Author:Harry Redknapp
After 40 years in football management, there’s not a lot I haven’t seen. There’ve been big highs, but a fair share of lows too. When I have to make difficult decisions, I make a point of avoiding newspapers, phone-ins, Twitter – all of it. But there’s always a load of armchair-pundits waiting to start on me. Being a manager has never been easy, but between the fans and the media it often feels impossible to get it right.
In It Shouldn’t Happen to a Manager, I talk about how different the job is now from what it was like when I used to play. For one, managers used to drive up and down motorways all day to scout for players – now there’s so much analysis and global scouting. It’s a different thing, completely. In this book, I share everything I’ve learnt from a lifetime of both wins and losses, and wisdom from greats like Cloughie and Ferguson. I’ll tell you about what actually happens in the dressing room, including when Clough smashed the door off its hinges; the bust-ups at full-time, like when I kicked a tray of sandwiches on Don Hutchinson’s head; and the times when I had to swap an arm round a player’s shoulder for a boot up the arse. It’s my guide to being a manager, the Harry way.
In this inside account, it is Ranieri’s steadiness and dignity that impress most.
—— Nick Pitt , Sunday Times, Book of the YearThe giant trees, described by James Aldred, are full of wonder and his fascinating book is a story of real adventure
—— Peter Wohlleben, author of the international bestseller THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREESA great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective from the arms of the world’s giants
—— Chris PackhamPassionate and courageous, in his masterpiece of a memoir, James Aldred reminds us that the sweet green world around us is as alive as any creature--and trees are wondrous individuals with deep truths to tell. This is a book filled with beauty, suspense and revelation. I loved it!
—— Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book
—— Brian Viner , Dail Mail BOOK OF THE WEEKTo leave the dank darkness of the jungle floor and travel up to the sunlight forest canopy is probably the natural world’s most exciting revelation. James Aldred’s wonderful book is as close as you will ever get to that experience, without risking the climb for yourself.
—— Alastair Fothergill, TV Producer for ‘The Blue Planet’, ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘Frozen Planet’A heady blend of daredevil ascents with a reflective wonder at the beauty of these living climbing frames
—— Derek Niemann, nature writer and journalistA beautiful testament to the unique perspective offered by life high in the branches
—— Bruce Parry, award-winning documentary film-maker and authorThis inspiring book tells the story of a year of walking across the British Isles...Evocatively written, with charming snippets of childhood memories... Somerville explains how walking the countryside shaped him as an adult... Touching on his father's Second World War experiences and stoic nature, Somerville seeks to discover the man inside the man. Poignantly highlights the power walking has in forging close relationships and enabling communication, this heart-warming walker's diary proves real inspiration to exploring Britain on foot.
—— Carys Matthews , CountryfileChristopher Somerville’s moving, measured and immaculate The January Man is part walker’s diary, part celebration of his reticent yet loving father, and part... well, anything that takes his fancy and ours. But most of all it is a tender rumination on the One Big Thing that troubles all of us when we put on our hiking boots – and that’s mortality.
A rich and wonderful book which draws on Christopher Somerville’s unusually deep knowledge of Britain’s hidden pathways.
—— Hugh Thomson, author of 'The Green Road into the Trees'Editor's Choice: a beguiling blend of memoir, travel and nature writing.
—— Caroline Sanderson , BooksellerA terrific and touching read. The January Man is a combination of natural and human history and somehow manages to be both light- and slightly heavy-hearted... amusing but almost mystical in places too, which is a pretty incredible feat to pull off.
—— Tobias JonesBrilliantly descriptive of the British landscape and wildlife across the seasons, from fields to coasts, along lanes and byways, it is interwoven with stories of local people, traditions, customs and thoughts on history, culture and geography. Walker or armchair traveller, it’s a pleasure to read.
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Exquisitely written.
—— Publisher's Association REviewA thrilling read ... exquisitely poignant
—— SagaThe author's gaze is on the world around him, especially its natural history ... his skill at describing just what he sees is remarkable ... a very British account of a father-son relationship and more moving for its restraint and light touch.
—— Susan Griffith , Perceptive TravelThis finely observed and evocative book is a celebration of the power of walking to discover emotional, as well as physical, landscapes.
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailA delightful, poetical hotchpotch of a book. It's part nature notes, part history lesson, as well as memoir and loving salute to his late father. . . Somerville is a great wordsmith.
—— Patrick Hosking , The TimesCharming, evocative
—— CHOICE magazineTop 10 Books About Walking in Britain - The book tenderly blends memoir with descriptions of nature and the passing of the seasons.
—— GuardianCalvin is a natural storyteller who is unflinching as he goes behind the scenes and meets the people at the heart of the youth development network.
—— Irish IndependentThe book is an eye-opener into the pressures put on young players by clubs, coaches and parents; the corruption and conceit, bullying and harassment. Plus the lengths those clubs and their scouts go to, to recruit kids who have yet to reach secondary school.
—— Independent, 10 Best Football Books of the Year 2017Completes his formidable trilogy on the game with a blistering indictment of how it treats its youngest players
—— Guardian’s sport books of the yearOutstanding
—— TimesAs the book unfurls, the march along the marches turns into a eulogy to his father, part memoir, part biography, always a love story. It also contains one of the most unflinching, moving descriptions of death I have read.
—— Melanie Reid , The TimesThis beautifully written book is a haunting reflection of identity and our relationships with the people and places we love.
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailStewart provides much food for thought about how we value our past history
—— Susannah Law , Scottish Field