Robert Enke. Ein Allzu Kurzes Leben (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
I picked up this book because it was about a German footballer and the World Cup had just ended. The book answered many of my questions about life as a professional footballer (What do they do all day? (train) Is it weird to be the substitute goalie who never plays any games? (not unless you were expecting to be the one playing) How do players from different countries even communicate? (the foreigners learn the language, but at one point the goalkeeping coach had to have Robert go first in all the drills because only Robert understood either of two languages the coach spoke). I also learned that there is way more to goalkeeping than I ever imagined, from how far in front of the goal the keeper comes to which balls he decides to catch to how he stands. (I guess this shouldn't be surprising because I've never played soccer and don't watch it on TV except for the World Cup, but I did read the autobiography of Hope Solo without seeing any of these things mentioned.)I found the first part of the book to be very choppy. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the translation from German, but the scene switched abruptly several times. The chapter about the Novelda debacle started with an overly detailed description of the Novelda striker without explaining what he had to do with the story; it had me flipping back trying to figure out why I had no idea who this important character was.The strength of the book was the second half, detailing Robert's second descent into depression. It was utterly compelling and horrifying because the reader knows that it will end in suicide, and because the reader has seen what a great guy Robert is and all the heartache he had already been through. The description of Robert's thinking process and experience of depression is pitch perfect, explaining the way the world looked to him without agreeing with it. I believe that if Robert hadn't been on the national football squad right before the World Cup, he would have gone into treatment for his depression and survived (as he did when he quit Fenerbahce). But because he was in such a high profile position, he felt that he couldn't take a break to go into treatment even though he knew that's what he needed. It's an understandable way of thinking, though if he had gone public with his depression it would not only probably have saved his life but it would also have been a step forward for the recognition of depression as an illness (and "not a weakness of character").The book ends rather abruptly after Robert's death. I would have liked to have read about the funeral, and the reactions of people who knew him (the beginning of the book mentions his coffin was laid out in the Hanover stadium but the end of the book says nothing about it), but perhaps that is just me being voyeuristic. There is great reporting in the book about the point of view of other people, such as what younger players thought of Robert (the 19-year-old goalkeeper who Robert had called to encourage after he was criticized publicly by his coach had goosebumps after he hung up the phone, the neighbor thought it was nice that Robert felt so at home at their place that he fell asleep on the couch during their daughter's birthday party (he was actually unable to cope with talking to people), the trainer originally thought that the reason Robert had lied to his wife about having training the day he died was because he was seeing another woman).Overall, a tragic story that is well worth reading. قيمت الكتاب لكن تهربت لفترة من كتابة مراجعة عنه..بصراحة ما اعرف كيف اصفه واعطيه قدره من الإعجاب..غير اعتيادي..كل الأمور في قصة روبرت اينكه غير اعتيادية,خلف الأبواب المغلقة لكل شخص اسرار سوداء لا يفصح عنها..كبشر نملك القدرة العجبية على توجيه الانتقادات والشتائم لكل شخص يقف امامنا لكن من ينظر لذاته وسلبياتها قبل سلبيات الأخرين هم نادرين..روبرت اينكه هرب من كل ما يعانيه بإقترافه للإنتحار هربا من شكوك الناس وسخريتهم عنه لو كشف عيوبه وإكتئابه..دائما ننظر للرياضين والرياضة على انها مهنة العمر مع الأموال الكثيرة والرفاه الكبير لكنها قادرة على تحطيم إرادة اي شخص بسبب التغطية الكبيرة والضغوط الهائلة على اللاعبين..رياضي بقيمة بوفون عانى من الإكتئاب لسنوات في حياته..في عالم اينكه الصغير داخل بيته ومع زوجته وابنته و وكيل اعماله كان الأب والصديق الإيجابي المحب لعائلته..في العالم المكشوف والكبير للرياضة لطالما عانى من الهتافات والإنتقادات..حاول كثيرا معالجتها لكن إرادته كسرت في 2008..كان يقول لزوجته في اخر ايامه لو تعلمين بما يدور في رأسي لسامحتني على كل ما فعلت!..وفاة ابنته اقفل ابواب الأمل امامه..الإكتئاب مرض اسود يفقدك كل معنى للحياة وكل قيمة لك كشخص..كتاب رائع وقصة انسانية مهمة للكل مهما كانت ميوله او اهتمامه خارج الكرة
What do You think about Robert Enke. Ein Allzu Kurzes Leben (2010)?
4.5 stars. Well-written, insightful. Will never look at football the same way again.
—niknak
Quite good but very definitely too cloying and sentimental.
—Jenny
