other recommended reads for the coming months?
Your advice is appreciated....

Noy an LFC book but 'only a game' by eamonn dunphy is a great insight into the life of a pro footballer.

[xavidub]

could anyone comment on 'john barnes:  out of his skin' for me, please?  it's published by wsc books and have been wondering whether it's worth paying the tax & shipping for...?

Not a great book but contains some interesting stuff

[Texas Reds Fan]

I actually bought and read Gerrard's autobiography. I found it interesting because it's the first athlete's autobiography I've read. Reading it provided a lot of insight into European sport and how differently it's regarded there than it is here, not to mention how it starts with his tribute to Hillsborough and his cousin's death.

I don't have any really good other books on Liverpool, aside from a few reference type books that have descriptions of Liverpool's trophies and notable players.

Is John Barnes's autobiography worth buying? How about Golden Past, Red Future?

[nidgemo]

Just finishing the former, will do anything to avoid reading the latter.

What do you think? I thought it was pretty good for a council estate kid from Toxteth.

[WOOLTONIAN]

I enjoyed reading Fowler's auto but still haven't started Stevie's and I've had it for near a year now.

[hooded claw]

What do you think? I thought it was pretty good for a council estate kid from Toxteth.

Needless to say, he had the last laugh.

[Mr P]

All the Stephen F. Kelly books are a must for Reds' fans, especially the Bill Shankly biography. There's also a great book on the Kop with loads of fans telling their memories. But the best one is Mr Shankly's Photograph which is the story of a young lad growing up in Liverpool during the 1960s and meeting the great Shanks. The Sunday Times said it was better than Fever Pitch and it really is. You can get most of them on Amazon.

[J-Mc-]

3 great books you could read:


The essential shankly - tells you everything about Shankly and also has an interview with him.

Fowler autobiography - great read!

Gerrard autobiography - another great read, even tells you when fowler scored 10 goals in 1 match when he was younger

[Rafagoatee]

I haven't heard anyone mention A Season on the Brink: A Portrait of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool
By Guillem Balague. I thought this was extremely insightful. Best footy book I've read IMHO.

[redman1977]

I haven't heard anyone mention A Season on the Brink: A Portrait of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool
By Guillem Balague. I thought this was extremely insightful. Best footy book I've read IMHO.

Got that myself thought it was a very good read.

As for Gerrards auto i thought it was a load of pap to be honest, and re-inforced my perception of him as a person

[J-Mc-]

My auld fellas just bought the Epic Swindle book and absoloutely loved it, however he's now looking for 43 years with the same bird by Brian Reade and Reds on the Drink.

Anyone know what shops will probably have these in stock?

Was thinking WHSmith or Waterstones in town but I've not seen either in there the last few times I've popped in.

[manchater]

THE BEST LFC BOOK IV READ HAS TO BE "THE LIVERPOOL BOYS ARE IN TOWN" BY DAVE HEWITSON, I GOT IT AT HJC AND I SEEN IT IN HMV

Quality book that!!

As is:

Here we go gathering cups in May (quite topical for to-day!!!!)

Boys from the Mersey is an excellent read also

[plasterered]

the most recent (before king's new one) that I read was "HERE WE GO GATHERING CUPS IN MAY" that tells 7 stories of each of our European cup final outings told from their experiences by Nicky Alt/Jegsy Dodd/Peter Hooton/Dave Kirby/John Maguire/Kevin sampson. A great read for any fan told by fans themselves