Clorms

Roland respect to your deeeper subject knowledge re football. My reaction to this book was that it was very REALISTIC, not that I thought it was REAL. I wasn't aware of Clough's family's reaction to it, though I can imagine how it must feel having your deceased use as subject matter for fiction, but the man was a national institution so maybe it comes with the territory - just listen to all the various fictions we are dosed with, daily, about Diana - 10 years down the line. Anyway, I'm off - to explore the rest of this forum, and maybe do a spot of work, who knows....

I'm suppressing my urge to look at the spoiler; this is on my shelf waiting to be read. Got it 2 for

Hi guys Thanks for your welcome; Roland, I disagree about Damned Utd, it was my "first" Peace (disregarding that I had already unwittingly read 1974) and I found it utterly absorbing. I'm old enough to know who Brian Clough and Don Revie are (were), but young enough that I wasn't around when it happened. So I was reading this novel as a memoir, as an autobiography. To anyone who was around and witnessed the football matches, press conferences and TV interviews that actually happened it's got to be like a behind the scenes revalation. An absolute must for anyone who remembers '70s football, Leeds fan or not. And hats of to Peace for the research that must have gone into that fiction (and indeed ALL his work). Sorry Roland, maybe its just a beautiful south / grim up north thing

Hi, new user here. I've registered cos I have a nagging query and can't think how to solve it. I have recently got into David Peace (incredible 1st person stream of consciousness prose, James Ellroy-like but wrapped up in dark plot lines set in late C20th Northern England), but I'm working backwards through his work. The thing is, having just started '1980', I am reminded of a book I read 5 - 7 years ago. I have scoured my bookshelves but I must have lent the book out, I've no idea what it was, so here goes - try & help me: Its a crime novel, set in 1970's West Yorkshire. The opening chapter involves a child abduction from Morley. The main protagonist is a junior reporter on the Yorkshire Post - he is a 'loose cannon' type (similar to the guy off the Life on Mars tv series) but as the plot deepens he becomes embroiled and IIRK, becomes chief suspect. It is dark, powerful and, well, very David Peace - like. OK - while typing this I am thinking 'this story is SO like David Peace, its is spooky, I wonder if...?' So I have trawled the 'net for a few minutes and found what I am looking for. The book I read was '1974' by David Peace! So I have no reason to post now. Except to say, if you haven't read any David Peace, have a go. If you are of a certain age (say 35 or older) the plots will have a chilling resonance, as they are usually wrapped up around real life , high profile events (Yorkshire Ripper, Brian Clough, Miners Strike) and real places that, if you grew up around West Yorkshire particularly, you will recognise (in 1980 our hero stakes out Headingley after a Ripper killing, scoffing chicken from the Arndale Centre KFC). The plots are dark, graphic and steeped in perversity, violence and corruption. They aren't supernatural horror stories or Agatha Christie who dunnits, but real, hardcore street level crime thrillers. Have you read (or seen the film of) Complicity by iain banks? swap the soaring scenery of Scotland for the cobbles and concrete of cleckheaton, whisky for wino's, intrigue for incest (enough alliteration already!) and you are there. I'm a fan then. Anyone else out there can back me up?