Gary B France has been a Manchester United fanatic for over forty years. He has worked as a medical healthcare professional since 1987. His career has provided him the opportunity to help thousands of patients recover from injury. As he states: “there has never been a dull moment.” Gary has a passion for music, which led him to becoming a radio DJ in Ann Arbor, MI in the mid-90s, with his Saturday morning show “The British Invasion.” An avid writer, Gary has always maintained a diary to reflect on his journey. He has turned many of these recollections into his first book “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United,” a twenty-year labor of love.

“Gary France’s remarkable book Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of United, ostensibly about one young man’s dedication to the English football club Manchester United, is about so much more than the love of a soccer team. Certainly, it’s about France’s dedication to Man U, but the main themes seem to be more about finding one’s place in this world—even if it means leaving the only country one has ever known—and the intrinsic fellowship of man, even if that man is pulling for another team. The real heart of this book is the heart: France describes in loving detail the connections he formed with other football fans, especially his own father in Great Britain, whom he phoned during and after most matches. This is a book about the ability of a game to both inspire and connect us—and it’s about the best that sport has to offer, which is community and belonging.” — Dr. William J. Rouster, Ph.D., Professor of English, Oakland University

“I’m not a true soccer fan. It’s one of the few sports I haven’t played much, but Gary’s love for Manchester United resonates deeply with me as a Philadelphia Eagles fan. My scarf happens to be a Brian Dawkins jersey! I really enjoyed the early stages of the book because I think most Americans feel like outsiders when it comes to soccer, especially English football culture. The stories from Gary’s childhood really allowed me to see this world from the inside and realize how similar it is to my own. Also, I love how Gary employs slang throughout and the dialogue, especially shifting dialect, is awesome. There have been many times in my reading where I noticed Gary writing about football in the same way I would write about baseball, so I can feel his love for his team, and his heritage, dripping from every word. Beyond the soccer aspect, there is so much more to this story. It is the story of adapting to new environments and retaining time-honored rituals in a foreign land. It is the story of pride. Of determination. Of gracefully finding life-long bonds within the joyful rabble of trash talk. It is a story of resilience and sacrifice, and holding on to family from across a vast ocean. Quite honestly, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of United embodies the fanatic sports fan in all of us. And I should know. I’m one of them!” — Frank Morelli, Author, “No Sad Songs”