- Table View
- List View
The Labour of Leisure: The Culture of Free Time (PDF)
by Chris RojekLeisure has always been associated with freedom, choice and flexibility. The week-end and vacations were celebrated as 'time off'. In his compelling new book, Chris Rojek turns this shibboleth on its head to demonstrate how leisure has become a form of labour. Modern men and women are required to be competent, relevant and credible, not only in the work place but with their mates, children, parents and communities. The requisite empathy for others, socially acceptable values and correct forms of self-presentation demand work. Much of this work is concentrated in non-work activity, compromising traditional connections between leisure and freedom. Ranging widely from an analysis of the inflated aspirations of the leisure society thesis to the culture of deception that permeates leisure choice, Rojek shows how leisure is inextricably linked to emotional labour and intelligence. It is now a school for life. In challenging the orthodox understandings of freedom and free time, The Labour of Leisure sets out an indispensable new approach to the meaning of leisure. Chris Rojek is Professor of Sociology and Culture at Brunel University. In 2003 he was awarded the Allen V. Sapora Award for outstanding achievement in the field of leisure studies.
Tourist Cultures: Identity, Place and the Traveller (PDF)
by Stephen Wearing Dr Tamara Young Dr Deborah Stevenson"This is a timely and easily accessible book that addresses a number of issues that are of central concern to the development of tourism studies. It will also be of interest to those in cultural studies, social geography and social anthropology who are concerned with the relationship between the production and consumption of place." - Kevin Meethan, University of Plymouth Sharp and engaging, Tourist Cultures presents valuable critical insights into tourism - arguing that within the imagined-real spaces of the traveller self it becomes possible to envisage tourist cultures and futures that will both empower and engage. Here is a framework for understanding tourism which is subject-centred, dynamic, and capable of dealing with the complexity of contemporary tourist cultures. The book argues that tourists are not passive consumers of either destinations or their interpretations. Rather, they are actively occupied in a multi-sensory, embodied experience. It delves into what tourists are looking for when they travel, be they on a package tour, or immersing themselves in the places, cultures and lifestyles of the exotic. Tourism is examined through a consideration of the spaces and selves of travel, exploring the cultures of meaning, mobilities and engagement that frame and define the tourist experience and traveller identities. This book draws on the explanatory traditions of sociology, human geography and tourism studies to provide useful insights into the experiential and the lived dimensions of tourism and travel. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this is a welcome contribution to the growing literature on tourism and will be important reading for students in a range of social science and humanities courses.
Secret Bankside: Walks South of the River
by John ConstableOn the south bank of the Thames, outside the jurisdiction of the ancient City of London, Bankside has long been known as a hotbed of creativity, dissent and loose living. With its brothels and bear-pits, its prisons and its pubs, the area has inspired the nation's greatest writers - Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Keats and Blake - and been home to its most famous theatres - the Globe, The Rose, The Old Vic and the National. These same south London streets have given sanctuary to immigrants and refugees, to tradesmen, craftsmen and Thames Watermen, to the workhouse poor and the criminal underclass. Writer, performer and local historian John Constable is well known for his walks around this fascinating area. The eight walks collected here are among his most popular. Packed with social history and local lore, they are witty, insightful and hugely entertaining. Each walk is easy to follow, accompanied by maps and clear directions, and illustrated with period prints and contemporary photographs. Together, they tell the extraordinary and, until recently, largely forgotten story of London's anarchic, irrepressible 'Outlaw Borough'.
Mr Moon Has Left the Stadium: Confessions of a Matchday Announcer
by Jeremy NicholasJEREMY NICHOLAS is West Ham United's stadium announcer. A supporter since the age of six, Jeremy's blood runs claret and blue. In the summer of 1998, after decades in the stands, he became the voice of his club - announcing the players, the substitutions, the trials and tribulations, and best of all the goals. Over the years he's established himself as one of the best announcers in the business, combining information with a gentle humour that make visits to the Boleyn Ground that bit more special.Mr Moon Has Left the Stadium is the hilarious tale of one man's obsession with football and doing things the right way. Part love story, part autobiography, part nostalgia, it will make you laugh and cry. It also answers the all-important question - who is Mr Moon?
