Book 61 - David Peace "The Damned Utd"

[jazzy_dave]

David Peace "The Damned Utd" (Faber & Faber)




The Damned United is the story of Brian Clough's infamous 44 days as manager of Leeds back in the seventies.  It also tells, concurrently, the story of Clough's football career leading up to the point he took the position at Leeds. Peace's research allows him to tell the story from Clough's viewpoint. We share his insecurities. We cannot know what is true and what is paranoia. But this is not simply another unreliable narrator. It is the mind as unreliable narrator. A reminder that for each of us if our life is a text then we are our own reliable narrator.

It is also a brilliant (in the sense of sparkling with light as opposed to just good) reminder of the fact that Clough was such a wonderful bastard. He makes a great fictional character because he was such a one-off in real life. A Gordian knot of paradoxes. A self destructive man who orchestrated so many triumphs. An intelligent man who did so many stupid things. A tyrannical socialist. And like that knot he was a problem you could only solve by destroying it.

It is a shame that many will miss this book because it is based in the world of football, as it is not just about football, its about a man, and about what its like inside his head. His story draws you in and makes you want to read on to watch the inevitable roller coaster ride. It's themes are universal and it is outstandingly well written.

Comments

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Ohhh!! Glowing recommendation here!

[thespian15.livejournal.com]

44 infamous days as a manager? :o
That doesn't sound good. :o
Hugs, Jon

[kabuldur.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that a book on footy was good, too!

I guess if the story was told by a third person, then the protagonist may very well be an unreliable narrator. But we can pick that up by inconsistencies and what other characters say and experience. Yes, could be an interesting read.

You read so many books. How do you do it? Also, you do know you are way past the 50 number in the book challenge, don't you? *Ducks the flying book*

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Well, actually i have realized i went past the fifty and was agog. But when i think about it, all that bus travel i do, and so on, i always have a book with me, and it is amazing when on , for example a journey back from Seaford to Teynham which is say about five hours, shows how much of a book i can get through. Times that by my mystery shop journeys and it is feasible to get through two books a week or more.Not being a slow reader also helps.

[kabuldur.livejournal.com]

Oh, I guess if you are not actually driving you could get a lot of reading done! I'm always driving :)

I used to be a book worm; now my eyes are gone and I only read at night. I'm still clocking up books, but not nearly as fast as you!

I recently finished my third Knausgaard book I get them from the library and am reading Blood and Beauty at the moment by Sarah Dunant. It is about the Borgia family. Spanish Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia becomes pope in Italy Of course, the Pope is 'celibate' but he has illegitimate children and he marries them off strategically to maintain his power. Set around renaissance time.