Fans - On the highs and lows of sporting passion

Captivating stories, unusual perspectives: This is how sport is experienced

Carnival in the stands, beer showers in the southern curve, explosions of joy and shattering grief, security in a community and chauvinism that escalates into violence: fans experience the highs and lows of human passion.

Ilija Trojanow and Klaus Zeyringer take us to some of the world's greatest competitions: Wimbledon, Tour de France, Cockscomb Race, Cricket India vs Pakistan, Biathlon and Women's Handball World Cup, Darts and Baseball, Wrestling in Switzerland and Olympics on TV. Their perceptive and witty reportages transport us directly into the fervent universe of the fans. In addition, there are eleven essays that get to the bottom of all the essential aspects of fandom. The interplay creates a special kind of social panorama. From a very original perspective, they tell of hero worship and rituals, connoisseurship and aggression, devotion and staging.

"This knowledgeable and detailed book by Trojanow and Zeyringer sheds light on the audience's relationship with its heroes and heroines, explains behavioural patterns and explains developments" - Süddeutsche Zeitung, Holger Gertz

"Trojanow and Zeyringer have written a brilliant book about the multifaceted roles of the fans." - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Miloš Vec

"A fascinating passion, a "fanomenon" that the two [authors] describe so captivatingly that it becomes the perfect, somewhat different literary companion for the European Championships." - Kronen Zeitung, Franziska Trost

"World explorer Trojanow and culture researcher Zeyringer are in top form when they look at the historical development of fan culture and thus also the total commercialisation of sport." - Salzburger Nachrichten, Bernhard Flieher

"So if you want to get to know almost all facets of fandom in the most diverse sports and forms, you can [...] become a fan of this book written with heart and soul." - Das Parlament