An Irrational Hatred of Luton
by Robert BanksSomewhere in a parallel universe there is another Robert Banks, who is a season ticket holder at Manchester United and is a highly successful novel writer and adored by everyone in the world, regardless of footballing, religious or racial denomination. But is he happy? You bet the hell he is. But Robert Banks is not that man. Since childhood, he has been obsessed with West Ham United Football Club. A team of persistent and historical under-achievers. After all, the only thing West Ham ever brought home was the 1966 World Cup, but that doesn't count, apparently. Laugh out loud funny, and almost devastatingly poignant, AN IRRATIONAL HATRED OF LUTON is an odyssey through the world of a committed football supporter. A real-life Fever Pitch, and with a Hornby-esque deftness of tone, Banks' book shows how intricately in the life of a true fan, football interconnects with the everyday. Banks' friendships, relationships, work, emotions of joy and despair all take place against a backdrop of claret and blue. Then Saturday comes and he watches his team get thumped again. A compelling and hilarious journey into the nature of obsession.
We Ate All the Pies: How Football Swallowed Britain Whole
by John NicholsonIn Who Ate All the Pies?, the gonzo sports journalist explores and celebrates the things we love about the whole culture of the game, tries to explain how we got to where we are now and speculates where we the game is headed. Amongst other things, he explores the history of the football shirt in style and design; how and why sponsorship became the norm; the culture of food inside the ground, around the stadium and in the pubs and clubs, and how the culture of pies and the modern trend of fine dining changed the match day experience (and why prawn sandwiches are the perfect expression of the class-politics of football); why booze is so important to football; how football is used by people to vent their everyday frustrations and emotions and how this is managed by the clubs. He also describes the history of football on TV and how it changed perceptions of teams and countries (in particular, the 1970 World Cup TV revolution); the role of international football in national identity and the intricate complexities of being a Teessider, Northern and English, in that order!
London's Olympic Follies: The Madness and Mayhem of the 1908 London Games: A Cautionary Tale
by Graeme KentThe London Olympics of 1908 were supposed to display the glories of the Britain Empire at its zenith, but they ended in uproar - everything that could possibly have gone wrong did so. The Games opened in the pouring rain, which duly set in for the whole two weeks. One country insisted that another march under its banner; then the Americans refused to dip their flag to King Edward, causing mayhem. Decisions on competitions were questioned, supposedly amateur contestants were accused of being professionals, one competitor dropped the shot on the foot of a rival and another ended up running a race alone after all the other finalists pulled out in protest. And though there were class performances, with the British and Irish team securing their best ever set of results, these were overshadowed by disputes, back-biting and disqualifications. London's Olympic Follies, packed with fascinating historical facts and trivia, is a wonderfully entertaining and timely account of the most bizarre Olympiad ever held. Hopefully a saga never to be repeated!
Wayne Rooney: Boots Of Gold
by John SweeneyThis book is not your usual whitewash. Irreverent, hilarious and surprising, Wayne Rooney: Boots of Gold is a tarts-and-all biography of England's most famous sportsman and an exposé of the iniquities of some of those who have sought their pound of flesh from his celebrity. Short-tempered and sweary he may be, but there's no doubting Rooney's passion for the beautiful game. But who is the real Wayne Rooney? On the one hand there was the disastrous World Cup in 2010, sex scandals and the unedifying spectacle of his grotesque contract negotiations with Manchester United; on the other, unprecedented success as the best British footballer of his time. On form, he's an unstoppable force, and the jewel in the crown of one of the most powerful club sides in history. But then there's the infamous entourage: a controversial agent, a crooked lawyer, tarts and gangsters, all attracted to the fabulous money Rooney gets for kicking a pig's bladder around a field. Wayne Rooney: Boots of Gold charts the rise and fall - and rise and fall again - of football's most intriguing star.
