Renowned author David Peace, acclaimed for his candid exploration of challenging themes including mental illness, social discord, and violent crime becomes surprisingly apprehensive, particularly when discussing his latest work, Munichs. Covering the book is an image of the late distinguished English footballer, Bobby Charlton, an inclusion Peace was initially uneasy about due to the recent nature of Charlton’s passing.
The book delves into the Munich air disaster of February 6, 1958, where a plane carrying Manchester United’s team, staff, and journalists tragically crashed on taking off from Munich airport, claiming the lives of 23 individuals. The image of Charlton, captured in his hometown of Ashington, situated in the north of England, depicts him playing football with local children while recuperating from his accident.
In addition to this, Peace’s novel incorporates an ode to renowned author James Joyce, an inclusion that sparks additional anxiety in Peace, which will be elaborated upon later. Peace, who has resided in Tokyo since 1994, was inspired to pen Munichs due to a connection to his father, to whom the book is dedicated.
For years, they held recurring discussions of crafting a book focused on Bobby Charlton, which ultimately led to the idea of it being the sequel to Peace’s earlier football-themed novels; The Damned Utd— a narrative about the tumultuous stint of Brian Clough as the manager of Leeds United, and Red or Dead—a piece on Liverpool’s manager, Bill Shankly.
Although Peace and his father were ardent supporters of Huddersfield Town, they frequently conversed about the Busby Babes, the youthful team formed by Matt Busby–Manchester United’s manager in the 1950s. Several members of this team tragically lost their lives in the Munich disaster. The quality of the team’s gameplay, witnessed by Peace’s father as a young teenager, sparked a profound admiration that lived on in their weekly Skype discussions. Following his father’s death and his return to Tokyo, Peace found it challenging to return to his 20-year project; UK-DK. Consequently, writing Munichs became a way of perpetuating their shared passion.
Peace was not an athletic kid, despite his father having an affinity for sports such as cricket and football. He recalls attending football matches with his father, however, his interests lay elsewhere. While his dad was engrossed in sports, Peace was drawn to writing, drawing, and the dream of being in a band. Drawing from his lack of sporting prowess, he surmises that writing sports books may have been his way of seeking approval from his father, by metaphorically making it onto a sports team.
There are various aspects to Peace’s writing work, with sports intrigue being simply one part of it. Apart from that, he has a penchant for writing about violent crime, as evidenced in his Red Riding quartet. In addition, he has delved into the social history of the UK, for example, in the book GB84, based on the miners’ strike and has explored Japan in his Tokyo trilogy.
His unfinished novel, UK-DK, focusing on Britain in the Harold Wilson-era has garnered a cult following. Peace’s unique writing style often includes repetition and patterning, immersing readers to the point where it feels as though they’re not just reading about the events, but personally recalling them.
Peace’s novel Munichs has an extensive list of 65 books used as references. So how does Peace decide when to cease research and start writing? To establish a boundary for himself, Peace decreed that he would not go beyond the football cup final of May 1958. He also sought to remain devoid of any hindsight to keep the characters in the moment and transport the reader back to those times.
Peace’s books, with just one exception, are typically based on actual historical events, a principle he strictly adheres to. In his novel Munichs, the lives of Bobby Charlton, who had vowed to give up football following a crash, and the tragic death of Duncan Edwards are portrayed with a moving rawness that deeply affects readers, illustrating Peace’s accomplishment in achieving his aims. Upon being asked whether such powerful writings stirred his own emotions, Peace burst into laughter.
While it may seem dramatic, reading aloud what I’d previously written each week was a surprise and, sometimes, a personal shock – especially when it came to the fate of Duncan. Munich’s story was a national calamity and it played a significant part in our cultural narrative. The disaster was devastating, but for me, it also echoed a message of resilience. I feel there’s a scarcity of such stories that underpin the resilience of common people in trying times. It was significant not only for me but also for my father that this story was put in print.
