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Leather Soul

A Half-back Flanker's Rhythm and Blues
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( 295 ratings, 24 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Leather Soul is a distinctive memoir by Bob Murphy, chronicling his 17-year career in Australian football, including his time as captain of the Western Bulldogs. Murphy shares intimate stories about the people and events that influenced him, from his early days in 1980s Warragul through to his leadership role and the experience of his club's long-awaited grand final win. This deeply personal narrative explores the joys and hardships of the sport, the bonds formed, and the emotions tied to his journey on and off the field.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$6600

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for sports enthusiasts, fans of Australian football, and readers drawn to heartfelt memoirs revealing life beyond the game. Those interested in reflective sports writing and personal stories of leadership and resilience will find Leather Soul compelling.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In this unique memoir, Murphy takes the reader inside his seventeen-year career, including his three years as captain of the Western Bulldogs, exploring the people, places and events that shaped him.

'This isn't your typical footy book.' – Michael Rowland, ABC News Breakfast presenter

A young, naive kid, with a brand-new football. Over time, the leather aged from the bumps along the trail. The Footscray winters and some glorious liniment-scented afternoons. All of the laughs, the scraps, the yarns and characters. The game. It all left a mark on me, on my soul.

Bob Murphy has never been a typical footballer. Music buff, Age columnist and Winnebago driver, he is as comfortable in a quiet corner of a Fitzroy cafe or the front bar of a grungy pub as he is in the locker room.

Murphy takes the reader inside his 17-year career, including his three years as captain of the Bulldogs, exploring the people, places and events that shaped him – from playing backyard cricket in 1980s Warragul to Community Cup with Paul Kelly in the 2000s, and from the joy of marrying his high-school crush to the agony of a season-ending ACL rupture.

How did the country kid with a gypsy's heart become an All-Australian captain? What's it like to have your club win the grand final for the first time in 62 years and have to cheer from the sidelines? How does it feel to realise you can no longer do the things that made you great?

The celebrated Australian football bard Martin Flanagan has long insisted Bob Murphy has a book in him like no footballer has written. Leather Soul proves him right.

'We are indebted to him for making us believe in the game again.' – Gerard Whateley

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760641412

Publisher: Black Inc.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 July 2019

Country: Australia

Imprint: Nero

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 232.0mm

Weight: 456g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Bob Murphy played for the Western Bulldogs for 17 years and was their captain from 2015 to 2017. In 2015 Murphy was named captain of the year at the AFL Players Association awards and was also captain of the All-Australian team. The following year, the Bulldogs won their first premiership in 62 years. Murphy has written regularly for The Age, and his first book was Murphy's Lore.

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  • Leather Soul: A Half-back Flanker's Rhythm and Blues
    In this unique memoir, Murphy takes the reader inside his seventeen-year career, including his three years as captain of the Western Bulldogs, exploring the people, places and events that shaped him. A young, naive kid, with a brand-new football. Over time, the leather aged from the bumps along the trail. The Footscray winters and some glorious liniment-scented afternoons. All of...
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