A Season with Verona

I have just finished this book, and though I am coming horribly late to the party (it was first published in March 2002) I want to shout about it to any other football fans it has passed by. The book tells of the author Tim Parks’ travels with Hellas Verona throughout the 2000/01 season. He originally published details in the Guardian, but the novel really works…

About Serie A and Hellas Verona in particular (mostly their away games) A Season with Verona is also a travel , cultural and social work, analysing Italy, the Italian people, and their devotion to the beautiful game. The novel’s subtext is Travels around Italy, in search of illusion, national character and goals! which summarises it nicely – it’s not just the football side Parks covers.

However, it’s obviously a major part, and there are many familiar names – Martin Laursen and Alberto Gilardino for Verona, while such luminaries as Roberto Baggio and Sinisa Mihalovic (for my money the greatest free-kick taker ever) pop up – and I have to admit to an affection for Verona after reading it.

If you want to read an intelligent football book, that doesn’t just commentate on the action but perspicaciously examines its wider sociological and cultural effects and implications, this is the book for you. Buy it now (below).