The classic history of soccer tactics — “masterful” and “deliciously nerdy” (Time Out)In this modern classic, soccer journalist Jonathan Wilson pulls apart the finer details of the world’s game, tracing the global history of tactics from modern pioneers right back to the beginning, when chaos reigned. Along the way, he examines the lives of great players and thinkers who shaped the sport and probes why the English, in particular, have prov...

**A definitive new history of the world’s most watched sporting event—just in time for the 2026 tournament"Wilson is the game’s pre-eminent popular historian."—Observer (UK)An Irish Times Best Sports Book of the Year**Since 1930, the World Cup has become a truly global obsession. It is the most watched sporting event on the planet, and 211 teams competed to make it into the 2022 tournament. From its inception, it has also been a vehicle for far mor...

Experience a deeper prayer life through this fresh take on ancient liturgy for believers today.Designed to help individuals, families, and congregations pray together across denominations, this book of common prayer will help you and your community join together each day with the same songs, scriptures, and prayers. Composed under an advisory team of liturgy experts, these three influential and inspiring authors have created *Common Prayer--*a tapestry of prayer th...

The Masterful, Definitive History of Argentinian SoccerLionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Alfredo Di St'fano: in every generation Argentina has uncovered a uniquely brilliant soccer talent. Perhaps it's because the country lives and breathes the game, its theories, and its myths. Argentina's rich, volatile history -- by turns sublime and ruthlessly pragmatic -- is mirrored in the style and swagger of its national and club sides. In Angels with Dirty Faces, Jona...

The story of the vibrant and revolutionary soccer culture in Hungary that, on the eve of World War II, redefined the modern game and launched a new era.In the early 1950s, the Hungarian side was unbeatable, winning the Olympic gold and thrashing England in the Match of the Century. Their legendary forward, Ferenc Puskás, was one of the game's first international superstars. But as Jonathan Wilson reveals in The Names Heard Long Ago, this celebrated era was...

'EPIC' Financial Times'PERCEPTIVE' The Sunday Times'BLISSFUL' Daily Telegraph'FASCINATING' Independent on Sunday'TERRIFIC' Henry Winter'EXCELLENT*' Simon Kuper*The fascinating story of football in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, from the award-winning author of Inve...

**Based on actual events, a gripping novel of sex, love, history and justice in the tinderbox of British Mandatory Palestine, by the acclaimed author of A Palestine Affair"The story of what is arguably Israel’s foundational murder trial—a tale of multiple identities and loyalties." —Joshua Cohen, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of The Netanyahus**“Pleases on several levels: as an adventure tale, a star-crossed romance and a detailed period piece.” —

From Cruyff's "Total Football" to the epic rivalry between Guardiola and Mourinho, a gripping chronicle of the rise and fall of Barcelona's dominance in world soccer.Barcelona's style of play -- pressing and possessing -- is the single biggest influence on modern soccer. In The Barcelona Inheritance, Jonathan Wilson reveals how and why this came to pass, offering a deep analysis of the evolution of soccer tactics and style.In the late 1990s, Johan ...

A pastor’s frank advice for Christians who want to bring the gospel to their neighbors.Gold Medal Winner, 2016 Illumination Book Award in ministry/mission, Independent PublishersHow can Christians represent the love of Christ to their neighbors (let alone people in foreign countries) in an age when Christianity has earned a bad name from centuries of intolerance and cultural imperialism? Is it enough to love and serve them? Can you win thei...

SHORTLISTED IN THE CHARLES TYRWHITT SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2025LONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEARIs it football any more?'Fascinating and persuasive' The Herald'Everyone involved in the VAR controversy should read this short, beautifully-written book and think again' Sir Michael BarberIn 2019, the English Premier League introduced the V...

Kick and Run is a gripping, funny, sometimes heartbreaking account of a life well lived and a game played, if not always masterfully, then certainly with the utmost passion.'Jonathan Wilson is an intellectual hooligan: Kick and Run is a book of brilliant anecdotes and fantastic wit, nostalgia and twisted love. This memoir is full of sharp insights, a sort of Speak Memory centered on the mysteries of soccer and fandom and revealing an amazing world ...

In British-occupied Palestine after World War I, Mark Bloomberg, a beleaguered London painter, and Joyce, his American wife, witness the murder of a prominent Orthodox Jew. Joyce, a non-Jew and ardent Zionist, is drawn into an affair with the British investigating officer, while Mark seeks solace in the exotic colors and contours of the Middle Eastern landscape. Each of the three has come to Palestine to escape grief, and yet—caught in the crosshairs of history—they will all be forced to c...