From Publishers Weekly
The FIFA World Cup is the planet’s biggest event. Not sporting event-event, period, writes Trecker in this in-your-face firsthand account of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Trecker, Fox Sports soccer columnist, is passionate about the game (Munich exploded in the sixth minute when Phillip Lahm, employing his signature move, cut from the left side into the area to sink a powerful right-footed shot into the top of Jose Porras’s net) and the players (What makes Zidane truly special is not that he can control the pace of a match-there are other holding midfielders in the game-but that his motions and instincts are artful, serene, and beautiful). Unfortunately, Trecker, while covering the sport, the games and the ‘06 World Cup comprehensively, falls prey to clichéd sports writing. He spends much time describing brothels (in South Korea and Germany), topless women and drunken debauchery-of both fans and the media alike. While not without its pleasures, thi (click here for further information)
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fun Read
I enjoyed this book as much as Bill Buford’s “Among the Thugs.” It’s the same mix of humor, first-person observation, and mini-history lessons, all woven together in a breezy,…
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Little Whine With Your Soccer?
In “Love & Blood” Jamie Trecker describes events involving the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Along the way the reader is introduced to players, coaches, officials, journalists and…
3.0 out of 5 stars
Love and Blood
Not bad. Gives you good insight to being there and was enjoyable. However some of the best books I’ve read in this arena are The Miracle at Castel Di Sangro and Among the Thugs.
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book is boring
This is one of the most boring Football books that I have read in a long time. Go and see if you can get it at the library so you don’t have to pay for it.
1.0 out of 5 stars
if you follow world soccer you can skip this one
When I got this book, I had very high expectations because I was at the 2006 world cup and was hoping to relive some memories.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
Before I begin, it would probably be wise to let everything out. After all, if a reader understands where I am coming from, they can take my observations with the appropriate…
1.0 out of 5 stars
Total Disappointment.
I really wanted to give this book two stars but simply cannot do so. I found Love & Blood extremely disappointing. This is no Grass of Another Country or Fever Pitch.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Pretentious, uninformative, and awful
Trecker certainly spends a lot of time in this book talking about the problems that the typical American sports fan has with soccer.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Relive those glorious days of summer 2006
Though not a particularly good writer, the author is passionate, energetic and opinionated. I enjoyed his views on FIFA, Dominic Arena and the sad saga of America’s losing team…