Cricket Books

[zaremba]

My top three (I think) - very different books:

1. The Willow Wand - Derek Birley. Endlessly fascinating - challenges much of the myth and hypocrisy surrounding the game and its history.

2. Rain Men - Marcus Berkmann. Extremely funny.

3. Mystery Spinner - Gideon Haigh. Wonderful biography of Jack Iversen.

 

[pasag]

Fifty Incredible Cricket matches

 

[SJS]

SJS, if you want to sample it, please send a mail to general.tapioca@gmail.com I have the scanned pdfs of a couple of chapters.

Check your mail box Tapi

 

[archie mac]

My top three (I think) - very different books:

1. The Willow Wand - Derek Birley. Endlessly fascinating - challenges much of the myth and hypocrisy surrounding the game and its history.

2. Rain Men - Marcus Berkmann. Extremely funny.

3. Mystery Spinner - Gideon Haigh. Wonderful biography of Jack Iversen.

I am still yet to read the top two, but it is especially the top one that I want to read

We will have a book review of the middle one up soon, we already have reviews up of the other two

 

[zaremba]

Archie, I can't find the review of The Willow Wand. Am I looking in the wrong place? Since you've not read it yet you are in for a treat. It's a complete joy from beginning to end, although if you believe that cricket is anything more than a (wonderful) game your preconceptions will be seriously challenged.

BTW I very much like the look of your top 12 cricket books and enjoyed your brief reviews of them. In fact it's inspired me to visit amazon to see what's available, and have just ordered 4 of them...

 

[neville cardus]

Archie confirms in the post preceeding yours that he is yet to delve into the delights of The Willow Wand. Poor bugger.

 

[zaremba]

Are you a fan of the WW then, Nev?

(my last post now edited for clarity!)

 

[neville cardus]

Are you a fan of the WW then, Nev?

I wasn't when, aged nine, I first tackled its scholastic prose, but it recently became the only book in my collection to be read more than once. Get to it, Archibald.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

How are you finding Grovel?

Finished it today, I'm torn between the dustbin and eBay.

 

[archie mac]

Archie, I can't find the review of The Willow Wand. Am I looking in the wrong place? Since you've not read it yet you are in for a treat. It's a complete joy from beginning to end, although if you believe that cricket is anything more than a (wonderful) game your preconceptions will be seriously challenged.

BTW I very much like the look of your top 12 cricket books and enjoyed your brief reviews of them. In fact it's inspired me to visit amazon to see what's available, and have just ordered 4 of them...

Sorry mate, I think we have reviews up of the other two. I do have a review of WW by Stuart to go up in the next few weeks

Which ones have you ordered?

 

[archie mac]

Archie confirms in the post preceeding yours that he is yet to delve into the delights of The Willow Wand. Poor bugger.

Are you a fan of the WW then, Nev?

(my last post now edited for clarity!)

I wasn't when, aged nine, I first tackled its scholastic prose, but it recently became the only book in my collection to be read more than once. Get to it, Archibald.

Yes I must get it

Stuart said he would led me his, but I know I would not give it back, so I said no

 

[archie mac]

Finished it today, I'm torn between the dustbin and eBay.

Truly surprised, I think they also gave it a good review in Wisden?

Oh well 'to each his own'

 

[zaremba]

Today's 4 Amazon orders:

Purple Patches
Days in the Sun
Sing All a Green Willow
A La Recherche Du Cricket Perdu

(already ordered 10 Great Bowlers, 10 Great Innings and A Fair Field and No Favour yesterday. God knows when I'll get the chance to read this lot).

 

[archie mac]

Today's 4 Amazon orders:

Purple Patches
Days in the Sun
Sing All a Green Willow
A La Recherche Du Cricket Perdu

(already ordered 10 Great Bowlers, 10 Great Innings and A Fair Field and No Favour yesterday. God knows when I'll get the chance to read this lot).

Good stuff, Mr. Barker is a quality writer

Sing all a Green Willow, is not for everyone, I hope you enjoy it!

 

[silentstriker]

I am still yet to read the top two, but it is especially the top one that I want to read

We will have a book review of the middle one up soon, we already have reviews up of the other two

Have you read Cricket Wallah? Cricinfo said it was a good book, I'm wondering if I should buy it.

 

[SJS]

Have you read Cricket Wallah? Cricinfo said it was a good book, I'm wondering if I should buy it.

by Scyld Berry ? Yes its good.

 

[archie mac]

Have you read Cricket Wallah? Cricinfo said it was a good book, I'm wondering if I should buy it.

by Scyld Berry ? Yes its good.

I have not read that one, but it is supposed to be good, and as SJS thinks so, I would certainly give it a go

 

[SJS]

I have not read that one, but it is supposed to be good, and as SJS thinks so, I would certainly give it a go

If it is the one I think it is

 

[stumpski]

I've started 'Cricket 1700-1835' and will let you know what I think of it in due course. A bit lacking in colour so far, hopefully it'll pick up.

 

[fredfertang]

Scyld Berry wrote a very good book on the 87/88 England tour (Gatt's notorious spat with Shakoor Rana) as well - he reappeared in print again in 2006 with that book on the 1882/83 tour just to remind us what a good writer he is - can't really understand why nothing in between - can only assume writing books is not his preference which is a shame.