It was interesting to read Frederick Exley's classic 1968 memoir this month in particular. While Margaret Jones did not grow up with a Los Angeles street gang and Misha Defonseca was not raised by wolves who saved her from the Nazis, apparently Frederick Exley really was an alcoholic New York Giants fans who spent much of a decade in and out of insane asylums.
Even though the book is mostly true, the publisher didn't want to risk calling it a memoir and instead dubbed it a "fictional memoir." Publishers are apparently not so worried right now. Speaking of which, my new memoir about being raised by penguins in the sewers of an urban metropolis is coming out this summer. Don't miss it.
I decided to read this book, because, well, it was about Sports! I've long been interested in books about sports fans. My favorites include Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, Bill Buford's Among the Thugs, and Warren St. John's Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer. Here was a book about one man's obsession with Frank Gifford. I knew it was a classic of the obsessive fan genre, and it seemed like it would be a pleasant read.
Admittedly, I knew the subject matter wasn't just about sports, but I still didn't expect such misery. Throughout the book, Exley is going on alcoholic benders, getting insulin shock treatment in a mental hospital, destroying his marriage, getting arrested, and going on other alcoholic benders just before heading back to the asylum. I kept thinking to myself, "Hey, where'd Frank go?" Gifford shows up occasionally, but only peripherally. After all those years watching Monday Night Football, who knew I would look forward to Frank Gifford's appearances?
This isn't a criticism of Exley. It's an excellent book with powerful writing about a life of madness, which is, you know, great. It's just that occasionally I felt I needed some relief, and that's where Frank came in (or did not, as the case may be). By the end, the book really could have used Dandy Don Meredith too.
In short, this is a tremendous book. If your life is just a little too happy and you're burdened by upbeat feelings, then this is definitely the book for you.
