PRAISE FOR “LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF UNITED”

“With boundless enthusiasm and nearly-breathless detail, Gary France details how he came to love Manchester United as a boy in Lancashire and how he maintained that allegiance upon moving to the United States in the 1990s. American fans of today’s Premier League will marvel at the lengths France went to—and lovingly recounts—to keep the embers of affection for his team aglow.”

— Phil West, author of The United States of Soccer and I Believe That We Will Win

“A plentiful read indeed! A football fanatic refusing to cut the umbilical cord between himself and his beloved Man United . . . no matter what!”

— Ray Hudson, beIN Sports commentator and host of The Football Show on SiriusXM FC

“If you want to know how it feels to support Manchester United from across the Pond, you have to read Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United. Gary B. France captures the passion of a true Red Devil. Mind you, it’s not all sunshine as he encounters lows as well as highs. The highs are easy to take and make you feel wonderful about the team and winning. The lows are difficult, and, when you are so far away from home, they sting that little bit more. Read Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United and you will see how Gary handled it all. Amazing!”

— Tommy Smyth, soccer commentator and host of Grumpy Pundits on SiriusXM FC

“More than just a document of the years leading up to Manchester United’s treble success in 1999, this is a book about friendships, passion, and celebration during a unique and difficult time for soccer lovers in the USA. Expat fans of all stripes and backgrounds will identify with this fascinating story.”

— David Witchard, Publisher, First Touch soccer magazine, www.firsttouchonline.com

“A lovely book about the perils and passions of following Manchester United from afar. A cracking read.”

— John Ludden, author and journalist, www.johnludden.co.uk

“A fascinating document, capturing the dawn of what is now a permanent part of the U.S. sports landscape: soccer fans packing pubs in the morning to cheer for European soccer . . . France’s relentless enthusiasm brings the readers along for the ride. Recommend to early-morning soccer-goers and the many British expats who follow their teams from afar.”

— Keir Graff, Booklist

“I have total empathy with Gary. I’m a Manchester United season ticket holder from the north and someone who travels a fair bit. I will always keep an eye on United’s fixtures wherever I am, and I will always try and find a comfortable drinking hole that will show the football regardless of which time zone I’m in. It’s not always that easy! i thoroughly enjoyed reading about Gary’s similar plight.”

— Stanley Chow, Illustrator and Marketing Manchester Ambassador: http://stanleychow.co.uk
— “Inspired by Manchester” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=njM7Qru1L84

“As someone who has worked and traveled in the soccer season and had to find someplace to watch Manchester United play at some ungodly times, I completely empathized with France’s culture shock. But relocating permanently overseas necessitates a more regular match day experience because, as the author quite rightly identifies and uses as a central theme for his work, spectator sport is enjoyed at its most fullest in a community atmosphere. Where one cannot find it on the local terraces, he must seek to replicate it in order to fully experience the true highs and, indeed, lows. Gary B. France gives an interesting account of how he became a part of one of those growing communities at an important time for North American soccer. You can’t help but feel connected to the various strands and relationships as he relives one of the most famous periods in British football history, from a disconnected position. His story is engaging, emotional, and funny. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United” is a fitting accompaniment to the library of accounts of following Manchester United from afar.”

— Wayne Barton, bestselling author, and sports columnist: http://waynebartonbooks.com and @WayneSBarton

“Gary France’s remarkable book Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United, ostensibly about one young man’s dedication to the English football club Manchester United, is about so much more than the love of a soccer team. Certainly, it’s about France’s dedication to Man U, but the main themes seem to be more about finding one’s place in this world—even if it means leaving the only country one has ever known—and the intrinsic fellowship of man, even if that man is pulling for another team. The real heart of this book is the heart: France describes in loving detail the connections he formed with other football fans, especially his own father in Great Britain, whom he phoned during and after most matches. This is a book about the ability of a game to both inspire and connect us—and it’s about the best that sport has to offer, which is community and belonging.”

— William J. Rouster, author and Professor of English, Oakland University, MI

“I’m not a true soccer fan. It’s one of the few sports I haven’t played much, but Gary’s love for Manchester United resonates deeply with me as a Philadelphia Eagles fan. My scarf happens to be a Brian Dawkins jersey! I really enjoyed the early stages of the book because I think most Americans feel like outsiders when it comes to soccer, especially English football culture. The stories from Gary’s childhood really allowed me to see this world from the inside and realize how similar it is to my own. Also, I love how Gary employs slang throughout and the dialogue, especially shifting dialect, is awesome. There have been many times in my reading where I noticed Gary writing about football in the same way I would write about baseball, so I can feel his love for his team, and his heritage, dripping from every word. Beyond the soccer aspect, there is so much more to this story. It is the story of adapting to new environments and retaining time-honored rituals in a foreign land. It is the story of pride. Of determination. Of gracefully finding life-long bonds within the joyful rabble of trash talk. It is a story of resilience and sacrifice, and holding on to family from across a vast ocean. Quite honestly, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of United embodies the fanatic sports fan in all of us. And I should know. I’m one of them!”

— Frank Morelli, author, “No Sad Songs”

And last, but certainly not least, a few words of wisdom from a Sheffield United fan and self-avowed Manchester United loather!

“I never thought the book was about United. But it’s definitely about becoming United. It’s about characters and stories that come together to share your journey. It’s certainly not fanboy writing. Your character bounces about in the book, but is mainly there to collect and reveal all these extraordinary other real people. It is definitely a “collection.” If you get asked about “is it about United” again, you can say that one of the guys who proofread the book absolutely loathes United and would never choose to read a book about them (and has never done so before). But you have my permission to say that I loved every minute of it and always looked forward to receiving the next batch of chapters. It was never a hardship and I would recommend it to any other Red Loathers. So it simply can’t be about United. It’s about a time and a place and people finding themselves in a shared situation that could almost certainly never happen again.”

— Bob Wood, proofreader, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of United”