“The Beautiful Game” book review

As part of the MKB Read Around the World Series, I started my summer reading: a book inspired by Bolivia, soccer and bicultural living. The Beautiful Game is not an autobiography, but it incorporates events that impacted the life of the author, Neil Fencer.

I just love seeing my country through the eyes of foreign people!   Perhaps the fact that I am married to another culture? Perhaps the fact that I am married to the author’s brother made me want to read this book and see how Bolivia impacted his life?  Or maybe the fact that the World Cup is going on, and The Beautiful Game just shows the love of fútbol in Bolivia and in Latin America.  Too many reasons to read The Beautiful Game.  I honestly can say, I liked it!

The book tells the story of Manny (Manuel), an American college man that goes back to his childhood refuge, Bolivia, after a terrible incident that happened in his university town in the United States.

During his healing process, Manny starts to reconcile his childhood in a foreign country and his adult life in the USA, narrating the nuances of a cross cultural living experience. In the process he starts living a life that he never thought he could live, playing “The Beautiful Game”, fútbol.

Flashbacks bring the past into the present, helping Manny to reveal a family secret that he thought did not exist. The book shows an analogy between soccer and life. Where life brings grace in the game and in itself, when debts are too great to be paid.

This book is specially recommended for adults that love bicultural living, Latin American culture and of course Soccer.

Additional Information About the Book:

• Title: The Beautiful Game
• Author: Neil A. Fencer
• Paperback: 110 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris, Corp. (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• This book is more suited for young adults, 16 and up.  

The author of the book is a Graduate from Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  After graduating from school, he experienced life in Latin America, living in seven different countries, serving as a volunteer, working as English teacher and a coach. All his trips to Latin America have deepened his knowledge and experience in Latino culture, Spanish and inspired the idea for The Beautiful Game.

You can find this book on Amazon, paper copy and Kindle edition.  See my poster for this book on my blog.

…………………………………………..

The Author of this article is the Spanglish Mamá, Cecy Fencer.

You can find her in Spanglish-house.com, where she writes about bicultural living, bilingual homeschooling and Latin America Literature and Cuisine.