The World Is a Ball: The Joy, Madness, and Meaning of Soccer

For the past 10 years, leading Canadian journalist and cultural critic John Doyle has been traveling the globe to observe World Cup and other soccer matches played at the highest level. The result is a Bill Bryson-esque narrative full of wit and insight, concluding with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In between his encounters with the delirious fans, the crazed taxi drivers, the leprechauns and the lederhosen, Doyle examines the evolution of soccer as a global phenomenon. More importantly, he explores in highly entertaining fashion how national character is revealed in both how the teams play the games and how their fans choose to celebrate.