Word: nicks
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Fandom?the obsessional identification with a sports team?is universal. The greatest book ever on the psychology of being a fan, Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, was written about a London soccer team but easily translated into a film about the Boston Red Sox. Particularly in the U.S., it seems possible to be a fan of a team that's based far from where you have ever lived, but I suspect the origins of my obsession are more common. I didn't have much choice in the matter. Both my parents were born in tiny row houses a stone...
...were Nick Hornby's friend and he told you about a book he was working on called A Long Way Down (Riverhead; 333 pages), you would have gently taken him aside and encouraged him to consign it to that great literary recycling bin into which unwritable novels go. As a writer Hornby is one of the great welterweights-lots of comic flair, good with the voices and the pop culture, always ready with a dash of bittersweet pathos-but he's not generally thought of as swinging a heavy bat, intellectually speaking. There's a reason his books get turned...
...Nick Jeffrey asseses his skills in "Centerfield...
...best parts of "Centerfield" get at the emotional complications resulting from this tragic news. Jeffrey's strong cartooning talent creates complex scenes of bitterness wrapped up in humorous caricature. For example, alone in his dark room after hearing the news, Nick fantasizes about getting sympathy hugs from the cute girl with braces against a setting sun, complete with puppy dog at their side. The book culminates in a true-life sports cliche as Nick goes up to bat for the team down by one in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and two outs in the championship game...
...Fandom - the obsessional identification with a sports team - is universal. The greatest book ever on the psychology of being a fan - Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch - written about a London soccer team and happily translated into a film about the Boston Red Sox. Particularly in the U.S. it seems possible to be a fan of a team that's based miles from where you have ever lived, but I suspect my fandom's origins are more common. I didn't have much choice in the matter. Both my parents were born in tiny row-houses a stone's throw from...