Up Close with David Peace

Words by Jason Cooke

As part of the Manchester Literature Festival, author David Peace paid visit to the National Football Museum, Manchester, to talk to Hacienda legend, Dave Haslam, on stage about his latest novel, Red or Dead.

Red or Dead follows the life of Liverpool FC managerial legend, Bill Shankly.

Dave Haslam took to the stage and the evening began with a short film, Bill Shankly- in his own words. The audience was transfixed on the screen-- you could hear a pin drop. The tone of the evening was set. Red neon lights shone into the faces of the eager audience as David Peace was introduced by Haslam. Peace provided the audience with a reading fromRed or Dead, ‘in Shankly’s voice’, as David put it, ‘but with a Yorkshire accent.’ Hearing Red or Dead read aloud makes it easier to understand the way in which Peace has written the book. For those who haven’t read the book, Red or Dead is written in a style like no other. Peace repeats words and sentences purposely to enhance the way that Bill Shankly was with his colleagues, the players, and his family--particularly his wife. This style is what makes the book over 700 pages.

Haslam jumped straight in with football, “So David, tell us about Red or Dead, you weren’t a Liverpool FC fan as a child...”, to which Peace replies, “Nor as an adult”. David Peace is a Huddersfield Town FC fan and knew of Bill Shankly due to him being the Huddersfield Town manager from 1956 until 1959 when he was scouted by then Liverpool Chairman, Tom Williams.

Haslam asked Peace if he thinks any Premier League footballers will read the book, to which Peace wittily replied, “Maybe, injured players with a lot of time on their hands!”

After a second reading the audience was invited by Haslam to ask David some questions.

“Would you ever consider writing a book about the Hillsborough disaster?”, one audience member asked. Peace took a deep breath before answering:

--“Short reply, no. I don’t know how I could convey what pain those families will have been through in words, and the story is still unfolding.”

Another question asked whether Peace has thought about writing another book about Brian Clough, this time during his highly successful reign at Nottingham Forrest FC, where Clough won 4 League Cups and 2 consecutive European Cups.

--“I’m surprised it hasn’t been done already! For me, what Clough did at Forrest was the greatest achievement in domestic football. I don’t think I will do it, but someone should!”

Peace carried himself well. The audience was interested in everything he has to say and Dave Haslam, who has clearly read all of Peace’s work, appears to be as fixated as the audience. Peace talked about his family and mentioned how he would video call his parents, reading his latest passages to his father for approval. He is clearly a family man, still in touch with his roots in Yorkshire.

“What’s next? Another football manager?” another audience member asked. “Never say never, but my first priority is to finish the third Tokyo book”.

With that, the evening drew to a close and David signed copies of Red or Dead in the bookstore towards the back of the National Football Museum.

Close Up with David Peace was a sell out, and a great taste of things to come within the Manchester Literature Festival. Click here for a full programme of upcoming events. 

Red or Deadis available in all the good bookshops and is a must-read for any football fan.

You an read the Humanities' Hallows pre-event interview with David Peace here.

Follow Jason Cooke on Twitter @JasonAshley5 & @JasonACooke

David Peace: The Yorkshire author living in Japan who has a knack for getting into the mind of great football managers. Oh, and he graduated from MMU too.

Words by Jason Cooke

Humanities’ Hallows has been tracking the progress of one of MMU’s most successful authors. David Peace is currently in the UK to promote his latest novel, Red or Dead, and Humanities’ Hallows had the privilege of interviewing David before his event at the National Football Museum, Manchester, as part of the Manchester Literature Festival and in collaboration with MMU’s Football Cluster.

David has already authored several successful novels, including; The Red Riding Quartet, GB84, the on-going Tokyo Trilogy and The Damned United. He resides in Japan with his wife and two children, where he teaches Contemporary Literature at Tokyo University. David studied Creative Writing at MMU and spent 5 years in Manchester, living in Whalley Range, Rusholme and Longsight. His latest instalment follows Liverpool FC managerial legend, Bill Shankly. Shankly transformed Liverpool FC from a struggling second division club, into the champions of Europe, before his shock retirement after 15 years at the helm in 1974.

“It’s good to be back in the UK, reading passages of Red or Deadto an audience,” says David. “This is just another flying visit, however. I’m usually back every summer with the children. We visit my mum and dad in Ossett”. David tells us that his daughter keeps him informed of the reviews of Red or Dead on the Internet. I ask him how his new book has been received so far; “The turnout has been great, but the audience are here for Bill Shankly”. Whilst Shankly is indeed a football legend, I think David might be underestimating his own fan base.

“Being back in Manchester brings back memories”, David says. “I was studying here during the Hacienda years. Manchester Polytechnic (now MMU) encouraged me to write; there were lots of things going on to inspire your creativity.”

Talking about Red or Dead, David says that the opportunity came with a phone call from screenwriter and film producer, Mike Jefferies. Jefferies liked the idea of turning the story of Shankly into a film but David wanted to write the book first, telling Jefferies to wait until he had written the novel. Peace, a Huddersfield Town FC fan, knew of Shankly after Bill was persuaded by Liverpool FC to leave Huddersfield Town FC and join them at Anfield. David put his third instalment of the Tokyo Trilogy on hold and began to get in the mind-set of Bill Shankly. “Bill was an ordinary man doing extraordinary things and I tried to convey his spirit”.

David’s novels are based on fact but have a fictional twist, which had me wondering how he researches the subject. “I usually spend a year researching. I read newspaper articles from the era, watch old footage and talk to people who met the person I’m writing about.” The Damned United, as bigger success as it was, came with controversy. Johnny Giles, a former Leeds United midfielder, was unhappy at how he was portrayed by Peace and took legal action. Peace says, “Some described my writing in The Damned United as controversial, which surprised me given that I’ve written novels involving police corruption and violent crime. I never thought that football would be seen as controversial and I’m sorry that the offended felt the way they did.”

Speaking to David feels like talking to an old friend. His Yorkshire accent, still as strong as ever after many years in Japan, brings with it a warmth and sense of homeliness that perhaps only another Yorkshireman can understand. He speaks highly of his family and it is obvious that he is close to his mum and dad. At the National Football Museum, David mentioned how he would Skype his parents every weekend from Japan, reading the latest chapters of Red or Dead to his dad for approval. This is a man still close to his roots, set deep in Ossett, West Yorkshire.

I ask, “What’s next? Another football manager?”, to which David replies, “Never say never, but my first priority is to finish the third Tokyo book”.

 

And with that, I was left very much looking forward to the event at the National Football Museum; Up Close with David Peace.

Click here to read a full review of the event at the National Football Museum. You can buy Red or Dead from all the main bookshops and online. 

Follow Jason Cooke on Twitter @JasonAshley5 & @JasonACooke