Aidan Smith's Heartfelt book - should I read it?

[iainm]

My wife picked this book up from a charity shop. Is it worth reading?

I am sure I heard when it came out that he then went on to change from supporting us to them?

So unless I know for sure that he still supports the Hibs then I'm not reading it

[erskine-hibby]

Worth a read :agree:

[nonshinyfinish]

Is it worth reading?

It's not that long, just read it and find out.

[blackpoolhibs]

Only if you want to be bored rigid, personally i thought it was pish and only got halfway through before i binned it.

[hibsbollah]

Badly written, and Mr Smith isn't nearly as funny as he thinks he is. Wasn't impressed.

[DaveF]

Can't really remember if I got bored with it because of the yam content or because I just get bored reading books in general, but i never finished it.

As someone points out - it's not a large book so just go for it.

[iainm]

I'm trying to find out if he DID actually change to supporting Hearts after 'following' them for that season

I have cheated and read the last couple of pages and it would appear that he is in two minds....... But that was 2005

I don't wan't to read it if he is now a Hearts supporter - wouldn't feel right!!


I'll try googling it to see if I can find out

[Pretty Boy]

One of those books that should be a good read.

However as said above its poorly written and Smiths 'jokes' are nowhere near as funny as he'd like to think.

[London Hibs FC]

Still supports Hibs.

[hibsbollah]

I'm trying to find out if he DID actually change to supporting Hearts after 'following' them for that season

I have cheated and read the last couple of pages and it would appear that he is in two minds....... But that was 2005

I don't wan't to read it if he is now a Hearts supporter - wouldn't feel right!!


I'll try googling it to see if I can find out

He doesnt actually start supporting them, but he develops a disgusting little crush on them where he actually enjoys it when they score.

Which is just mad, as I'm sure you agree.

[RoYO!]

He doesnt actually start supporting them, but he develops a disgusting little crush on them where he actually enjoys it when they score.

Which is just mad, as I'm sure you agree.

Quite simply couldn't have been a true hibs fan in the first place

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Indeed!

[iainm]

Ach I'll give it a try. Googling it has only come back with a hibs.net thread from 2011, in response to an article he wote about Calderwood at the time

Fair play to him I suppose - it's not something I could do, or would want to do. But I suppose he made a few bob out of it from writing the bloody thing

I'll see how far I get.......

Cheers guys!!

[givescotlandfreedom]

I didn't like it much. I couldn't really relate to the guy when he went off on cultural tangets. Or his delevoping man crush for them.

[iainm]

My wife said I had the look of someone who was about to be poisoned when she handed it to me. I explained that I knew there was 'something' about this book and that I would have to take some advice before reading it!! She thought I was joking!!

[Holmesdale Hibs]

I thought it was funny. I was a season ticket holder over the Mowbray era which definitely helped. But yeah, I'd recommend it, it's one of those books you can read very quickly.

[Jonnyboy]

It's a quick if not entirely riveting read. Oh aye and he still supports Hibs

[3pm]

Not even sure how someone could do it.

[chrisski33]

I could never pretend to support them even to write a book. And i for one wouldnt want to read a book about someone trying to support them!

[stanton_4]

It's a decent read. I saw the stage play at ER in The Leith Festival a few years back and it was very entertaining too.
He's still a Hibby as far as I know. I think the whole Jambo thing was just a ploy to try to sell more books. I wouldnae do it likes. I called my band STANTON and have no plans to suggest I might change it to Busby to increase the fan base :greengrin

[CropleyWasGod]

I could never pretend to support them even to write a book. And i for one wouldnt want to read a book about someone trying to support them!

Sounds like you have insecurity problems. You as secure about your sexuality? :greengrin

Personally, I loved it. Thought there were a good few laugh-out-loud moments. And not a little humanity, too.

[Broken Gnome]

Hypocrite. Accuses us of doing a disservice to Hibs-Hearts games in the first derby that year by trying to play football, then when O'Connor and Shiels scored in the midweek win we were criticised for winning ugly.

[ALF TUPPER]

I enjoyed it. :agree:

[NOLA]

A good read, i enjoyed it. picked a good season to follow them and miss out on our exitement :greengrin

[davidw]

My wife picked this book up from a charity shop. Is it worth reading?

I am sure I heard when it came out that he then went on to change from supporting us to them?

So unless I know for sure that he still supports the Hibs then I'm not reading it

thought it was really good myself.. quite illuminating about sections of the Hearts support.. though also probably quite a depressing read now when it refers to Mowbray's team, including Riordan at the peak of his powers... (sigh).

[offshorehibby]

I know the guy is a good Hibby but i couldn't sit amongst that lot for a whole season. He also comes as a bit arty farty, i mean who goes to a decent restaurant before a Hibs game.

[hibs4life]

Worth a read and asks a few questions about what differentiates supporters of different teams. Of course it makes us as Hibbies uncomfortable as he gets close to the Jambos but that's partly the point, I think.

