Among the Thugs,   ISBN:9780679745358

Customer Rating: 

As a tour of several football grounds in England in the company of Hooligans , Buford's book is at times engaging and interesting. As a sociological study of the causes of mob violence as represented by these incidents it falls flat. I had very mixed feelings about this book. He seems to be driving to the conclusion that people in mobs conform to a "crowd" mentality and do very bad things they wouldn't do on their own. A fairly obvious conclusion wrapped in pseudo-intellectual language. He's at his best when describing his own participation in some of these confrontations. Read it for the description of the incidents themselves and you'll learn something without needing to be dragged to some profound understanding of what it all means.

Customer Rating: 

Excellent take from an outsider (a yank at that) on football hooligan culture. More of a sociology book, but has some very good stories.
Entertaining and a very easy read.
One of the essential reads if you want to know more about the mindset of the yobos.

Customer Rating: 

I was disappointed with this book.

The topic was interesting and the author made a very hard attempt to get in with the sub cultural of football thugs, YOBS - do the things they did, go where they went, try to be accepted by the group without acting, being who he was - a writer.

The premise is very similar to Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels - a great book.

The problem with Among the Thugs is that the author Bill Buford, try as he does, really doesn't like the English football thugs, not any of them - can't say anything redeeming about the whole culture - they are repulsive.

Even the attempts by the English Right Wing Nationalists - the National Front comes off that the leaders of the National Front can stand these repulsive Soccer thugs, can't really use them in anyway - no one can.

So the book comes off as the writer having to waste large parts of his life trying to get to know the secrets of the power of this sociological phenomenon and he learns all there is to know and, and

There really isn't that much to know - they're repulsive, losers, not even good at anything, good at crime etc.

A better writer could have made the subjects more interesting without taking their side. Good books about criminal networks make the criminals interesting, though bad.

Customer Rating: 

This book is perfect for fans of Hunter Thompson's Hell's Angels. It's like a gonzo journalist was sucked into A Clockwork Orange and told to "start writing." Whether or not it's 100% accurate is beside the point. It's not a news article -- it's a book. It takes romantic liberties to better symbolize the truth.

Also, for those who have a sense of humor that's hard-edged and drenched in booze, this book is hilarious.

Customer Rating: 

As documentary history, there are times when it's nearly impossible to put 'Among The Thugs' down. His ability to articulate his vantage while things go off is unmatched. However, as the book goes on (and it's short; some 315 pages) it's too easy to tire of him. His theory become pedantic, and he's so intent on it he's willing to risk the final chapters, which sink under their sociology lesson and hammed-up moral controversies. At times, it's easy to wonder whether an editor read the last two chapters at all. That said, Buford reveals much that British accounts of their hooligan shame either downplay or exaggerate . . . even if he works in the shadow of Heysel and Hillsborough. In fact, his lack of contact with Liverpool supporters nearly negates his whole work. But that's another story -- since the Reds haven't been honest with their roles in those events, either.