Cricket Books

[a massive zebra]

Thomson was a very competent writer who clearly loved his subject matter but for me his books often suffered from hagiography which resulted in him failing to provide a balanced view.

[a massive zebra]

Originally Posted by SJS

1. The Great Batsmen : Their Methods at a Glance - by Fry and Beldam - for the fabulous, priceless and extremely rare action pictures of the players of a hundred years ago. No amount of written words could have shown me how Grace, Trumper, Ranji and Maclaren batted as well as I got to know from this fantastic collection. Anyone who can afford it should buy it. If you cant afford it today, make a note of it to remember to buy it as soon as you can

2. A History of Cricket (2 volumes) Harry Altham and Swanton - Easily the best book on the subject. Wish someone would write a third volume covering the period from 1960 till date.

3. Turn of The Wheel by PGH Fender The finest tour book by the finest captain never to lead his country and it shows in the book.

4. The Players by Ric Sisson - a poignant account of the plight of the professional cricketr in England at the turn of the last century.

5. The Art of Captaincy by Brearley - The best book by a massive margin on the subject.

6. The Art of Cricket by Bradman - The finest book on cricket technique/coaching that you can find.

7. Beyond A Boundary by CLR James - widely acclaimed the greatest cricket book. Even if you dont agree, just read it and you will know why it is rated so high.

8. The Best of Cricket Fiction (2 Volumes) by Leslie Frewin - again the best collection of cricket fiction which is something not talked of much and many cricket fans are deprived of a great source of entertainment.

9. Picador Book of Cricket (Edited by Ramchandra Guha) - There are so many cricket anthologies and its difficult to chose one. Here is an anthology that I suspect has been compiled from different anthologies (apologies to Guha if thats not the case) which makes it a very fine collection and it has the articles very well categorised. My favourite book out of India even if it is just an anthology.

10. Harold Gimblett : Tormented Genius by David Foot - probably he best biography one has read from the hundreds available.

[/SIZE]

That's a very well considered top 10 with great breadth and profundity. It actually includes 6 of the books in my own personal top 10 and I have not read The Turn of The Wheel, The Players or The Best of Cricket Fiction - will have to look out for them.

Have you read Old Ebor's Talks With Old English Cricketers. It contains rare, rich, rewarding and yet sometimes shocking interviews with many of England's top cricketers of the third quarter of the 19th century, many of whom were struggling to make ends meet by the time the interviews were conducted at the end of the century. I would really recommend getting this if you haven't yet done so, the interviews with Emmett, Pooley and Ulyett really are wonderful.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by a massive zebra

That's a very well considered top 10 with great breadth and profundity. It actually includes 6 of the books in my own personal top 10 and I have not read The Turn of The Wheel, The Players or The Best of Cricket Fiction - will have to look out for them.

Have you read Old Ebor's Talks With Old English Cricketers. It contains rare, rich, rewarding and yet sometimes shocking interviews with many of England's top cricketers of the third quarter of the 19th century, many of whom were struggling to make ends meet by the time the interviews were conducted at the end of the century. I would really recommend getting this if you haven't yet done so, the interviews with Emmett, Pooley and Ulyett really are wonderful.

Yes I have. I have both his books - this one and "Talks with Old Yorkshire Cricketers"

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by a massive zebra

That's a very well considered top 10 with great breadth and profundity. It actually includes 6 of the books in my own personal top 10 and I have not read The Turn of The Wheel, The Players or The Best of Cricket Fiction - will have to look out for them.

Have you read Old Ebor's Talks With Old English Cricketers. It contains rare, rich, rewarding and yet sometimes shocking interviews with many of England's top cricketers of the third quarter of the 19th century, many of whom were struggling to make ends meet by the time the interviews were conducted at the end of the century. I would really recommend getting this if you haven't yet done so, the interviews with Emmett, Pooley and Ulyett really are wonderful.

Review on the site

[fredfertang]

Pullin also wrote one of the first full length biographies of a cricketer, of Alfred Shaw in 1902.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by fredfertang

Pullin also wrote one of the first full length biographies of a cricketer, of Alfred Shaw in 1902.

Really? I knew he had written a History of Yorkshire Cricket but a biography of Shaw? Could you give the full name of the book since I cant seem t find it at my usual sources.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by SJS

Really? I knew he had written a History of Yorkshire Cricket but a biography of Shaw? Could you give the full name of the book since I cant seem t find it at my usual sources.

Okay found it. Its really shown as written by Shaw himself but "as recorded by A W Pulin"

[SJS]

Originally Posted by fredfertang

Pullin also wrote one of the first full length biographies of a cricketer, of Alfred Shaw in 1902.

Whats the best price you think you might be able to manage for a copy?

[fredfertang]

Originally Posted by SJS

Whats the best price you think you might be able to manage for a copy?

The copy in the fertang collection was £60 - I bought it from a dealer so that's about the going rate

[stumpski]

That's an excellent article you've posted today Martin - not a review of the 2009 Wisden - which is what I was expecting - but a potted history of the almanack. Great stuff. How often do you read them though, and do you think it's possible to read a copy right through? I have 1961 and 1970 by my bedside, for reasons which now escape me.

[archie mac]

Some great stuff about Wisden Cricket Web - Cricket Books: Wisden 2009

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by fredfertang

The copy in the fertang collection was £60 - I bought it from a dealer so that's about the going rate

I have found a copy online for US $90 before shipping in Australia.

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by Goughy

I have found a copy online for US $90 before shipping in Australia.

If you don't take it mate I will

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by archie mac

If you don't take it mate I will

Im not going to take it though Im looking at a Neville Cardus autobiography.

Is that a recommended book?

EDIT- do you need the details of the seller or do you already have them?

[Goughy]

ok, just looking at a few books online.

These caught my eye. All are 1st ed, most signed. They are all available pretty cheap.

Anyone have any opinions on them? Good, crap, waste of space, required reading etc?

The Bradman Era- Bill O'Reilly and Jack Egan
The Hand That Bowled Bradman: Memories of a Professional Cricketer- Bill Andrews
The Golden Age of Cricket 1890-1914- Frith, David
Sort of a Cricket Person- Swanton, Ernest William
Cricket Crossfire- Miller, Keith
Cricket Indulgence: An Anthology Of The Cricket Writings Of Chris Harte- Harding, D M
Behind the Shades- Fletcher, Duncan
Just My Story- Hutton,Len
The Greatest Test Teams- Graveney, Tom
From Larwood to Lillee- Bailey, Trevor; Trueman, Fred

Oh and if Im going to spend a few dollars more

The Story of Cricket's Early Years (1st ed. SIGNED AND DATED) - John Major

Anyone reviewed it?