The World Cup Chronicles - #Brazil2014 revisited

An enjoyable evening on Thursday 12 July at Western Sydney University for the launch of Jorge Knijnik's book, The World Cup Chronicles - 31 Days that Rocked Brazil. This is our second published book, following the Encyclopedia of Socceroos and they're very different from one another.

The managing editor of Fair Play Publishing, Bonita Mersiades, explained to the audience why publishing 'really good football books' (our tag line) is an important contribution to the development of football in Australia and, especially in the case of Jorge's book, our understanding and knowledge of its broader consequences and implications internationally. (This is also true of Bonita's book, Whatever It Takes - the Inside Story of the FIFA Way published by Powderhouse Press).

Jorge also gave an excellent presentation on his book, showing some of the marvellous photographs taken by women photographers from Brazil, as well as taking us through the genesis of the unrest at the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the profound implications of the World Cup for the people of Brazil.

We also heard from former diplomat, Professor Jocelyn Chey, who talked of sport and soft power, and why countries engage in bidding for major world events. A fascinating insight that was both practical (from a diplomatic perspective) and evidence-based.

Enjoy these photos we're sharing courtesy of a member of the 60-strong audience, Pablo Bateson. And do yourself a favour and buy the book ... right here or on Amazon in digital and paperback versions.