Near Post Blog

I consider myself a casual reader. One that picks up a book, gets deeply involved in it, then quits after 100 pages. I’ll blame it on time constraints, but I watch a lot of soccer on TV, so I think I could probably finish up about the 300 random sports books I have lying around the place, but there are so many matches. But, I came across a book about a month ago that caught my eye, and once I started reading it, I felt like I had accomplished something after finishing it. I finished the book yesterday, and it took me about a month, but again, I had iron-clad excuses. I had exams, the Champions League was on, college basketball started, the dog ate my homework, etc.

Finn McCool’s Football Club is the book. It centers around a pub in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city. I won’t give anything away, because its 300 pages are well worth your time. The book is an easy read because you get sucked in by the stories told by the author, Stephen Rea, and you feel like you’re part of the Finn McCool’s starting XI because you know everything about each player on the team. Where’s he’s from, what position he plays, and how he came to call New Orleans home….you get the picture.

The book isn’t simply a book about football. Sure, football has everything to do with why the book was written, but once you being reading, you’ll understand what I mean. The book made me remember exactly where I was when I heard the news that New Orleans was being thrashed by a Category Five hurricane, and I’ll bet the farm you’ll remember too when you pick up the book. But, mixed with all the tragedy that surrounded the Big Easy, comes the story of the pub team that survived the destruction of its home. It’s a story of camaraderie, friendship, and perseverance. If you have an affinity for football, hurricanes, or just want to enjoy a great read, I sincerely suggest that you pick up Finn McCool’s Football Club.

You can find Finn’s at amazon.com, or you can check out Stephen Rea’s website here.