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Cricket Books

zaremba

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
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.
 
archie mac

archie mac

International Coach
zaremba said:
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.
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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

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
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...
 
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neville cardus

neville cardus

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

archie mac

International Coach
zaremba said:
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...
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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 mac

International Coach
neville cardus said:
Archie confirms in the post preceeding yours that he is yet to delve into the delights of The Willow Wand. Poor bugger.
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zaremba said:
Are you a fan of the WW then, Nev?

(my last post now edited for clarity!)
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neville cardus said:
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.
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Yes I must get it:-O

Stuart said he would led me his, but I know I would not give it back, so I said no:ph34r:
 
zaremba

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
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

archie mac

International Coach
zaremba said:
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).
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Good stuff, Mr. Barker is a quality writer:cool:

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

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
archie mac said:
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
Click to expand...
Have you read Cricket Wallah? Cricinfo said it was a good book, I'm wondering if I should buy it.
 
stumpski

stumpski

International Captain
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

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
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.
 
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