Henry Cooper: A Hero For All Time
by Norman GillerWhen Sir Henry Cooper died in May 2011, the depth of affection in the tributes was a testament to his remarkable popularity. Put simply, Henry Cooper was the nation's favourite boxer: a gentleman and a great sportsman of whom Muhammad Ali - famously floored by Enery's 'Ammer in 1963 - remarked, 'Henry Cooper hit me so hard my ancestors in Africa felt it.' Sir Henry's popularity transcended boxing and he became an even bigger national hero in the years after his retirement from the ring in 1971, raising millions of pounds for charity with unstinting efforts recognised and rewarded with a knighthood. During his fighting career he was the only boxer to win three Lonsdale Belts outright, was undefeated European and Empire champion and the British title-holder for more than eleven years. Originally planned as an autobiography, and written with the blessing of Henry's two sons, A Hero for All Time is a well-informed and detailed biography that puts his life and extraordinary boxing career into fresh focus. It includes in-depth summaries of his major fights, with new commentaries from Henry himself. Featuring many previously untold stories about his boxing career, it paints an intimate portrait of a man whose courage, skill and sportsmanship lifted him into the land of sporting legend.
There's Only One Stevie Bacon: My Life Watching West Ham Through a Camera Lens
by Steve BaconHe has never scored a goal, lifted a trophy, worn the captain's armband or even played for the club, but Steve Bacon is considered a genuine Hammers legend. As West Ham United's official photographer for more than thirty years, Steve has become a cult hero at Upton Park - he has appeared on Sky's Soccer AM, featured in a fanzine comic strip and even had a burger named after him. From his privileged position as part of the club's backroom team, Steve has enjoyed unlimited access behind the scenes and established close friendships with many managers and players. John Lyall, Lou Macari, Billy Bonds, Harry Redknapp, Glenn Roeder, Alan Pardew, Alan Curbishley, Gianfranco Zola, Avram Grant and Sam Allardyce have all found themselves the focus of Bacon's candid camera, while Trevor Brooking, Tony Cottee, Frank McAvennie, Julian Dicks, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Paolo Di Canio and Scott Parker are just a few of the star players who have welcomed him into their world. Packed with terrific tales, amusing anecdotes and controversial characters, and illustrated with the very best of Steve's photographs, There's Only One Stevie Bacon offers an intriguing insight into life at the Boleyn Ground and one that no West Ham United fan will want to miss.
The Blogfather: The Best of Iain Dale's Diary
by Iain Dale"Iain Dale's Diary caught the beginning of the great blog wave and rode it until Twitter became the dominant form of digital communication. Dale was key in transforming British political comment - melding political convictions, personal views, gossip and emotional honesty. His diary of the Westminster Village quickly built up hundreds of thousands of readers and became a must for those on the inside and those on the outside as well. Dale had something for everyone and not just political geeks: chance encounters, domestic dramas, the travails of supporting West Ham, and even the joys of walking the dog. We miss it. Read all about it in The Blogfather, an offer you shouldn't refuse." - Adam Boulton
Just a Simple Belfast Boy
by Brian MawhinneyThis simple Belfast boy was to find himself at the centre of politics during some of the most tumultuous events of recent British history - the peace process in Ireland, Britain in Europe, Thatcher versus Major. This momentous autobiography is full of the acerbic wit and outspoken opinion that characterises Brian Mawhinney - the man and the politician. This long-awaited memoir is a major work of enduring historical significance, packed with untold stories.