[sadtom]

Worth a read. Not gonnae win any prizes or be life changing but its mildly amusing and an interesting idea/angle to write a football book about.
Wasn't too impressed that his attitudes 'softened' towards them as it went on (would have had exactly the opposite affect on me).
The paragraphs comparing Hibs and Hawrts to sexual positions is the highlight. :-) And i reckon a fair bit of the generalisations (especially early in the book) would really pi$$ the yams off. Which is never a bad thing.
He is most definitely still a Hibby.

[hibsmad]

Pile of *****!

I personally didn't find it believable. Imagine if the book was about a Hibs fan who went to support Hearts for a season and didn't enjoy it. Where's the drama there? Where's the story? Who would read it? (apart from Hibs fans but this book was being marketed to a wider audience than just Hibs fans)

So he says he enjoys it. He makes friends at Tynecastle. He cheers when they score. I'm sure he even said that he didn't feel happy when Hibs went to Tynecastle and won.

I basically felt the story was fabricated to make the book more interesting. I could be wrong ofcourse but that was my feelings when reading it.

[Dashing Bob S]

I know the guy is a good Hibby but i couldn't sit amongst that lot for a whole season. He also comes as a bit arty farty, i mean who goes to a decent restaurant before a Hibs game.

Me. It's what separates us from them. It's called class. Hibs class.

[King Paddy]

I read the book it's a good read but he leaves you guessing as to whether he changes his allegiance
from Hibs to Hearts. My view is of the same ilk as Simon Pia who said can't change your mother nor can you change your team. In simple terms i suppose it's like your birth born and bred so you have to live with it whether you like it or not. Those that delude themselves with my second team is man
untd, Arsenal, etc IMO are kidding themselves?.

[The Green Goblin]

I enjoyed it. Interesting idea for a book. I think some people were expecting far too much, judging by a few of the comments. That seems silly to me. It's just a book about a guy who sees what happens when he tries to support his rivals for a season, and that's it. Take it for what it is and you'll be fine. I saw A Smith plenty of times at ER passionately supporting Hibs in the following seasons, so stuff about him defecting permanently is way off.

[The Green Goblin]

I read the book it's a good read but he leaves you guessing as to whether he changes his allegiance
from Hibs to Hearts. My view is of the same ilk as Simon Pia who said can't change your mother nor can you change your team. In simple terms i suppose it's like your birth born and bred so you have to live with it whether you like it or not. Those that delude themselves with my second team is man
untd, Arsenal, etc IMO are kidding themselves?.

A little ironic KP, no? I thought you had had enough of Hibs. Pretty sure you said as much on here in a big post....?

[Just_Jimmy]

I have it. I read it once and its never been touched since. I find if funny that he missed our best season/team in years watching them. As soon as he realised hibs were going well he should have binned it all. What a clown.

[tomhorn]

Sounds like a great idea for a book and i really looked forward to reading it when i heard aboot it coming out. Got halfway through and got bored. Pash poor.

[Iain G]

If you take it as a lighthearted, fluffy, generally amusing look at what the Edinburgh football rivalry is about and don't expect any great revelations then it ticks the boxes, if you are expecting anything hard hitting then it's not what the book is about.

The writing is fine for what it is, a light comedy book with a slightly interesting basic premise, written by a lightweight journalist; it's like a Tony Hawks / Dave Gorman kinda book but not as exciting, or well written and certainly not as funny!

Go read it and see what you think, it's a fairly easy and frequently amusing read and now probably has more interest for the historical context of the story!

[bigwheel]

Quite simply couldn't have been a true hibs fan in the first place

That's the whole point of the book..doing something he felt uncomfortable doing .. ".my year with Barcelona" wouldn't quite have the same tension to it...

I liked it...made me laugh , was interesting ...particularly as it was a season when we were good..and he missed it..

Like any book I'd say give it a go..if you are not enjoying it, don't finish it..

[Beefster]

Not even sure how someone could do it.

Money. Pure and simple. It was done for the purposes of writing a book, which is fair enough. All this stuff about "couldn't be a true Hibee" is nonsense.

The book wasn't great but it wasn't bad - it's a thoroughly middling book. There are about three football books in history that have been well written so I'm not sure why folk are surprised that the writing is rubbish.

[paul_hfc3]

I really did not like it, I thought it was woeful. No offense to Aidan Smith sounds like a good guy.

However I read it for my English NAB (test) for 6th year. It is so predictable the whole book. I don't want to ruin it for you but you can see whats going to happen very quickly. If you don't want to read the next paragraph for spoilers I suggest you don't look.

Basically it starts, I like Hibs and I hate Hearts, then halfway through its I like Hearts and I dislike Hibs?! Then its mutual respect for both teams. I thought the book would be like that, IMO he thought this through before he even wrote the book to have a point.

[London Hibs FC]

Me. It's what separates us from them. It's called class. Hibs class.

