{"title":"Xavier Fowler","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the compelling works of \u003cem\u003eXavier Fowler\u003c\/em\u003e, an author renowned for his captivating narratives that bridge the worlds of sports and history. Within this collection, you'll find books such as \u003cstrong\u003eNot Playing the Game\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Football War\u003c\/strong\u003e, which delve into the nuanced stories often found at the intersection of sporting events and historical moments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFowler's works are more than just sports chronicles; they are incisive explorations that reveal the socio-political undercurrents affecting games and athletes. His ability to intertwine historical facts with the dynamic world of sports offers readers a unique perspective, making his books both enlightening and engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a history buff, a sports enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates well-crafted storytelling, Xavier Fowler's books are sure to captivate your interest and enhance your understanding of these fascinating subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"not-playing-the-game-by-xavier-fowler-9780522877700","title":"Not Playing the Game","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe contested role of sport in wartime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWar remembrance and sport have become increasingly entwined in Australia, with AFL and NRL Anzac Day fixtures attracting larger crowds than dawn services. National representative teams travel halfway around the world to visit battle sites etched in military folklore. To validate their integration into this culturally sacred occasion, promoters point to the special role of sport in the development of the Anzac legend, and with it, the birth of the nation. The air of sombre reflection that surrounds each Anzac Day is accompanied by a celebratory nationalism that sport and war supposedly embody.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut what exactly is being remembered, and indeed forgotten, in these official commemorations and tributes?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eNot Playing the Game\u003c\/em\u003e, Xavier Fowler reveals that the place of sport in the Great War was highly contested. Civilian patriots and public officials complained that spectator sport distracted young men from enlisting and wasted public finances better spent elsewhere. Sport's defenders argued it was a necessary escape for a population weary of the pressures of war. These competing views often reflected differences of class, politics and ethnicity, and resulted in ferocious, sometimes violent, clashes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNot Playing the Game\u003c\/em\u003e challenges the way our memories of the war are influenced by the fervour of sport, painting a picture not of triumph but immense turmoil and tragedy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46655480070380,"sku":"9780522877700","price":44.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3911543482374.jpg?v=1752470588"},{"product_id":"the-football-war-by-xavier-fowler-9780522880076","title":"The Football War","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the shadow of the impending Second World War, a battle for control kicked off between two rival factions in Australian Rules football—the powerful upstart Victorian Football League, comprising the strongest inner-city clubs, and the struggling Victorian Football Association, which sought new teams and spectators in Melbourne's growing outer suburbs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe conflict spilled out of Victoria, inciting division and discord in almost every corner of the country. Woven through Xavier Fowler's lively history are the stories of iconic players whose lives and careers were fundamentally altered by the conflict as they crisscrossed the breach, including Australian Football Hall of Famers Ron Todd, Laurie Nash, Jack Dyer, and Bob Pratt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom bitter personal rivalries to the lasting impacts on the game itself, \u003ci\u003eThe Football War\u003c\/i\u003e is the untold story of the battle for supremacy on- and off-field, and the fight for the soul of Australian Rules.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47082794254572,"sku":"9780522880076","price":46.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3935303482374.jpg?v=1765277590"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/xavier-fowler.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}