From the Links: Golf's Most Memorable Moments
by Joshua ShifrinA golf hall of fame, shame, and arcane. From the Links showcases golf's greatest moments, taking us from the ancient links of Scotland in the 1800s to the sins of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus's youngestever Grand Slam. Whimsical tales of the game's giants sit alongside ditties about less stellar toilers. Stories of triumph, holes-in-one, hilarious gaffes, heart-racing final rounds, trailblazing careers, monumental breakdowns and other incredible events no reader will ever forget: the moment when Jack 'The Golden Bear' Nicklaus and Gary 'The Black Knight' Player were attacked by killer bees; the heart-warming victory of Babe Zaharias in the 1954 US Women's Open Championship, just one month after cancer surgery; the incredible sight of four holes-in-one on the same hole in under two hours in the 1989 US Open. Golf has a singular capacity to bring out the very best and the very worst in its many enthusiasts, with all sorts of mishaps and high jinks colouring the space between tee and green. In From the Links, Joshua Shifrin affectionately guides us through the rich tapestry of golfing history with tale after notorious, infamous and beloved golfing tale.
Skirting the Boundary: A History of Women's Cricket
by Isabelle DuncanFor too long, women have been kept beyond the boundary. Now, they are storming the field. This is their story. Cricket is a sport noted for the richness of its literature, yet despite all that has been written on the great game there remains a yawning gap - where are all the women? This omission may have been understandable in the early and middle part of the last century, when women's cricket existed in a twilight world, regarded as a sport for ladies who could perhaps be most tactfully described as 'unconventional'. But times have changed, and Izzy Duncan's groundbreaking book comes on the scene not a moment too soon. We begin in the late eighteenth century, when ladies made their first mark on cricket amid frantic betting and rowdy crowds. Then on to the highs and lows of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, culminating in the contemporary superstars dominating world cricket and on the cusp of going professional. Tracing the history of the ladies' game, delving into its sometimes murky past and revealing its recent explosion in popularity, Skirting the Boundary is a humorous, affectionate and charming portrayal of one of the fastest-growing global sports.
Biteback Dictionary of Humorous Sporting Quotations (Biteback Dictionaries Of Humorous Quotations Ser.)
by Fred MetcalfPlaying sport, watching it and commentating on it have all provoked endless mirth and some unforgettable rhetorical flourishes, the best and most enduring of which can be found here in the sparkling Biteback Dictionary of Humorous Sporting Quotations. Fred Metcalf has collected these laugh-out-loud funny contributions from the world of (mostly) athletic competition. Sardonic observations and unintended gaffes connected by a love (and sometimes hate) of anything from Cricket to Climbing and Fishing to Football make this book an essential companion for anyone with even a passing interest in the hobbies and games that we call 'sports'.
Court Confidential: Inside the World of Tennis
by Neil HarmanTennis has never before been blessed with such an array of talented stars doing battle for the sport's most coveted titles. Games featuring Murray, Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova are among the most thrilling matches in the history of the game - and Neil Harman has witnessed them all. He is so close to the beating heart of tennis that he has become a confidant to many of the game's stars and administrators, even at one stage mentoring Victoria Azarenka to help her handle the media pressure at the top of the women's game. In short, Neil enjoys a privileged access that is unmatched elsewhere in the sport. Here he shares tennis's most intimate secrets in a book replete with personality, excitement, drama and intrigue. Featuring frank, in-depth interviews with all the leading players, their coaching staff, their agents and managers, Harman presents the game from an insider's perspective and offers the fresh insights and strong personal views for which he is celebrated. Court Confidential recounts a defining time for modern-day tennis: from Wimbledon to the Olympic Games, from Serena Williams's battle with illness to Andy Murray's historic grand slam victory, this is a book for tennis fans everywhere.
