Barca: A People's Passion: Burns, Jimmy: 9780747545545: Amazon.com: Books

Founded in 1898, FC Barcelona, also know as Barca, is today the world's biggest football club. Its 120,000-seat stadium, Camp Nuo, is one of the great cathedrals of the game, and its museum is the most visited in Spain. This is the story of FC Barcelona and its evolution as a social and political phenomenon.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury; 1st Edition Thus. (January 1, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 383 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0747545545
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0747545545
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #7,791,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,815 in Soccer (Books)

Customer Reviews:
13 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

Customer reviews

13 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Paul Marc Oliu
A Fantastic Read
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2006

Let me first say that I am very bias. I've been an FCB "soci" since 1981, played in their youth system for a couple of years, and by and large am one of the many fans that buys into the whole "Mes que un Club" mantra.

So understanding that, let me just say that Jimmy Burns has done a fantastic job helping the reader understand how history has shaped the meaning of "Mes que un Club". Part history, part sociology, Burns discusses the club's history, both real and invented, that pushed FCB into being the opposition to Real Madrid.

Keep in mind this is more than a book on the Club. Burns adeptly weaves the Club and the sport with Catalan politics and identity. Always balancing the passions of "Cules" with the machination of the member's of the board, one truly gets a sense of the depth of history and passion behind the Club.

The reader learns some of the details behind some of FCB lore, from the Di Stefano controversy, the Kings Cup match against Real Madrid after the Civil War, to the famous field invasion that erupted into a pro-Catalunya demonstration toward the end of the Franco regime. Some of the myths are debunked, but in all, the Clubs history is given a fair shake.

Keep in mind - On the downside, Jimmy Burns does favor the Catalan club, more times than not. He doesn't approach the topic dispassionately.

As a follow up to A Peaople's Passion, another great read on Spanish football can be found in Phil Ball's excellent book, Morbo. It touches upon the unique history of Spanish football from it's roots in the mines of Huelva, through the use of the sport in identity politics, particularly in the Basque Country and Catalunya.

Read more

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Robinson J. Howard
Barca, Barca, Barca
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2007
I thought this was a well written, well researched book about a topic that means quite a bit to me; mainly football and Barcelona. I love the sport and I love the city. If anyone has an interest in football and history, I would recommend "Barca" to them. (Also, a funny picture of Jose Mourinho when he was assistant manager there in the 90's, during the short time Ronaldo was there). Catalunya is like no place on earth in the way its football is played and coached, followed and loved by the people of the region who live their lives in support of their football club.

Read more

Helpful

Report
J. S. Lloyd
If you love Barca...
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2005
This book provides a great overview of the history of the club, its stars, the machinations of its ruling junta, and the passion of the cules, all against the backdrop of Catalonia's political struggle for identity and independence within Spain. Burns provides some nice historical details and great anecdotes, but, as is to be expected considering the hundred year focus of the book and the complexity of 20th century Spain, necessarily deals with some of the political history in a less comprehensive manner.

Although it at times extremely well-written, the book could have done with tighter editing (hence, 4 stars). Burns repeats his descriptions of individuals and events in subsequent pages and at time his prose is florid and unfocused. Pretty minor complaints, however. Although not uncritical, Burns clearly appreciates what Barca have achieved. He also questions how the club will adjust, or might be changed, in the new century. Overall, the book is an excellent read, and continually succeeds in portraying the people involved as just that, people with passions and short-comings. At the end, you understand why the club embodies true football, why it inspires such passion, and why it's such an important part of Catalonia. Forca Barca!

Read more

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
S. Martinez
Astonished
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2005
Reading this book is simple amazing. I bough it because I am a truly FC BARCELONA fan, however this books goes beyond that, it explains very well the relationships between Spanish recent history and soccer, finally I am able to understand the frivolity between this winner team and others, more related to social and political issues than only sports.

Very well documented, fair, balanced and a treasure for anyone who really wants to learn how important soccer is in many countries. Highly recommended. Congra and my appreciation for your work Mr. Burns

Read more

Helpful

Report
Michael S. Mahoney
More than a Club
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2003
Verified Purchase
Jimmy Burns writes dispassionately about a football club that evokes the strongest of emotions, including the kind of tribal love that borders on the chauvenistic. Fans of the club interested in modern Spanish history will appreciate the author's intertwining of football and politics. At times, however, this well-researched book feels drained of the game's abundant color and spirit as club presidents receive far more attention than the boot room. Burns presents Barca's story chronologically, offering an absorbing account of the club's creation, but when Franco arrives on the scene, the pages become populated with conniving industrialists. While certainly part of Barca's story, the board room machinations of ambitious suits drown out the passion of the cules.

The last few chapters of this history manage a comeback. Johann Cruyff swoops down on the Catalan capital and with a combination of deft moves and Dutch footballing genius restokes Barca's smoldering fires. Cruyff is the catalyst. The passages describing his obsessiveness and his successors success or failure to embrace the pulsing life of Barcelona are intriguing pictures of the cultural assimilation phenomenon. Dutchmen, who possess a paradoxical nature, both catholic and single-minded, universal and gaulingly self-possessed, obviously feel a kinship with FC Barcelona, with the Catalan spirit. The present manager of the team, Frank Rijkaard, is a perfect example of the Dutchmen that Burns describes as having an essential talismanic role at the club. Forca Barca.

Read more

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Alex Collins
A very good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2019
Verified Purchase

Had this book before, some time ago. Paid a visit to Barcelona and started thinking about this book, had a look on amazon and got it for a great price. An excellent book,

Read more
Report
mollonero
He gets it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
Really good read well written in an engaging way

Read more
Report
Top Reader
Good book, but like Barca at present, not quite top of the league
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2012
Verified Purchase
I am about to visit the Camp Nou for the first time and wanted to read up on the background to what is obviously a very rich history. This book was recommended by several guide books and it did not fail to tell me all that I needed to know. The full history is clearly laid out and in a digestible format. I am now sure why people are giving this such bad reviews on Amazon - the only explanation is that they are Real Madrid fans - so do read between the lines of these and have a bit of common sense. This is a non-fiction text, so why people are giving it bad reviews saying that it is 'too detailed' says more about the reader than the book, I fancy. If I had one gripe it would be regarding sentence structure - on occasions Burns uses a rather bizarre object/verb/subject sentence structure which can come across as a little tedious - however, I presume that this is down to him speaking Catalan as well as English so if anything it just adds to the feel of the place! This book was perfect for me - a first-time visitor to this beautiful place - and I feel suitably swotted up now for the stadium tour!

Read more
Report
mcsmall
A Homage to Poor Prose
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2005
Verified Purchase
I was expecting to read a book which was comparable to David Winner's excellent study of Dutch football, Brilliant Orange.
Instead of taking the opportunity to analyse the relationship between football and society in Catalonia, Burns resorts to anecdotes and over-long interviews.
A huge disapointment

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Barca: A People's Passion Paperback – January 1, 2000

Product details

Videos

Customer reviews

Review this product

Images in this review

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Read

5.0 out of 5 stars Barca, Barca, Barca

4.0 out of 5 stars If you love Barca...

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonished

3.0 out of 5 stars More than a Club

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read

5.0 out of 5 stars He gets it

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but like Barca at present, not quite top of the league

2.0 out of 5 stars A Homage to Poor Prose

A Fantastic Read

Barca, Barca, Barca

If you love Barca...

Astonished

More than a Club

A very good read

He gets it

Good book, but like Barca at present, not quite top of the league

A Homage to Poor Prose