Tony Smith recounts the life of his father, the legendary Scottish footballer, Gordon Smith. He describes Gordon's life from humble beginnings in backstreet alleys kicking stones in place of a football to the stature of becoming one ot the most naturally gifted players in the history of British football.

Despite the overwhelming opposition on the left to the war in Iraq, many prominent liberals supported the war on humanitarian grounds. This text traces the drift in mainstream liberal thinking toward a more militant posture in world affairs with respect to human rights and democracy promotion.