Review by Booklist Review
Villoro, an award-winning Mexican novelist, playwright, journalist, and screenwriter, is also one of Latin America's most respected soccer writers. These essays, collected for the first time in English, confirm that reputation and make this a good pairing with the Uruguayan Eduardo Galeano's canonical Soccer in Sun and Shadow (1995). This is not necessarily a book for fans hooked on the star power of the Champions League, although it could be. Sometimes playful, sometimes serious, Villoro is interested in the deeper meanings of the game and fans' relationship to it, and many of these stories are pulled from World Cups and Latin American league games long past. He writes about goals scored, goals not scored, success, failure, heroes, villains, Messi, Ronaldo, Pelé, and especially Maradona. And while he asserts the power and necessity of fandom, he never loses perspective. In a fan's best moments, he or she recovers a portion of infancy, he writes in one essay, somehow managing to make that sound respectable. A delightful discovery for those who care about more than just the final score.--Graff, Keir Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Prominent Mexican writer and journalist Villoro has written extensively in fiction and nonfiction yet is only recently seeing his works translated into English. Originally published in 2006 as Dios es Redondo, this collection of essays describes soccer as a sport, lifestyle, and philosophy. The result is a witty, informative, and enjoyable journey through a global phenomenon. Villoro's voice (aided by translator Bunstead) takes a meandering stroll through a broad topic, with stories that have a satisfying path and always pay off, which makes reading this book feel like spending the afternoon with a well-informed and entertaining friend. Many writers treat sports seriously, assigning grandeur to an activity that doesn't always deserve the attention, but Villoro successfully avoids this trap. VERDICT This volume will interest casual soccer fans along with students of global cultures and general readers of solid nonfiction.-John Helling, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A lyrical exploration of the global game of soccer. In the most prosaic sense, Villoro is a Mexican journalist and professor of literature. But when he writes about soccer, these job titles are insufficient. When tackling the beautiful game, the author is a poet and a critic, a philosopher and a historian, a keen observer and a devoted fan. This book collects a wide range of his writings on soccer, previously available only in Spanish. "It would not exist if it weren't for the on-pitch wizards," writes the author, "but just as crucial were the masters who convinced me of a certain axiom: reality gets better in the writing of it." Most of the chapters consist of little more than loosely connected vignettes, sketches, and thoughts, sometimes of only a couple of pages. Whether he is producing a "diatribe" aimed at Portugal and Real Madrid narcissist Cristiano Ronaldo or a celebration of Argentina and Barcelona's Lionel Messi; trying to understand the egomaniacal enigma who is Diego Maradona; or listing his favorite players who wore No. 10 jerseys, Villoro brings some memorable line, some delightful turn of phrase, some inescapable image to every page. Readers will be reminded of a similar stylist, Eduardo Galeano, whose Soccer in Sun and Shadow has always represented the literary apogee of writing about soccer. A word of credit belongs to Villoro's translator (and respected writer himself) Bunstead, who ensures that Villoro's finely wrought work makes the poetic transition from Spanish to English. There are occasional moments of repetition, especially when the author revisits a subject he has addressed earlier, but with writing like this, few readers will resent this most minor sin. For millions around the world, soccer is not just a game, but rather life itself and, as Villoro ably reveals, very much worth pursuing to the final whistle. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
