That time of year again lads. Are there any new books that are worth a read or old favourites worth mentioning. Always good to know when buying gifts for Christmas.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 22/11/2016 09:22:01    1935887

Most sports "auto"biographies are rubbish so I tend to avoid them like the plague. In saying that John Leonard's "Dub-Sub Confidential" is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Then again, unlike the vast majority of those 'writing' sports autobiographies, he has a story to tell and he actually wrote it as well!

Christy O'Connor has a couple of decent books out there. "The Club" was decent if a little over praised for me. Some good passages though. "Last Man Standing" was a very enjoyable read though.

Michael Foley's "Kings of September" is worth a read imo, as is Damian Lawlor's "Working on a Dream". The former is about Offaly stopping Kerry's 5 in a row and the latter is a year spent following the Waterford footballers.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 22/11/2016 10:21:53    1935897

The GAA v Douglas Hyde by Cormac Moore. This is def worth a read.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 22/11/2016 10:29:54    1935900

Have you tried The Bible? It's about a man called Jesus. He died on the cross for our sins you know?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12118 - 22/11/2016 10:40:17    1935907

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5456867-dublin-v-kerry#

Dublin v Kerry. Tom Humphries.

The greats in a different age. Magic book.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 22/11/2016 10:51:43    1935910

Agree with Mes. John Leonard's is a cracking read.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 22/11/2016 11:02:42    1935913

Modern gaa book :
1. i grew up playing for (club name here),playing all the way from under 8,loved playing for my club
2. Under 12,got called into county panel.Struggled to make the team in my first year. (Insert influential coach name here)
3. Made the minor panel.
4. Made the U21 panel.
5. Made the senior panel, fell out with the manager who didn't like me.
6. Made the senior team, a new manager gave me a chance.
7. Won something.
8. Played in all sorts of conditions,reminisce about 10-15 matches, got sent off against somebody.
9. Retired.
10. Decided to write a book.
11. The end.

Most modern GAA players are nothing more than bores and their books are no better.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 22/11/2016 11:04:35    1935914

ger loughnanes book is good , anthony daly book brilliant

henry martin did a book unlimited heartbrak about limerick hurling since 1973 , a non limerick fan may have no interest in it , but of youa limerick fan ooh boy, great book but a very very emotional read for limerick fans

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 22/11/2016 11:12:20    1935919

Whatever you do, don't waste your money on Cathal McCarron's book. How that was nominated for sports book of the year I'll never know. Thankfully i got sent a free PDF of it so didn't waste any money.

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 22/11/2016 11:30:27    1935927

Eoin Mulligans book from a few years ago is one of the best I have read. Whatever ye think of him complete rocket of the pitch in his younger days. stories about tearing it up on the international rules in OZ are pretty funny

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 22/11/2016 11:44:34    1935933

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 22/11/2016 12:12:53    1935943

I thought Roy Keane's book was good. Some interesting insights. GAA books? Well Paul Galvin's was not great to be honest. I have ordered Kieran Donaghy's. I also liked Brian O Driscoll's book.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 22/11/2016 12:22:25    1935949

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 22/11/2016 12:23:23    1935950

Frederick (Louth) - Posts: 479 - 22/11/2016 15:06:16    1935987

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 22/11/2016 15:08:17    1935989

Sambo McNaughton wrote a good book years back. Very interesting in fact.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 22/11/2016 15:10:30    1935991

John Leonard book is the best sports autobiography for sure. He has a story it's not just sport and he had some life haha but the writing is by him and it comes across so you can relate far better than sports autobiography usually does.
My other favourite is Paul carberry's the jockey. If you like John Leonard's it's a milder version but he had a good story outside sport aswell.
I'm disappointed to hear cathal mccarron's is not being given good reviews here as was hoping with the stuff he had gone through it would be a good story also and was planning on getting it as a Christmas present

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/11/2016 15:50:15    1936006

One that I would like to read is the one about the Waterford Footballers where a journo followed them for a season.

Like a vampire to a crucifix, people please stay away from Daragh O Shea's autobiography. As bad a book I ever put my eyes on.
I have enjoyed Jack O Connor's , Dan Shanahan's , Paidi O Se and even Pat Spillane's.
Paul Galvin's was ok and Tomas O Se's was a tad bit better than Daragh's but not great. For that reason I am staying away from any future Kerry book :-)

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 22/11/2016 16:40:55    1936021

Read shefflins and Brian O Driscolls and both were ok without being great. By all accounts John Leonard's sounds like one of the better ones.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 22/11/2016 17:14:55    1936033

The Bloodied Field written by Michael Foley I found a very good read

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 738 - 22/11/2016 17:16:50    1936035