TITLE = Cantona on Cantona AUTHOR = Eric Cantona PRICE = 14.99 UK pounds SIZE = 36 pages YEAR = 1996 SOURCE = www.amazon.co.uk RATING = 3 stars
An interesting book, certainly an attempt to further Cantona's reputation
as a "Philosopher footballer". (However, he has a way to go before he
makes this illustrious
squad.) Basically Eric gives his thoughts on a
variety of topics, not exclusively on football, but philosophy, family,
growing old etc. So not the normal stuff from footballers, which usually
falls into the "I banged the ball into the net and then got rip roaring
drunk" category. He does have some interesting things to say
The work is also a photo album, exclusively black and white, designed to
show our philosopher not only on the pitch, but in various poses that show
his pensive side. I think they forgot to add the obligatory Gauloise
hanging from the lips to get the full image of the unshaven French
intellectual ranting against Eurodisney. Nevertheless, the photos are well
taken. Obviously, in that sense it can do double service as a coffee table
publication, which adds to the rather high cost.
This book is "an official Manchester United publication", so it goes to
show that the club figured they could make a buck off it. Since Cantona
says only good things about MU, I'm sure they were doubly happy.
This book is hard to rate. You have to give it high marks in the sense
that it's different. On the other hand, it's hardly worth buying.
Hopefully you can just see it on somebody else's coffee table to quickly
flip through it.