Books to warm the bench by

IGREW up in a sport-loving family. For the much-anticipated finals of major events — Wimbledon, rugby, cricket, and of course the Soccer World Cup — breyani or mutton curry would be made and aunts and uncles would debate who the best players were. I was the odd one out, preferring to read a book.

It’s still the same today. My housemate and I have one rule for the television remote: never, ever switch to the sports channels at ANY time. We often wax wistful about how lovely it would be if DStv had a package that excluded these channels, so we wouldn’t waste time skipping past them all to get to BBC Lifestyle.

But when it’s the Soccer World Cup, this rule bends slightly. Sometimes I will watch a few matches — mainly as an excuse to kuier, braai and drink.

I’ve managed to imbibe, by osmosis, most of the rules to football — thanks, sportloving family! — so I don’t have to read Soccer for Dummies (John Wiley, R285), which is quite good at explaining complex stuff like the offside rule. There are a few other books, however, that I might line up (in a 2-5-3 formation) to read during this year’s World Cup.

First is How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalisation by Franklin

I also have no clue who the hot players are, the in-form teams, which is the group of death

Foer (HarperCollins, R185). This will hopefully explain why soccer is, as many people claim, more than just a game. Foer investigates how soccer is an extension of the social, economic and political factors that are entrenched in countries that regard the game as a national religion.

I also have no clue this year who the hot players are, the in-form teams, which is the group of death, and so on, so the 2014 Fifa

World Cup Brazil Official Book (Carlton Books, R310) will come in handy. According to the blurb it “offers expert analysis of each team, its star players, and its prospects in the finals, along with information on the stadiums and host cities”. Venture to Brazil without leaving your home!

To impress with my footie knowledge — and swot for quiz night — another book I have my eye on is Eight World Cups by New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey (Henry Holt, R340). He offers a personal perspective on the mega-event, as well as plenty of behind-the-scenes skandaal on the last eight tournaments, from Spain’s in 1982 to our own in 2010.

Or I might just skip the hoohah altogether and take up knitting instead — and use the handy Knitting With Giant Nee

dles by Hanna Charlotte Erhorn (Dorling Kindersley, R230) to add homemade scarves and beanies to my winter wardrobe. —

@Jenniferdplatt