Author:Aidan Smith
July 30, 1966. Bobby Moore is lifting the Jules Rimet trophy, Denis Law is playing golf, and a young boy in Edinburgh is being taught the most important lesson of his life: no matter who England are playing, you support the other lot. If the opposition have a dodgy human rights record, or are cruel to wasps, or can't even be located on a large-format map - too bad. You support the other lot.
Forty years on, and Aidan Smith has done a pretty good job of supporting the other lot. But these days he should be old enough, and ugly enough, to be above petty, playground-formed sporting squabbles. Besides, the World Cup is coming, Scotland haven't made it, and he's about to marry an Englishwoman. Maybe it's a sign. But can a Scotsman ever cheer for 'Ingerland'?
In Union Jock, Aidan Smith investigates the age-old England-Scotland emnity, both on and off the football field. The Scots may have suffered at the hands of the Auld Enemy for centuries - Braveheart, Culloden, Jimmy Hill calling David Narey's goal a "toe-poke" (against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup, top right-hand corner) - but now they're a nation on the rise, with a spanking new parliament to prove it. But what do the fans, players, politicians, and Sassenach invaders really think about their English neighbours? Would supporting England be a denial of their Scottishness?
Join Aidan Smith on his quest to put an end to centuries of not-so-friendly rivalry. That's if the Scots don't get him first. Or the English.
An entertaining and enlightening cross-cultural border exchange
—— MetroA journey into the psyche of a foreign nation... part travelogue, part autobiography, part humorous musing
—— Four Four TwoA warts-and-all portrait of a sport that has more warts than a sackful of toads
—— Daily TelegraphHiaasen is shameless in extracting every bit of comedic value he possibly can. Essentially, he does so by poking fun at himself and that is what "hacking" is all about. The laughs may be cheap but they are ever so painfully earned
—— James Corrigan , IndependentWith biting humor and painfully honest self-humiliation, Hiaasen describes his 1-1/2-year journey into one of Dante's inner circles of hell
—— Christian Science MonitorA cleverly written, witty and sometimes wistful look at golf, marriage, human nature and life
—— The Tampa TribuneHiaasen's hilarious misadventures on the golf course are all too familiar to anyone who has ever flailed at the ball in futile attempts to conquer a sport that mercilessly strips us of our dignity
—— The New York Times Book ReviewA funny, behind-the-scenes excursion into the angst-ridden world of a man with average golfing skills
—— Georgetown RecordMemoir is new territory for him, but Hiaasen is Hiaasen. Fans of his bizarro novels will find his irony and sense of humor remain unaffected on the links
—— The Florida Times-UnionA wonderful return to the magic (albeit voodoo) that is Carl Hiaasen... with the sport of golf providing the venue for his unique wit and biting humor... you'll have many laugh-out-loud moments
—— Decatur Daily[Hiaasen] displays a fine-tuned sense of the absurd... it brims with golf mania
—— The New York TimesThe foibles and embarrassments, as well as the joys, of casual and tournament golf ring true. Golfers should love this book
—— Rocky Mountain NewsThis engrossing book sails straight between the posts
—— John O'Donnell , Irish TimesArguably the best Irish book of the year... told with flawless skill
—— Malachy Clerkin , The Sunday TribuneThe perfect present for any rugby fan. It shows the goldfish-bowl aspect to life as a modern-day sporting legend and gives an insight into what it's like on the inside looking out
—— Irish IndependentWhether you are a rugby fan or not, this book is likely to please... This honest autobiography will provide an intriguing read for the Christmas period
—— South Tipp TodayCompelling reading
—— Richard Fitzpatrick , Irish ExaminerMotty's knowledge and passion for football are unrivalled as he shares his story for the first time with humour and honesty.
—— Oxford TimesFilled with a multitude of detail about Motson's background and the sporting times he lived through ...Motson is one of the most intelligent and accomplished commentators in history, a voice that has conveyed the best (and worst, depending on your allegiance) moments in the recent past of the game. His book offers a fascinating look at what goes on behind the scenes of football broadcasting, as well as a trip down memory lane for many supporters. A must-read for any football fan.
—— Sunday Business PostThe voice of the sheepskinned sage and cult hero John Motson will doubtless be heard at the 2010 tournament, and he reminisces on his career to date in the amusing Motty: Forty Years in the Commentary Box
—— Independent on Sunday 'Books of the Year'
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