Author:Neil Cotter
Irish Times Sports Book of the Year
Dublin has become the dominant force in Gaelic football, setting new standards of skill and efficiency. But it was not very long ago that the county was a byword for underachievement and disorganization. Every year from 1996 to 2010, the Dubs found new and creative ways of losing, of causing their fans to suffer, and of earning the scorn of the wider GAA public.
Based on interviews with former players and coaches, Dublin: The Chaos Years tells the entertaining and sometimes scarcely believable story of how the Dubs managed to make such a hames of things over a period of fifteen years. It also traces the beginnings of the turnaround, as the bad habit of failure began to give way to a healthier culture. Full of frank, witty and sometimes outrageous stories and analysis from the people who were at the centre of it, Dublin: The Chaos Years is a book for every Gaelic football fan.
'Fascinating' Kieran Cunningham, Irish Daily Star
'From unwelcoming veterans to arseboxing and collapsing human pyramids to marching to the Hill to startled earwigs to champs, Cotter has it all covered in a very well-written and insightful read' Kieran Shannon, Irish Examiner
'This book offers fascinating insight into the egos, dressing room divides, and bad habits which held the county back on the field. ... [It's] full of honest and witty interviews with players, coaches and officials from that revolutionary period.' Darren Frehil, RTÉ Culture
'Cotter has done some terrific interviews ... the raw, hard-nosed nature of the Dublin dressing room at the end of the 1990s jumps from the page. ... Well worth anyone's time' Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times Sports Books of 2018
From unwelcoming veterans to arseboxing and collapsing human pyramids to marching to the Hill to startled earwigs to champs, Cotter has it all covered in a very well-written and insightful read
—— Kieran Shannon , Irish ExaminerThis book offers fascinating insight into the egos, dressing room divides, and bad habits which held the county back on the field. ... [It's] full of honest and witty interviews with players, coaches and officials from that revolutionary period.
—— RTÉ Culture , Darren FrehilFascinating
—— Kieran Cunningham , Irish Daily StarCotter has done some terrific interviews ... the raw, hard-nosed nature of the Dublin dressing room at the end of the 1990s jumps from the page. ... Well worth anyone's time
—— Malachy Clerkin , Irish Times, Sports Books of 2018[They Don’t Teach This] is hugely motivational and shows what it takes to be a world-class athlete… Aluko is open and honest
—— Fadumo Olow , Daily TelegraphThere is plenty for readers to get stuck into in this autobiography – a book that reminds us, if nothing else, that some things are bigger, more important than what happens on the field
—— Jade Craddock , NBAn inspirational nature memoir for fans of H is for Hawk about losing everything and finding yourself between the elements of sea and sky
—— WaterstonesThe Salt Path is a life-affirming tale of enduring love that smells of the sea and tastes of a rich life. With beautiful, immersive writing, it is a story heart-achingly and beautifully told.
—— Jackie Morris, illustrator of The Lost Words by Robert MacfarlaneThe most inspirational book of this year . . . In some ways The Salt Path reads like the ultimate drop-out odyssey, except that this journey isn't a life choice . . . What the book chiefly conveys is the human capacity for endurance and the regenerative power of nature . . . The Salt Path also serves as a reminder that Britain is a land criss-crossed by footpaths and that we take this 140,000-mile national glory for granted at our peril . . . The Salt Path has reminded me to scrape last year's mud from my walking boots and get rambling again. I hope it has the same impact on millions of others.
—— Richard Morrison , The TimesMoving and beautifully evocative
—— iUplifting and inspirational
—— Woman & HomeAn exquisite piece of writing
—— Western Morning NewsA remarkable and redemptive journey
—— Summer Books of 2018 , Financial TimesThis beautiful, meditative book should give us all a sense of our possible braveries: offering us an answer to the "what if?" questions - "what if we lost absolutely everything, what would we do?" . . . An extraordinary testament to love, hope and resilience.
—— Greg Wise, actor and co-author of Not That Kind of LoveA fabulous read, inspiring and life-affirming. If you're not already walking the coastal path, this book will make you want to set-off immediately. It is a hymn to the power of love, sear-air and the natural beauty of Cornwall to heal and nurture. It's an absolute joy
—— Cornwall LifeWhat an absolutely glorious and moving book. It deserves all its praise!
