It's all kicking off: Critics angry as football novel Fever Pitch makes it onto Classics list (even though it's only 20 years old)

• Nick Hornby's bestseller included on same list as giants of literary world, including 1984 and Of Mice And Men
• Critics question whether the book is truly a 'classic'
• Publisher defends decision saying the novel has 'struck a chord with the popular imagination'

By Shari Miller
PUBLISHED: Mail Online 9 August 2012


It’s all kicking off in the world of academics - thanks to a bestselling book about football.
Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch has made it onto the Penguin Modern Classics List, putting his work up there with the giants of the literary world, including George Orwell’s 1984, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire.
But has Penguin scored something of an own goal by including the story of a fan obsessed with Arsenal Football Club, which was only written in 1992?

The 55-year-old is regarded as one of the most popular writers of his generation and he has scored success by seeing many of his other works, including About A Boy and High Fidelity, making the jump from page to screen.
In 1997, Fever Pitch also made it to the big screen, starring Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmell.
But critics are questioning whether the highs and lows of a north London club from the 1960s to the 1990s, has enough clout to be included on the well-regarded list.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185882/Its-kicking-Critics-angry-football-novel-Fever-Pitch-makes-Classics-list-20-years-old.html#ixzz234lB4By3