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Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Biography: general, Biography: sport, Autobiography: sport, Prose: non-fiction
Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
Colin Shindler was dealt a cruel hand by Fate when he became a passionate Manchester City supporter. In this brilliant sporting autobiography he recalls the great characters of his youth, like his eccentric Uncle Laurence, as well as his professional heroes. Threaded through these sporting events is the author's own story, which touches on a universal nerve, growing up in a Jewish family, his childhodd destroyed by the sudden death of his mother and his slow emotional recovery through his love for Manchester City. It is a tale that reveals what it is like to be on the outside looking in, with his nose pressed up against the sweet shop window watching the United supporters take all the wine gums.
Praise for Manchester United Ruined My Life
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This is a wonderful book ... It is also extremely funny - Alan English, Sunday Times
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His prose ... is never less than sharp, smart and easy on the eye ... His writing is so attractive ... [I] would be thrilled to read more - Jim White, Guardian
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It is his childhood and absent friends that touch the rawest, universal nerve - Simon Garfield, Mail on Sunday
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Shindler's art lies in conversational writing, and an ability to change gear deftly from humour to devotion and back through fanaticism to the black comedy of Manchester City - Howard Davies, The Times
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Shindler is both touching and convincing in his evocation of his formative years ... it's skilful, entertaining and heading for the top of the league - Richard Pendlebury, Daily Mail
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Evocative, funny-sad and warm-hearted - Michael Henderson, The Times
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Sits in the same class as Fever Pitch ... Shindler's down-to-the-bone honesty also reminds us self-indulgence can be great entertainment - The Times
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This could still be the most important football book since Fever Pitch capturing, as it does, the delicious irony that caused City fans to fall into a soon to be legendary chorus of "Are you watching Macclesfield?" - Mick Middles, Manchester Evening News
Colin Shindler
Colin Shindler is an author, broadcaster and Affiliated Lecturer in History at Cambridge University. For twenty years he was a Bafta award winning television writer and producer being responsible for the series Lovejoy and the motion picture Buster starring Phil Collins and Julie Walters for which he wrote the screenplay. He has written a series of books on British and American social history and written and presented documentaries for BBC Television and written plays for BBC Radio Four. He lectures in British and American cultural history with an emphasis on the impact of both sport and film on twentieth century society.
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