Absolutely Bob, Hadrian's at The Balmoral (many significant Hibs 'moments' in history have occurred in this hotel..... The 'Caley' being the 'Hearts' Hotel prior to the completion of the Travelodge at Haymarket of course) is my preferred pre-match eatery before wandering down to the Iona Bar to savour a quick pint before kick off.

For what it’s worth, the book was never going to win a Pulitzer but it was an ‘interesting’ experiment (keeping in my that TV Shows such as Faking It and Wifeswap were extremely ‘current’ at the time) which gave Aidan fairly decent exposure......... I was living in Brussels while reading it so was feeling somewhat nostalgic about 'home', I took the book for what it was and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I haven't see Aidan for a while but he was part of a group of around 20 or so of us who would meet pre-match during the late 90s early 00s. Sadly this group has dwindled down to a half dozen or so due to a whole range of factors, 'geography' being my 'excuse'!

[LancashireHibby]

I didn't think it was a bad read to be honest. If anything I think we're far more likely to enjoy it more than the Yams might (if any of them can read).

[Dashing Bob S]

I think the book offers a lot of insights into the Hearts-Hibs rivalry, and takes place in a pretty unique historical era, ie: one when both clubs simultaneously had decent sides. Has that ever before? The weakness in Edinburgh football has always been one side being strong and other weak. It's pathetic that both clubs can't regularly challenge each other for even 3rd (or in this case 2nd) spot. That, along with more semi's and cup finals, who be great for football in this city.

[Frazerbob]

Decent book which most folk on here would be able to relate to, which makes it interesting IMO. Easy and quick to read. A holiday book if ever there was one.

Has anyone read his follow up "Union Jock"? He basically does the same thing but follows England as a Scot.

[stu in nottingham]

Like many here I thought the book was okay, nothing special but an okay read. Maybe my expectations were a little high but Heartfelt left me feeling slightly unsatisfied.

Have to take my hat off to the author though. I couldn't sit amongst them for a full season - not even for a professional project - so well done that man!

[Kato]

My first thought on reading the book was that the guy missed out on one our more enjoyable seasons. The thought that occured to me was "what an idiot". That season Hibs fans were rolling up to Easter Road without a care in the world knowing they would be entertained, the feeling walking up to the ground, queueing up (yes there were queues) and the anticipation of teams coming out was only bettered during the Turnbull era IMHO and I include McLeish's time in that. Imagine mssing out on that to sit with those grubby minded little clowns week in week out.

Apart from that it didn't tell me anything I didn't know already and I thought he went a bit easy on them re their underlying/occasionally overt sectarianism.

[SRHibs]

I enjoyed it.

[Wilson]

Nah.

[Dan Sarf]

Nah.


Yeah.

[NAE NOOKIE]

It was OK but thats about it.

If you want a better read get a hold of 'Pointless' Sorry cant remember the authors name. Its by a guy who follows East Stirling for a season.

[givescotlandfreedom]

I didn't think it was a bad read to be honest. If anything I think we're far more likely to enjoy it more than the Yams might (if any of them can read).

He does pop up and felt versions for them, I believe.

[confused]

How can any one with half a brain even consider Paying MONEY TO THE **** !! think on the gate money wasted when their are hungry stray dogs on the street.

The book is c---, i enjoyed throwing it in the bin.

[Hibrandenburg]

If you've managed this thread then you should do ok with the book.

[hibsbollah]

Money. Pure and simple. It was done for the purposes of writing a book, which is fair enough. All this stuff about "couldn't be a true Hibee" is nonsense.

The book wasn't great but it wasn't bad - it's a thoroughly middling book. There are about three football books in history that have been well written so I'm not sure why folk are surprised that the writing is rubbish.

The subject matter isnt really an excuse for crap writing. Leaving aside Nick Hornby and Eamon Dunphy as obvious examples, even closer to home Ted Bracks books about Hibs are well written, and the When George Came to Edinburgh thing (cant remember the guys name) was very readable as well.

[ginger_rice]

Decent book which most folk on here would be able to relate to, which makes it interesting IMO. Easy and quick to read. A holiday book if ever there was one.

Has anyone read his follow up "Union Jock"? He basically does the same thing but follows England as a Scot.

:agree: I read it on the Costa Del Sol thought it was decent enough followed it up by reading Eddie Turnbulls biog straight after.

[tamig]

I enjoyed it.

Me too :agree:

[CraigK]

Awful book in my opinion. Like folk have said, it's badly written and Smith comes across as a total bellend.
I hate books where the central character is so unlikable. Much like Catcher In The Rye! :wink:
Also, I hated how he kept referring to Deek as 'Riordaninho'. Really?!

[judas]

Only if you want to be bored rigid, personally i thought it was pish and only got halfway through before i binned it.

A bit like his newspaper pieces. Self indulgent and completely boring.

[SkintHibby]

Good books get passed to friends. Rubbish books end up up in charity shops! :wink:

[Steve-O]

Not a bad premise but much of the book is spent going off on weird tangents and I honestly didn't enjoy a lot of it.