BARCA (Barca - A People's Passion - Jimmy Burns)

Member Name: C_Padd

Product:	Barca - A People's Passion - Jimmy Burns
Date:	03/05/02 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent read politically and for football. Great account of the Catalan nation and very interesting

Disadvantages: None

The Barcelona Real Madrid derby games in the Spanish football league could be considered to be one of the most passionate and most colourful games in the football world. So good a story is the history of the Catalan giants Barcelona that Jimmy Burns decided to write a book about it.

Simply called ‘A Peoples Passion’ that is what Barcelona is. It is more than a football club, they represent a whole nation, the nation of Catalonia. So much so they have refused to give into commercialism and disfigure their shirts with a sponsors message. The club is for the people with a huge and influential fan base that elects the president and public opinion holds large sway. The title of the book sums the club up nicely and it covers the whole history of Barcelona FC through its formation, civil war, the Franco years, right up to the present day.

The story began in 1899 with the official formation of Barcelona Football Club as a mixed bag typical of how football clubs are formed. Started by a mixture of Englishmen and an important Swiss Joan Gamper and introduced to the locals. Barcelona have one of the best records of clubs in Europe and between them and Real Madrid are one of the top two in Spain. Real Madrid have long been associated with the ruling power, the Real means Royal and they were the team of Franco. After the civil war the Catalan language was banned by Franco’s government as well as other prejudice. That causes one of the most intense rivalries, and the book contains details of Barca’s struggle through the tough years.

The book is written with a lot of research. Jimmy Burns has done a huge amount of work into the book and has taken the time to interview several of the key people in Barcelona’s history. The current president Josep Nunez is a big figure in the history, being in charge at the top for several decades and being a larger than life figure, not afraid to be controversial. Johan Cruff has played a
huge part as a player and a manager for Barca and also has his say. His move away from the club has its sour moments and a poor way for such a talented man to leave. The British contingent of Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Garry Lineker all have words as well. It is actually written as a chronological history of the club running from to present day. Factual and informative with all you would want to know, not just about the club but the clashes between Catalan and the other regions. Burns puts across a fair and honest history of the club, but gives a hugely passionate account for both Barca and Catalans.

Jimmy Burns is the author of the book. He has written a biography of Diego Maradona as a football book as this one as well as other titles. He was born in Madrid, strange to come across and write such a good book about rivals Barcelona. He says in the books that although he grew up in the capital he has no feelings for Madrid and was won over by Barca. Burns is trained as a journalist working for big newspapers and the BBC. A Peoples Passion is out in paperback priced £7.99. ISBN 0-7475-4554-5.

Overall an excellently written and superbly interesting book that is not only on football but the whole conflict and politics between the Catalan nation and Spain. Great book and worth getting.

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