by Chris Smith
First published 1990
Chris Smith transforms a decade of British athletics into compelling narrative fiction. The story follows multiple characters whose lives intersect through major sporting events of the 1980s. Smith weaves together personal dramas against the backdrop of football matches, tennis championships, and Olympic competitions. His protagonists include athletes, journalists, and fans whose fortunes rise and fall with their teams and heroes. The novel captures how sports shape identity and community across class lines. Smith explores the tension between individual ambition and collective loyalty as his characters navigate triumph and disappointment. The book reveals how sporting culture reflects broader social changes in Britain during this transformative period.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, sports
Vibes: compelling, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: ensemble-cast, personal-drama, triumph-and-disappointment
Setting: Britain
Period: 1980s
Paperback · Macdonald & Co