What is the Best Cricket Book you've Ever Read?

[jf2001]

I run a cricket site: www.southwestcricket.com that has a cricket book review section in its infancy. Just interested what the very best cricket book you've ever read was and perhaps I'll review some of them. For the record, I'd thoroughly reccomend the Bodyline novel on my site, captures the fantastic drama of the series.

John Fuller

 

[vic_orthdox]

best - great days in test cricket, rick james
worst - the one on steve waugh's century against england

 

[Top_Cat]

Best: Too many to mention but probably 'Mystery Spinner' about Jack Iverson.
Worst: Much easier - Tim Zohrer's 'The Gloves Are Off'. I defy anyone to beat that as the worst.

 

[vic_orthdox]

jack iverson. that guy is amazing. one of the freaks of cricket.

 

[Link]

Michael Vaughan's: 'A year in the Sun'.

 

[savill]

Many A Slip - Gideon Haigh

 

[Pratters]

The autobiography of Gary Sobers and Frank Worrell and excellent. Gives you excellent perspective into West Indies cricket.

There is a book on the Indian tour of Pakistan which I will buy after exams. Its by Rahul Bhattacharya. Another book I have to read is beyond the boundary by C.L.R.James. I have heard so much about it.

Also another book SJS suggested to me. I will have to take that name from him again.

 

[willb88]

Nasser Hussain's Playing With Fire.
This book is amazing, it gives you so much of an insight to how english cricket is run and the people within it.

 

[Link]

^^ havent heard of that one before. Since hes retired i found a liking for hussain, that will be a book i will look out for

 

[BoyBrumby]

I've yet to read anything to surpass David Frith's Bodyline Autopsy.

It's always premature to call anything definitive (check how many versions of The Bible there are!), but I would say that it is the touchstone by which all other books about the 32/33 tour will be judged. Frith's research is impeccable & he uncovers at least one genuine scoop that I'm afraid you'll have to read it to find out!

It is particularly admirable because it avoids the psychological speculation that afflicts much sports writing; Frith presents the facts as they are & credits his reader with the intellect to make their own mind up.

I have to also to give an honourable mention to Peter Oborne's majestic biography Basil D'Oliveira. It successfully paints its subject as an ordinary man with a supreme talent caught up in an extraordinary situation.

 

[Langeveldt]

I run a cricket site: www.southwestcricket.com that has a cricket book review section in its infancy. Just interested what the very best cricket book you've ever read was and perhaps I'll review some of them. For the record, I'd thoroughly reccomend the Bodyline novel on my site, captures the fantastic drama of the series.

John Fuller

Textbook plug there John.. Be sure to check out my photos while you're at it!

Best book I've read is probably Gazza by Gary Kirsten and Neil Manthorp... It hadn't occured to me what an undervalued sportsman and fine ambassador for his sport and country Gazza was.. I wish I admired the guy more while he was playing...

In the book he talks about growing up with his cricket mad family in Newlands, and competing with his brother in the yard, and then for South Africa.. A lot of the book is actually other people talking about him, which is good because it obviously presents other viewpoints/stories..

White Lightning by Allan Donald is more a politically interesting read, as AAD started his career as an Afrikaaner never thinking he would see his country play test cricket, and then went on to partner guys like Gladstone Small and Makhaya Ntini.. The book is great if you are interested in the thoughts of people during that time, as well as his battles with Atherton, Dravid and the WC semi 1999.. Great stuff

I don't read unless I am on holiday or on an aircraft, and I have "Playing Hard Ball" by Ed Smith (Im a baseball fan too) lined up, as well as Aggers's autobiog.. With GK, AAD and JA, I'm covering possibly my three most liked names in cricket..

 

[Swervy]

I don't read unless I am on holiday or on an aircraft, and I have "Playing Hard Ball" by Ed Smith (Im a baseball fan too) lined up, as well as Aggers's autobiog.. With GK, AAD and JA, I'm covering possibly my three most liked names in cricket..

That is a fascinating read

 

[Chubb]

Definately Mystery Spinner and Many a Slip by Gideon Haigh, who is easily the best cricket writer around.

Also Playing Hard Ball and On and Off the Field I know Ed Smith isn't everybody's cup of tea but I think he's a good writer.

 

[Swervy]

Definately Mystery Spinner and Many a Slip by Gideon Haigh, who is easily the best cricket writer around.

Also Playing Hard Ball and On and Off the Field I know Ed Smith isn't everybody's cup of tea but I think he's a good writer.

he is a good writer..its nice to see a player not have a ghost writer

 

[BoyBrumby]

he is a good writer..its nice to see a player not have a ghost writer

I'll bet there's not too many cricket writers around with a double first from Cambridge!

Ed Smith's frighteningly clever.

 

[Sir Redman]

I've heard many people recommend Glenn Turner's autobiography, although I've never been able to find it. It's meant to be very good for struggling batsmen

 

[Zinzan]

I've heard many people recommend Glenn Turner's autobiography, although I've never been able to find it. It's meant to be very good for struggling batsmen

Yes...a fantastic book for technical advise. I'm referring to his first book that came at in the early 80s (the name escape's me),not "lifting the covers" which was his latter book which discusses politics and personalities more than anything else.

I also enjoyed ....

John Wrights..."Christmas in Raratonga"
Ian Smiths ..."Just a drummer in the band"
Ian Bothams ..."Botham:"
Joseph Romanos' ..."Tourtured Genius" biography on Martin Crowe.
Hadlee's ..."Rhythm and swing" and "At the Double"
Ken Ruthefords..."Hell of a way to make a living"

I didn't think either Cairns bio or Fleming new autobio were very good at all.

 

[SquidAU]

I have always enjoyed Steve Waugh's books. But the best book I read was Best of Bevan. Not an autobiography, but just his view on all the best matches he has played in. Good to see it all from his perspective!

 

[Son Of Coco]

The worst would be A Year to Remember - Mark Waugh. Absolutely terrible, provides a good argument for ghost writers, I get the feeling he let his ego get in the way of his writing a bit.

 

[SquidAU]

The worst would be A Year to Remember - Mark Waugh. Absolutely terrible, provides a good argument for ghost writers, I get the feeling he let his ego get in the way of his writing a bit.

Is his biography any good? I just got it off Ebay and am waiting for it in the mail.

And very soon, I shall have all of Steve Waughs Diary series......did he do one in his last year of cricket?