The Tourist: What happens on tour stays on tour ….. UNTIL NOW!

Martin Chandler | 7:26am GMT 28 January 2024

Published: 2023
Pages: 311
Author: Tufnell, Phil
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 3 stars

Eighteen months ago I happened upon a copy of Phil Tufnell’s last book, How Not To Be A Cricketer. In much the same way a copy of Tuffers’ latest recently came my way, courtesy of a grateful client who knew that the traditional token of appreciation to a professional adviser wasn’t the best idea for someone who is almost a teetotaller.

So every now and then, when such clients have the good sense to consult a colleague about what might be appropriate, the words ‘get him a book about cricket’ are uttered. It doesn’t always work and only once, with a South African gentleman, resulted in receipt of something I was genuinely delighted to receive. But the two Tufnell books have at least been ones that I have enjoyed reading.

In reviewing The Tourist I am going to take the lazy route and just repeat my review of its predecessor, which I will do by repeating the link to it here. In summary however I simply underline that John Woodhouse is a quality ghostwriter, and that Tufnell has a wealth of material (albeit some of the tales are surely apocryphal?).

Something else the two books have in common is a title that suggests the reader is getting a book about cricket. Again however whilst cricket, and indeed Tufnell’s subsequent media activities, do provide a theme and a backdrop for the book there is no real cricket content and, rather disappointingly, no photographs.

The subtitle suggests that, this time round, the content may be a little racier than last time, and that there might be some revelations about off field behaviour that would be potentially damaging to the reputations of either or both of Tuffnell’s teammates or opponents. In truth however whilst others flit in and out of the story there is nothing here that would have raised an eyebrow amongst the publisher’s libel readers, or if there was their advice has been heeded and anything that was potentially defamatory completely removed.

I do wonder with books like this whether in some ways they fall between two stools. For cricket lovers there probably isn’t enough cricket, and at the same time for those who like Tufnell the television personality but have little or no interest in the game there is probably too much. The publishers will of course know the sales figures, but I don’t suppose they will know too much about the demographics of the purchasers, and what they are aware of I doubt they’d share with me.

As a conclusion,and to reinforce the point I made at the start of the review, I am going to repeat myself and say that the bottom line is that The Tourist: What happens on tour stays on tour ….. UNTIL NOW! is not going to go down as a classic of cricket literature, but at the same time for those who like Tufnell, and enjoy a bit of humour and irreverence, it is certainly worth a couple of hours of your time.