The Game's Gone by Simon Barnes (Audio Book)

The Game's Gone by Simon Barnes (Audio Book), narrated by Colin Mace.
Published as an Audible Original on 23rd April 2020.
Listened to May 2020.

David Rose, 'Rosie' to his friends and colleagues, may not be anyone's idea of a star reporter (including himself), but he does believe in his craft and he's proud to be a sportswriter for a national newspaper.

Football is his first love. He's happiest when sitting pitchside writing about the beautiful game, but he can turn his hand to most sports when called on - from Formula One, to Tennis, to cricket, and all the way to the sporting pinnacle of the Olympic Games.

Rosie has seen it all, and with it the rise and fall of many a flashier talent, and he prefers to keep his head down and concentrate on what's important - writing a good piece about sport. But sometimes he cannot fail to be involved in the inevitable dramas that come with the job, such as the bother that comes with having to babysit the new "talent", or a bitter boss intent on blaming Rosie for his own dark deeds, but he hopes it is the quality of the story that will win in the end - and of course, revenge is ever so sweet, even if it is a long time coming.

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The Game's Gone is not the typical kind of audio book that graces my listening choices, but my interest was piqued by this one - and I am mighty glad to have given it my time.

Simon Barnes' tale is beautifully narrated by Colin Mace who brings our hardworking and conscientious hero Rosie to life and draws us into the life of a sportswriter, from the early days of a junior on the local rag, all the way to the dizzy heights of Fleet Street and beyond. 

And what a life this is! Filled with spellbinding detail about the pecking order, camaraderie, rivalries, and (usually) fake bonhomie of the hacks that fill the columns of our newspapers with sporting news - a lot of which I am sure can be applied to journalism in general, and not just the sports side of reporting.

I found Rosie to be an endearing and thoroughly likable character from the start. He is a self-effacing, decent guy in a career not generally known for its integrity, and is able to offer many a sharply observed quip. He is intelligent, without being too obvious about it, and enjoys a glass or two of decent plonk. Most of all, he is dedicated to his craft, and this is what carries him through the ups and downs of the journalistic world.

Rosie is an old school reporter in times of great change in the journalism, but he is able to adapt himself to the evolving environment rather well - even if he does like to grumble about it a lot - and although he has many trials to contend with, such as new technology, upstart graduate types and even (shock, horror) women reporters, he always keeps his head above water. I really enjoyed the way Rosie actually comes to recognise that these "new types" might have something to offer, and he is able to appreciate their contribution, even if somewhat reluctantly at first.

This is a tale that brings alive the world of sports journalism and starts you thinking about how much of this is actually real, since our author was a Chief Sports Writer himself. In fact, Simon Barnes says he has toned down a lot of the madness to make it believable!  It is touching, humorous and completely compulsive listening. I can't remember the last time I chuckled so much when listening to an audio book, if ever! It is also filled with mentions of some of the biggest sporting events of the last few years, which I found really nostalgic, and the ending is pretty special too!

If you are looking for an original audio book that is a little bit different, and will completely immerse you in a most fascinating world, then I highly recommend this as your next listen. It's a corker!

The Game’s Gone is available now for 1 credit to Audible members or priced at £19.99 for non-members.

Thank you to Amber Choudhary of Midas Public Relations for giving me the chance to listen to The Game's Gone in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

From the cover: 

The Game’s Gone vividly captures the entertaining world of sports journalism. 

It’s a marvellous listen – funny, touching and compelling. 

No one would call David Rose - or ‘Rosie’ as he’s known to one and all 

– a star, but he’s good at his job and proud of his work as a sportswriter for a national newspaper. 

He’s used to the ups and downs of a journalist’s life but when his venal boss pins his own misdemeanours on the entirely innocent Rose, he is forced to work closely

 first with a frustrated poet, then with a moral puritan 

and then the final horror: a real woman. 

How will Rosie cope?

About the author:

Simon Barnes was the Chief Sports Writer for The Times until 2014, having worked for the paper for 30 years, during which he covered seven Olympic Games and six World Cup finals.

He writes about sports and wildlife and is the author of over 20 books, including the best-selling How to be a Bad Birdwatcher; Epic: In Search of the Soul of Sport and Why It Matters; and Rewild Yourself: 23 Spellbinding Ways to Make Nature More Visible. 

Simon Barnes commented: “It was only after I had left the asylum that I was truly aware of the madness. So I thought I’d try and write the madness before I forgot it. But I thought I’d better tone it down a bit – to make it believable.”