Among the Thugs Audiobook By Bill Buford cover art

Among the Thugs

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Among the Thugs

By: Bill Buford
Narrated by: Bill Buford
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About this listen

They have names like Barmy Bernie, Daft Donald, and Steamin' Sammy. They like lager (in huge quantities), the queen, football clubs (especially Manchester United), and themselves. Their dislike encompasses the rest of the known universe, and England's soccer thugs express it in ways that range from mere vandalism to riots that terrorize entire cities.

Now, Bill Buford, editor of the prestigious journal Granta, enters this alternate society and records both its savageries and its sinister allure with the social imagination of a George Orwell and the raw personal engagement of a Hunter Thompson.

©1990, 1991 William Buford (P)2018 Random House Audio
Europe Freedom & Security Great Britain Organized Crime Politics & Government True Crime England Soccer
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Critic reviews

“A grotesque, horrifying, repellent and gorgeous book; A Clockwork Orange come to life.” (John Gregory Dunne)

"An important, perhaps prophetic, book...both exciting and sad at the core.... [Buford is] a superbly talented reporter." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Animated, witty, and so pungent you can taste the stale lager." (Washington Post Book World)

Featured Article: The Best Soccer Audiobooks for Avid and Prospective Fans


Soccer definitely has game. It’s played by more than 200 million people around the world, and it's the world's most-viewed sporting event. If you're in America, Canada, Ireland, or Australia, you probably call it soccer, and if you live in most other parts of the world, you call it football. Whether you're a casual player, a serious fan, or just interested in learning more about the game and its staying power, these audiobooks capture what makes soccer such a sensation.

Insightful Cultural Exploration • Vivid Violence Descriptions • Delightful Performance • Dry Subtle Humor
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
If you are interested in European Futbol, the pathology of mobs, the social science of the disaffected, the draw of identity, gangs, history, policing, gratuitous violence, or whimsical story telling, this is a recommended read! Highly resonant over 30 years later, this book has something to reveal about topics as diverse as East London gentrification, south Central LA gang life, and the MAGA movement. A person could read it and make a strong argument against the 2nd amendment and another read and make a strong defense of it. It should be more talked about, because it is prepared to talk to us.

Wow…!

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Thoroughly enjoyed this. It’s not often you hear an educated description of violence, mix in an honest account of its motivation and attraction, top it off with a dry subtle humor and you get this great book. The author narrates it perfectly.

Thoughtful, eloquent, humorous, honest.

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I couldn’t stop listening, from the beginning to the end! Fantastic book. If you are someone who knows a bit about the world of hooligans, football fan violence and are interested in the psychology of the crowds, this is a perfect choice. Loved it!

Absolutely fantastic!

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Was very happy to hear the author himself narrate and give perspective to this wild time in football history.

Best book about Football Hooliganism

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Great store, worth listen too, and well read by author!! Time well spent . Must Listen

Great store, worth listen too, and well read by author!!

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I read this book in print back in the 90s and loved it. I disagree with Budford's experience that the Dutch fans are not violent. While the Dutch national team's fan club seems to have done a good job at controlling their hoolies on a national team level, fans from leading Dutch clubs are plenty bad.
Still, I found his book insightful and an enjoyable read.

Loved the Print, Loved Audible

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I simply loved this audiobook, enjoyed the print years ago but this is much better. The author beautifully captures the emotions, insights and heart wrenching moments of the story. Bellisimo!!!

Delightful

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I downloaded this as a palate cleanser, looking for a topic completely foreign and sensational. This delivered, but was surprisingly deep and introspective about human society and our own potential. I loved it.

The are negative reviews of the performance, which i agree with. I found it distracting and overdone. But i found that listening on 1.25 speed fixed everything by shortening the overdone dramatic pauses and gratuitous inflections. If you dont like the performance, make that change and its delightful.

Very entertaining and reflective

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I can’t imagine this book being a bad read, but listening to the narrator is simply candy. Non-stop humor on a little understood and seldom witnessed topic as English Football violence to an American’s ears, the book serves as a vivid insight into this quintessentially British cultural carnage as witnessed by a Yank. Highly recommended in Audio.

Riveting

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Bill Buford is one of the better non-fiction writers going today. Even if you don’t like football, this book is well worth your time.

This book is expertly done.

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