{"product_id":"ultra-1","title":"Ultra","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e Football Book of the Year \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUltras are often compared to punks, Hell''s Angels, hooligans or the South American Barras Bravas. But in truth, they are a thoroughly Italian phenomenon... \u003cbr\u003eFrom the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Dark Heart of Italy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBlood on the Altar\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eA Place of Refuge\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eItaly''s ultras are the most organised and violent fans in European football. Many groups have evolved into criminal gangs, involved in ticket-touting, drug-dealing and murder. A cross between the Hell''s Angels and hooligans, they''re often the foot-soldiers of the Mafia and have been instrumental in the rise of the far-right. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the purist ultras say that they are are insurgents fighting against a police state and modern football. Only amongst the ultras, they say, can you find belonging, community and a sacred concept of sport. They champion not just their teams, they say, but their forgotten suburbs and the dispossessed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough the prism of the ultras, Jones crafts a compelling investigation into Italian society and its favourite sport. He writes about not just the ultras of some of Italy''s biggest clubs – Juventus, Torino, Lazio, Roma and Genoa – but also about its lesser-known ones from Cosenza and Catania. He examines the sinister side of football fandom, with its violence and political extremism, but also admires the passion, wit, solidarity and style of a fascinating and contradictory subculture.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57306361069950,"sku":"NW9781786697370","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9781786697370.jpg?v=1778649097","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/en-usa\/products\/ultra-1","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}