Description
My Grandmother and Ten Others
Book Summary
Ander Izagirre starts from his first memory—Zamora's goal that won the league title for Real Sociedad—to weave an intimate and moving account of his family, his city, and the legendary Atocha stadium. Through eleven astonishing stories, the author combines personal memory, sports reporting, and social portraiture, offering a unique look at how soccer is intertwined with daily life and emotional bonds. A book that goes beyond sport to speak of belonging, identity, and shared emotions.
What is it about?
The starting point is an explosion of collective joy: the goal by Zamora that, in the final breath, granted the league to Real Sociedad. That moment, experienced at his grandparents' house, becomes the common thread of a journey through Ander Izagirre's memory. From there, the author unfolds eleven fascinating stories that connect his family to the history of San Sebastián and the Atocha stadium, a place where smells, emotions, and experiences mingled. Each story is a piece of a mosaic that portrays not only a golden age of Basque soccer, but also the social transformations of a city and the strength of the ties that bind us to a place and our own people.
Main themes
- Personal and family memory linked to soccer.
- The identity of San Sebastián and its Atocha stadium as a symbolic space.
- Soccer as a catalyst for collective emotions and shared memories.
- A chronicle of a golden age of Basque sports.
- The relationship between sport, the city, and everyday life experiences.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at soccer fans who are looking for a read that goes beyond scores and statistics, and that connects sport with emotion and memory. It will also interest readers of social and literary chronicles, those who enjoy stories that portray a city and an era, as well as followers of Real Sociedad and Basque soccer in general. It is an ideal work for those who value the small stories that explain great human bonds.
What this book offers
- An intimate and literary perspective on soccer, far from tactical analysis and focused on the human experience.
- An evocative portrait of San Sebastián and its Atocha stadium, with sensory descriptions that transport the reader.
- Eleven short and autonomous stories that can be read independently, ideal for leisurely reading.
- A reflection on how sports memories become part of our personal and family history.
Technical specifications
- Author: Izagirre, Ander
- Publisher: HOOLIGANS ILUSTRADOS
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: Literary essays, reportage and collections of journalistic articles, sports and outdoor recreation, ball games
- Collection: HOOLIGANS ILUSTRADOS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: April 2013
- Number of pages: 112
- Weight: 94 g
Editorial review
My Grandmother and Ten Others is an original proposal that fuses affective memory with sports reporting, achieving a warm and relatable narrative. Ander Izagirre demonstrates great skill in turning the personal into the universal, and his eleven stories capture the essence of a fan base and a city. It is a short but intense book that will connect especially with those looking for a literary and emotional look at soccer, far from the usual clichés. A recommended read to rediscover how sport can be a common thread in our most cherished experiences.