Fever Pitch

While I was in Thailand, I read Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch. I've never liked his movies particularly- they always seem kind of smug and pleased to be English. Like Hugh Grant himself, the movies just slightly rub me the wrong way. But I read the book because it's ostensibly about Arsenal and I was curious. And I enjoyed it. Despite the fact that it was all about a time that is long gone, I found some of the observations about being a sports fan accurate. The appreciation of pain and suffering was particularly valid. I also identified with the cathartic nature of victory and the almost religious tendency to associate the team's ups and downs with one's own. The writing was a little smug, but not too objectionable, and the pages turned quickly. So, not bad. Of course, I identified even more with the long suffering of Arsenal fans after the team blew a 2-0 lead at the very end of the game to a lousy West Ham team.