I’m looking for a philosophical novel that uses sports as a theme. I really enjoyed Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace and the Brothers K by David James Duncan. I’d like to check out something that is similarly about realism and the wider human experience, but that uses imagery and characters’ love for a sport to explain.
I’m about 160 pages into Underworld by DeLillo but it hasn’t really grabbed me. I also loved The Game by Ken Dryden because it discusses worldly themes as well, but I’m more looking for fiction. I’m willing to fall in love with any sport, but my favorites are baseball, hockey and soccer. I figure there must be a great soccer novel out there somewhere.
by AM14727
5 Comments
The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. by Robert Coover
The Great American Novel by Philip Roth
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
North Dallas Dirty by Peter Gent
these may or may not be what you’re after. worth checking out to see though
The loneliness of the long distance runner by Alan silitoe
The goalie’s anxiety at the penalty kick by Peter Handke
Not a novel but if you can dig up Hunter S. Thompson’s sports writing it’s got some interesting insights.
Playing For Pizza is a good one. I think it’s a Grisham novel.
It’s not a novel, but I found How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer fascinating.