My commitment to fact-checking is paramount, given the gravity of the topic. Most of my works, with the exception of my first book ‘1974’, are grounded in reality. I am committed to the principle of not including anything in my books that I know is unfounded. However, there are instances where emotional truth may not align with literal fact, which is perfectly depicted via the ghostly encounter of Nobby Stiles and Eddie Colman in the book.
Although Munich’s tale is that of a notable catastrophe, the narrative encompasses a broad spectrum of tones, even featuring humour. There’s a real-life incident in the book where Stan Crowther was signed to the United team merely an hour before an FA Cup match, showcasing the team’s desperation to revive following the Munich disaster. A touch of comic relief is offered by the casual assurance the acting manager Jimmy Murphy offers Stan about their timely arrival at the ground through police escort.
Incorporating humour in a book that centres around tragedy was a conscious choice, as it mirrors the complexity of life. It showcases the minor comedies that occur amidst such a massive tragedy. As Munich affected individuals across different strata, I felt it was crucial to present a multi-voiced narrative to capture diverse experiences of players, managers, relatives, and more.
Undeniably, a broader societal perspective was originally envisaged for Munichs. “My idea was perhaps to unravel the narrative of Manchester United in a more extended format, akin to a novel featuring a string of stories, from the Munich era to their European Cup victory a decade later in 1968,” the speaker reveals. “The ‘Dubliners’ was my inspiration, with United serving as the link weaving all the stories together; unfortunately, I never ventured beyond the Munich narrative.”
In respect to the ‘Dubliners’, an excerpt from ‘The Dead’, the concluding tale of Joyce’s anthology, serves as the prologue of the book. The book also includes a tribute to the celebrated final lines of that tale — softly falling snow. In Munich, Peace illustrates this snow “softly blanketing the demolished house at the end of the airstrip, gently covering the plane’s debris… and the mortuary where the bodies of the twenty victims awaited with a longing to return home.”
“The Dead, arguably the most accomplished of short stories, is something I was apprehensive about emulating”, the speaker admits. “Having inspired a slew of inferior works, the last thing I wanted was to contribute to that list. When I forwarded my book to Faber, my publisher, I half-expected a half-hearted endorsement, followed by an instruction to exclude certain parts. Yet, it mattered to me: it was a personal connection.”
Regarding his political leanings, he professes, “Although a steadfast Corbynista, I favour a Labour government in comparison to the preceding 14 years.”
And the best facet of being a writer? “An overwhelming sense of gratitude engulfs me for having the liberty to pursue this profession. Initially, after 14 years of relentless writing and a series of rejections, I was told not to resubmit my work. But, the essence of writing lies in the process itself. Exhilarating moments are when I feel like I’m merely transcribing thoughts into words. The real task is to jot them down faster than they flow into my mind,” he discloses.
The author relishes the opportunity to interact with his readers and will be heading to Ireland this October for the promotion of his book, Munichs. His early writings, notorious for their graphic and unsettling content, often give readers a certain impression of him. He recalls an event in London for his second novel, 1977, where he showed up dishevelled and stained with vomit after a night out, leading a reader to remark that he was exactly how they pictured him.
While known for his insights into British politics and society, he takes his time to answer when asked if he is pleased with a Labour government. Finally, he admits that he is, despite being a staunch Corbyn supporter, and regardless of his numerous concerns with Keir Starmer and the current Labour administration. He asserts that he would prefer them over the last 14 years of the Conservatives.
When asked if his latest book concludes his football-themed trilogy, his prompt response is negative. He observes that football is deeply woven into the fabric of working-class history, teeming with phenomenal characters and captivating narratives. It’s a treasure trove of material for a novelist, he muses. He highly doubts his work with football is over. The next move is eagerly anticipated, possibly the much-awaited UK-DK release.
His novel, Munichs, will be available from the 27th of August, published by Faber & Faber.