The Wit and Wisdom of Sir Alex Ferguson
by Chris RileyWhen Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United in 2013 he called time on the most successful career in football history. During his twenty-seven years at the helm of the world's most famous club, he has shown himself to be a paragon of leadership, an incomparable man-manager and an unparalleled wielder of the notorious hairdryer. Commentating on the game, its characters and its components, Sir Alex is the complete football philosopher. From dealing with narcissistic footballers to demolishing the overinflated egos of opposition managers, this is The Wit and Wisdom of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Bradman's War: How the 1948 Invincibles Turned the Cricket Pitch into a Battle Field
by Malcolm KnoxHailed as one of the greatest cricket teams of all time, the 1948 'Invincibles' are the only Australians to complete an Ashes tour undefeated. Their crushing victories under Sir Donald Bradman's captaincy created history, even if the Don himself, on his final tour, was left stranded for ever with a Test batting average of 99.94 after his duck in the fifth Test. Yet the mixed feelings about the manner in which these feats were achieved are often forgotten. In his fascinating account of the legendary tour, Malcolm Knox exposes the rift between those players with experience of the horrors of active duty, epitomised by the fiery but sporting RAAF pilot Keith Miller, and those without, such as the invalid Bradman. Knox reveals unease among the fans, commentators and players - from both teams - about Bradman's resolute tactics, both on the field and in the pavilion. Bradman's ruthlessness, even against war-ravaged veterans at the county clubs, dashed hopes that the legacy of Bodyline would finally be laid to rest and the postwar game resume in a more congenial spirit. While Bradman's War celebrates the talents of the likes of Ray Lindwall, Sid Barnes, Lindsay Hassett, Bill Johnston, Arthur Morris and, of course, their incomparable captain, it also questions our appreciation of sporting entertainment when rivalries escalate - and competition verges on hostility. If the spoils are to the victor, what is there for lovers of the game?
Weirwolf: My Story
by David WeirDavid Weir was born without the use of his legs, and not only learned from an early age to cope with his disability, but defied his limitations to become a great wheelchair racer and national hero. Here he sheds light on his journey from frustrated schoolboy to Paralympic athlete and champion, and reveals how instrumental the 2012 Paralympics were in transforming attitudes towards disability - not only in Britain but around the world. Weirwolf is the extraordinary inside story of the man who won a total of six gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games, and who is six-time winner of the London Marathon. It is an inspirational tale of the fight against discrimination and the desire to change the face of sport.
Fan-tastic Sporting Stories: 300 True Tales of Fans Who Stole the Limelight
by Graham SharpeFor some fans, a ringside seat just isn't close enough to the action. Stretching from the benign to the malign, from the entertaining to the insane, and from the sublime to the ridiculous, this compelling compendium contains over 300 true tales of fanatical fans who stole the spotlight from their sporting heroes. This is the good, the bad and the ugly side of spectator intervention - from streakers to rioters, and beyond. We've all felt the thrill of cheering on our sporting heroes, but there's a fine line between the mere fan and the true fanatic and this absorbing new book from Graham Sharpe well and truly crosses it. With its weird and wild tales of fan participation, Fan-tastic Sporting Stories! is essential reading for fans of any and every sport. Whatever your team, whatever your game, you won't help but find this collection absolutely fan-tastic!
Twin Tracks: The Autobiography
by Roger BannisterIt was a blustery late spring day in 1954 and a young Oxford medical student flung himself over the line in a mile race. There was an agonising pause, and then the timekeeper announced the record: three minutes, fifty-nine point four seconds. But no one heard anything after that first word - 'three'. One of the most iconic barriers of sport had been broken, and Roger Bannister had become the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. To this day, more men have conquered Mount Everest than have achieved what the slender, unassuming student managed that afternoon. Sixty years on and the letters still arrive on Roger Bannister's doormat, letters testifying to the enduring appeal of the four-minute mile and the example it set for the generation of budding athletes who were inspired to attempt the impossible. In this frank memoir, Sir Roger tells the full story of the talent and dedication that made him not just one of the most celebrated athletes of the last century but also a distinguished doctor, neurologist and one of the nation's best-loved public figures. With characteristically trenchant views on drugs in sport, the nature of modern athletics and record breaking, the extraordinary explosion in running as a leisure activity, and the Olympic legacy, this rare and brilliant autobiography gives a fascinating insight into the life of a man who has lived life to the fullest.