—— Vybarr Cregan-Reid, author of Footnotes and Primate ChangeA triumph of love and hope and giving oneself up to the healing power of nature. Beautifully written with vivid imagery, what a heart-warming and glorious read
—— Ali Land, author of Good Me, Bad MeYou lost me a whole night's work. This is a great read.
—— Paddy DillonA beautiful ode to how nature can soothe and inspire hope with every step . . . this book is really special
—— StylistMesmerising. It is one of the most uplifting, inspiring books that I've ever read
—— i (The paper for today)Filled with wry humour, this is a wonderfully uplifting and touching book
—— GuardianThis is a wonderful, heart-gladdening, life-affirming read. It will make you want to walk. What a gem.
—— Kate Riordan, author of The Girl in the PhotographLuminescent. A literary phenomenon
—— Mail on SundayUtterly inspirational
—— The TimesThe Salt Path broke my heart and put it back together again over and over. Beautiful writing, and such a sharp eye - both for nature and for people. It's hopeful and sad and honest and I LOVED it.
—— Maggie Harcourt, author of Unconventional and The Last Summer of UsHarnesses the wildness of rock, sky and coastal walking in life-affirming prose
—— Emma Stonex , GuardianRadiant, soaring, heartstring-tugging
—— BBC CountryfileA remarkable account of the healing power of landscape and the resilience of the human spirit. I felt the rain on my face and heard the waves pounding on the sand.
—— Phillipa AshleyInspirational
—— Good HousekeepingThe Salt Path pummelled me like Atlantic winds. It carried me along on a rain-soaked, sun-burnt, despair-infused, hope-driven walk. The writing is at times raw, poetic, funny, shocking. It is consistently honest, vulnerable, clear. I finished the book reminded of the importance of really hearing people's stories, of the healing power of the natural world, and of our individual and collective now.
—— The EcologistA thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, strength and endurance
—— The WeekA moving true story
—— i PaperBy turns inspirational and horrifying . . . [Winn] writes with a detail and a joy that tugs at the reader, lifting this beyond a mere travel memoir and all the privations and hardship to be something truly meaningful
—— Times Higher EducationBeautiful, sad, erudite and uplifting
—— The New EuropeanAn uplifting tale
—— Cornish TimesVivid . . .This is a book essentially about hope, but also about sheer gritty determination not to give in, to survive extreme discomfort, danger and sometimes disillusionment
—— Kibworth & District ChronicleAn inspirational true story
—— Top SanteIt's a heart-warming, heart-wrenching story, told by Raynor in vivid yet plain prose. There are so many wonderful passages
—— Church TimesRaynor's writing is beautiful. It's a heart-wrenching read at times, but you won't be able to put it down
—— MirrorWe walk with Ray and Moth every step of the way, sharing the hunger, exhaustion, blazing heat and freezing rain in an account that is both lyrical and inspirational
—— Guardian, Top 10 books about walking in BritainAn extraordinary memoir - moving, funny and uplifting
—— Open UpAn inspirational and lyrically observed memoir on the regenerative power of walking in nature, as well as a reminder that material things are much less important than we sometimes think. If you love the landscape of the British coastline and are drawn to the philosophies of mindfulness and minimalism, this is a moving and reflective book to read during a break from your everyday life
—— Gill Walker, Newham Books , GuardianRaynor Winn's glorious memoir tells the real-life story of her hike along the South West Coast Path, which she embarked upon with her husband after they lost their home. It's raw yet uplifting - and guaranteed to inspire your next adventure
—— Huffington Post UKA thoughtful reflection on ageing and infirmity, home and homelessness, hope and survival
—— Dr Michael Fitzpatrick , Daily TelegraphA life-affirming story that examines grief and the power of nature
—— Liz Earle WellbeingPoignant . . . It's far from a book without hope, and you'll be with Raynor and Moth every step of their walk along the South West Coast Path
—— Country WalkingA heart-wrenching, inspiring tale of one couple's enduring love for each other in the face of calamity and of their accidental odyssey along England's South West Coast Path
—— AdvntureA love story of resilience and optimism, brimming with heart and humanity
—— Ruth Jones , PrimaA gripping domestic disaster story turned celebration of survival
—— Country WalkingA true story of hope in a dire situation
—— Daily Express