Garrincha by Ruy Castro
The World Cup Finals, Sweden 1958. Brazil vs the fearsome USSR. In the opening three minutes - 'the greatest three minutes in the history of football' - one man wrote himself into the record books. Brazil went on to win the cup, and, in Garrincha, a star was born. Garrincha was the unlikeliest of footballers - with a right leg that turned inwards and a left that turned out, but with a ball at his feet he had the poise of an angel. He played for the love of the game, uninterested in money, and ignoring tactical advice. And he was as wild off the pitch as he was mesmerising on it - mischievous, audacious and dripping with sex appeal. It was his affair and subsequent marriage to the singer Elza Soares that caught the imagination of a nation - their mouth-watering combination of soccer and samba made them the toast of 1960s Rio. But by the age of forty-nine, Garrincha was dead, destroyed by the excesses that made him so compelling. ‘Funny and moving, zealously researched and lovingly told’ Daily Telegraph
Castro's biography is funny and moving, zealously researched and lovingly toldThis excellent new translation by Andrew Downie means English readers can properly appreciate one of the most incredible lives in the history of sport -- Alex Bellos * Daily Telegraph *
Passionate, fascinating and surprisingly moving ... a worthy tribute... According to Gazza, Gascoigne has limited interest in books. He should be persuaded to make an exception for Garrincha. He would learn more about himself than by reading his own autobiography -- Josh Lacey * Guardian *
[A] powerfully atmospheric and beautifully rendered life of one of Brazil's greatest ever players... A sad and fantastic book -- Harry Pearson * When Saturday Comes *
[Castro's] research is exhaustive and exemplary -- Brian Glanville * Sunday Times *
A compelling page-turner, warts and all * Scotland on Sunday *
Passionate, fascinating and surprisingly moving ... a worthy tribute... According to Gazza, Gascoigne has limited interest in books. He should be persuaded to make an exception for Garrincha. He would learn more about himself than by reading his own autobiography -- Josh Lacey * Guardian *
[A] powerfully atmospheric and beautifully rendered life of one of Brazil's greatest ever players... A sad and fantastic book -- Harry Pearson * When Saturday Comes *
[Castro's] research is exhaustive and exemplary -- Brian Glanville * Sunday Times *
A compelling page-turner, warts and all * Scotland on Sunday *
Ruy Castro has worked for many of Brazil's top newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of several biographies and collections of quotations. His most recent works include Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music that Seduced the World and Rio de Janeiro: Carnival under Fire. He is currently working on a biography of Carmen Miranda. He lives in Rio de Janeiro.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780224064330 |
| ISBN 10 | 0224064339 |
| Title | Garrincha |
| Author | Ruy Castro |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Vintage Publishing |
| Year published | 2005-07-07 |
| Number of pages | 432 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |