Book Review – Red Letter Days
Nov 20th, 2014 by 'holic
Welcome back to book review week on Goonerholic.
I have in my collection Rebels For The Cause and Highbury: The Story of Arsenal in N5, so when Jon Spurling released his latest book, Red Letter Days, I knew it would end up accompanying the others in my Arsenal dominated bookcase. Jon knows what Arsenal supporters want to read about, and writes for his target audience.
Red Letter Days is another well crafted delve into the Gunners past, including the recent past I hasten to add. From Sir Henry Norris to the FA Cup Final victory in May Jon concentrates on fourteen key moments in Arsenal’s history, dissecting the myths and conjecture which surround Arsenal’s epoch-defining moments, including key matches and tactical revolutions, and casts fresh light on the impact of important figures in the club’s history.
Relive or discover the 1930 ‘Zeppelin Final’, the Stoke semi-final in 1971, Anfield ’89, Parma ’94 (oh what a night, as Frankie Valli so astutely observed), and Arsene’s early tussles with Manchester United. Look again at legends such as Norris, Charlie Buchan, Herbert Chapman (genuflects after typing), Joe Mercer, George Graham, Dennis Bergkamp (repeats genuflect), and Patrick Vieira.
Jon pools 25 years worth of interviews with Arsenal stars past and present, and has blended archive research with forensic analysis of crucial events both on and off the pitch to provide a challenging reassessment of Arsenal’s history.
In each chapter I can honestly say I discovered something hitherto unknown to me, or maybe forgotten although I doubt that. It’s clear that Jon has put in the hard hours reaearching another engrossing read. The bibliography at the back of the book tells a tale in itself.
I read it from cover to cover in chronological order, but again this is a book from which you can pick your favourite chapters and read them in isolation. In fact I suspect I will do just that in the coming weeks, so keen am I to enjoy again a number of events that meant so much to me in my life.
As an Arsenal supporter you have a number of recently published Arsenal books to choose from if you are dropping Christmas present hints. It’s not for me to suggest which you opt for if you are on a budget. All I will say is that if you have enjoyed Jon’s work in the past then you will not be disappointed with this.
In the sidebar you will find a link to the book on Amazon, along with the excellent Invincible by Amy Lawrence. Enjoyable reads both. Make sure the family know they’re there. Thank you.
13 Responses to “Book Review – Red Letter Days”
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Numero Uno. Yer gettin’ through a power of literature, H. 🙂
Reading furiously bath, and one more to come yet, hopefully on Monday. There are some seriously talented people out there. Maybe one day…
There are indeed. Nonetheless, you are well capable of it, my friend. You simply need to find the time and prioritise it.
Didn’t think there could be so much genital flexing in such a short book review. 😉
I only read in the loo. I’m currently reading Graham Poll’s book and saving a small fortune on bog paper at the same time.
John is from God’s county and writes well researched books that will provide lots of insight for Gooners. I’m much more likely to read this than anything based on a Twitter feed.
I understand the Twitterati are suggesting Steve Bould is going to walk imminently. As it’s a Twitter rumour it’s almost certain to be crap like almost everything else on there
Thank you ‘Holic.
Just recently finished Invincible — fellow US gooners, you can actually get the hardcover (which has some decent photos as well) from an UK based seller through Amazon — which was a very pleasant read. Balanced, well researched and captivating.
I will get this one as well. Have always been interested to read more about Arsenal’s trajectory among all the socio-economical changes in the inter-war years. Looking at the attendance number etc. Football was evidently very very popular at that time but I find it quite surprising its general absence from literature.
I mean where is the Neville Cardus and where is the CLR James of Football?
Cheers Holic.
“Highbury The Story Of Arsenal in N5” is an excellent tome, so this is another must read. Looks like I shall be “booked” out this Christmas 🙂
One copy sold. Hope you’re on commission – excellent review.
I’ve been telling you for a few years now ……. 😉
Thanks Trev, yes, if enough people click on the Amazon link to buy then I might just get a little bit closer to the £25 which is the minimum you can take out and I have reached once in seven years. Don’t think blogging will ever replace to day job 🙂
Maybe you should have an affiliated link in the text of the blog. I run adblock and don’t see the Amazon ads in the sidebar.
Agree with you on Invincible, Dr F. Great read, and I, for one, learned a lot. Lesson for the instapundits on the interwebs and elsewhere is that old-school reporting unearths new information that helps you understand things better. But it takes time and shoe
leather.
You’re comparison between the rich literature of cricket and the paucity of football’s could also be made about baseball and American football. I wonder if that is because cricket and baseball have created almost mythologized histories for themselves that are held up as a mirror to their respective societies and so can be a vehicle for authors of all stripes in a way that football of any code cannot. Or at least has not been to date; as football becomes the global game it may become the vehicle of celebrants and critics of globalization.
There is also a richer vein of writers who played cricket than played football. HG Wells, James Joyce, GK Chesterton and Arthur Conan Doyle immediately come to mind among the flanneled fools but only Camus for the muddied oafs.
Booooo cynic 🙂 I’m not that fussed. It’s a labour of love… >>>>>>>>