If you like a laugh and a have a vivid magination this book is a must! The journey begins with a compilation of epic ballad poems as we follow the escapades of a group of men in their love of good company as they travel around Europe, in support of their beloved team , the Hearts. Laugh out loud at their antics as they weave , (in more ways than one!) from country to country. From Bordeaux to Prague, from Porto to Stuttgart, you'll find youself with tears in your eyes as you imagine the characters involved...
Ishy 'The Organiser' Ross,Bill 'Ronnie Biggs' Smillie, Stuart 'Smiley Miley' Smillie,Davie 'His Holiness' Pope, Tosh 'The Assassin' MacIntosh and many others. You don`t need to be a Hearts fan to enjoy these stories, because as is soon made clear, many of the group are followers of other teams. It's all about fun and friendship!
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By yu20uk
Jan 13, 2010
Alex Hasting's book is a collection of observations written in a sharp witty manner with perceptiveness at its forefront that says more about human relationships than a library of psychology books. It is riddled with humour and irony but also sensitivity. His characters are all nitty-gritty, real life people who would not look out of place on screen with Larry David or Frasier Crane. Once I received my copy I could not put it down as it is a total page turner and read it in two sittings, only stopping to feed my hungry daughter. I read it with a tear in my eye and and a grin on my face. Like all good writers Alex has the ability to tranform the reader into the mystic world they have created, in his case village life and european adventure, a sort of Scottish Lord of the Rings. The style of writing adds to the ambiance created by the author and he reminds of the punk poet John Cooper Clarke. For me reading this book was like riding in an old car that was being driven at 100mph, you... More > enjoy the experience and never really know whats going to happen or drop off next. This Englishman is inspired enough to search ebay and buy a kilt and join the boys on their next adventure. It is a fascinating piece of cultural history and if there is a better book out there then I would like to read it. I do have one criticism though and that is the front cover, the picture is a pastiche that reminds more of a sketch from Reeves and Mortimer or David Walliams but this should not detract from a elegant, intimate read. I look forward to reading volume two - 'the difficult second album' as surely Alex Hastings is a rising star in writing in the mould of Joe Strummer at his observational best.< Less