Tennis Maestros: The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time
by John BercowROGER FEDERER. RAFAEL NADAL. NOVAK DJOKOVIC. At the highest echelons of tennis, a few names stand out. Dominating the rankings, these famous big hitters are unarguably among the finest players in the world, with multiple Grand Slams to their credit. But how do today's champions compare with those of earlier eras? From 'Big' Bill Tilden and Pancho Gonzalez to Rod Laver and Pete Sampras, who makes the grade as the greatest male singles player of all time? Better known as the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow has enjoyed a successful dual career in the tennis world as competitive junior player and qualified coach. Ideally placed to argue the merits of the maestros, in this fascinating guide he sets out to determine just who is the greatest of the greats. It is no easy task. Court surfaces and ball speeds have changed, racket technology has revolutionised the game, and trying to distinguish the best from the rest is as challenging as it is enjoyable. Drawing on published records of past glories, and offering his own analysis and reasoning, Bercow describes the accomplishments of twenty all-time tennis heroes and suggests a hall of fame from the unashamed vantage point of the lifelong enthusiast. Let the debate begin...
The 10 Football Matches That Changed the World: And The One That Didn't
by Jim MurphyThe assertion that 'football isn't a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that' has been verified repeatedly throughout modern history. It has bolstered tyrants and helped depose them; contributed to conflict and created ceasefires. It has been an incubator of racism at home and helped bring down a racist regime abroad; shaped cities, changed cultures and inspired resistance. Its impact is as dynamic as the game itself. In this fascinating exploration, Jim Murphy takes us on a journey around the world and through the years, from Franco's Spain to Africa's Alcatraz, Robben Island. Charting the match that sparked a Central American war, the Barcelona team threatened at gunpoint, and the game that helped save Rupert Murdoch's media empire, among much else, Murphy lends a fresh new perspective to some of the most iconic moments in international football. Blending a love of the game with an appreciation of its place in global events, this is an authoritative and often humorous mix of sport and history, featuring fascinating first-hand insights from those most involved in the ten matches that changed the world ... and the one that didn't.
Bobby Moore: The Definitive Biography
by Jeff PowellThe new edition of the bestselling biography. Bobby Moore was the embodiment of all that was great about English football. Captaining England to glory in 1966 and West Ham to victory in several major tournaments, he was loved and respected throughout the world as football's golden boy. This definitive and authorised biography illuminates the extraordinary story of a sporting hero, from exciting accounts of his World Cup triumph to candid memories of his friendships with Beckenbauer, Eusébio and Pelé. It also reveals the inside story of a life beyond football, updated to include fascinating new material on Moore's enduring legacy in the years following his tragically premature death. Award-winning sports writer Jeff Powell, a close friend and confidant to the Moore family, has created a powerful and fitting tribute, honouring the golden era of English football and the exceptional man at its helm.
Nearly Reach the Sky: A Farewell to Upton Park
by Brian WilliamsSuccess, failure, heroism, stupidity, talent, skulduggery ... Upton Park has seen it all. If supporting his club for fifty years has taught Brian Williams one thing it's that football fans definitely need a sense of humour - how else would they cope with the trials and tribulations that are part and parcel of cheering on their team? In this frank and funny take on the travails of a die-hard football supporter, Williams takes a nostalgic look back at some of the great players, great triumphs and great calamities that have marked West Ham's time at Upton Park, exploring the club's influence on its fans, the East End and football as a whole over the course of a lifetime. A Fever Pitch for the Premier League generation, Nearly Reach the Sky is an anecdotal journey through the seminal goals, games, fouls and finals, told with all the comedy, tragedy and irrationality fans of any team will recognise. This is a witty, fond, passionate and poignant tribute to the end of an era at Upton Park, as well as a universal meditation on the perks and perils of football fandom.