Book description
The definitive book about football. There may be no cultural practice
more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely
diverse, but the rules of football are universal. No world religion can
match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human
collective experience is the World Cup final. In this extraordinary tour
de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of football's rise from
chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to
fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally,
The Ball Is Round illuminates football's role in the political and
social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the
beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself. David Goldblatt was
born in 1965 and inherited, for his sins, Tottenham Hotspurs from his
father. His books include
Social Theory and the Environment
, Global Transformations
and the World Football Yearbook
. He currently lives in Bristol, the Bermuda triangle of football
prowess, where he spreads his affections amongst Spurs, Bristol Rovers
and Bristol City.
