Cricket Books

[fredfertang]

It was the 50th anniversary of Bodyline and the publicity that surrounded that that started me off on my book collecting habit - there is a huge amount of material about.

The Jardine book is one I like - it makes no mention of the word Bodyline and indeed to read it you would think that nothing controversial happened on the tour at all!

Back in the 80's a book called "The Bodyline Controversy" by Laurence Le Quesne was the book to read if you were going to pick just one although I suspect Frith's magnum opus has bettered it.

Arthur Mailey did a little book of humerous sketches which is entertaining and a similar sort of publication called "Bodywhine" exists - a copy was on ebay recently but $AUS 2000 was too much for me - wasn't you who won it was it Archie?

Unless you really don't mind getting sucked in (and the contemporary stuff, as you see is expensive) I would recommend starting with Frith's book

 

[archie mac]

It was the 50th anniversary of Bodyline and the publicity that surrounded that that started me off on my book collecting habit - there is a huge amount of material about.

The Jardine book is one I like - it makes no mention of the word Bodyline and indeed to read it you would think that nothing controversial happened on the tour at all!

Back in the 80's a book called "The Bodyline Controversy" by Laurence Le Quesne was the book to read if you were going to pick just one although I suspect Frith's magnum opus has bettered it.

Arthur Mailey did a little book of humerous sketches which is entertaining and a similar sort of publication called "Bodywhine" exists - a copy was on ebay recently but $AUS 2000 was too much for me - wasn't you who won it was it Archie?

Unless you really don't mind getting sucked in (and the contemporary stuff, as you see is expensive) I would recommend starting with Frith's book

I did bid, as I have been after that one for quite awhile now, but I spoke to Roger Page and he said it is worth about 150 Aus

 

[fredfertang]

A couple of dealers here have it @ £850 - the underbidder was another UK dealer - I thought the whole auction looked a bit iffy to be honest what with the winner having zero feedback!

 

[archie mac]

A couple of dealers here have it @ £850 - the underbidder was another UK dealer - I thought the whole auction looked a bit iffy to be honest what with the winner having zero feedback!

I will tell Roger to put one away for me next time he gets one

 

[neville cardus]

Yours truly works his effusive way through a prime example of the malaise of mediocrity that afflicts cricket fiction:

http://www.cricketweb.net/cricketbooks/5250.php

 

[fredfertang]

Fiction and sport are not well suited – part of the appeal of any sport is its capacity to produce the unexpected, the unbelievable, the dramatic or the simply absorbing so fiction, which has the same goals, cant add anything to reality. Thus you have to put the sport in the context of some other genre which will usually alienate the sports fan who probably doesn’t like the other genre and alienate the fan of the other genre who won’t like the sport.

I’ve tried to read a few cricket fiction books but never got very far – even De Selincourt’s book “The Cricket Match”, which seems to be acknowledged as the best there is, and which I did finish, is not particularly memorable.

 

[zaremba]

The famous cricket match scene from "England, their England" by A.G. Macdonell is absolutely superb but it is the only bit of fiction about cricket that I can remember liking.

"Testkill" by Ted Dexter is the worst book I've ever read, and I say that without ever having read it. I've read the title and that was enough for me

 

[stumpski]

I don't think I've ever read a good cricket novel - perhaps the game doesn't lend itself well to fiction. Playing for the Ashes by Elizabeth George, later filmed by the BBC, is a not-bad detective story but the cricket is fairly incidental. The writer is American so could be commended for her courage in tackling the subject at all. Adult Book by Malcolm Knox has more cricket, but a weaker storyline IMO.

Archie's 1200-book collection sounds awesome. I have about 1000 fewer than that, and I have trouble accommodating them all.

 

[neville cardus]

I am given to understand that Joseph O'Neill's much-hailed Netherland, a sociological apologue of Gatsby's ilk, is a burgeoning classic. Annoyingly, it is yet to dock on South African shores.

 

[fredfertang]

It has a decent review in next month's TWC but I am still not tempted

 

[Lillian Thomson]

They're practically giving them away on Amazon UK.

 

[archie mac]

"Testkill" by Ted Dexter is the worst book I've ever read, and I say that without ever having read it. I've read the title and that was enough for me

I have read it; many years ago, and quite enjoyed it, although I was only very young

 

[neville cardus]

It has a decent review in next month's TWC but I am still not tempted

You never fail to astound: how did you come to know that?

 

[wisden18]

Not wanting to steal Fred's thunder, but there was a review on cricinfo, which it stated would be published in next month's TWC.

 

[SJS]

It was the 50th anniversary of Bodyline and the publicity that surrounded that that started me off on my book collecting habit - there is a huge amount of material about.

The Jardine book is one I like - it makes no mention of the word Bodyline and indeed to read it you would think that nothing controversial happened on the tour at all!

Back in the 80's a book called "The Bodyline Controversy" by Laurence Le Quesne was the book to read if you were going to pick just one although I suspect Frith's magnum opus has bettered it.

Arthur Mailey did a little book of humerous sketches which is entertaining and a similar sort of publication called "Bodywhine" exists - a copy was on ebay recently but $AUS 2000 was too much for me - wasn't you who won it was it Archie?

Unless you really don't mind getting sucked in (and the contemporary stuff, as you see is expensive) I would recommend starting with Frith's book

Is their a hardcover version of David Frith's book available ?

 

[fredfertang]

Yes published by Aurum and, if you like that sort of thing, there is a signed leather bound limited edition that was published by Bodyline Books

 

[SJS]

Yes published by Aurum and, if you like that sort of thing, there is a signed leather bound limited edition that was published by Bodyline Books

Where can one buy either of these ?

 

[fredfertang]

Where can one buy either of these ?

The hardback is out of print but sold very well for a cricket book so is by no means rare - would have thought there should be plenty on the second hand market.

I believe Bodyline still have some copies of the limited edition but i dont know the price

 

[selina]

The famous book "More than a game"- John Major is very fascinating. John Major’s history of cricket reflects passion for the game.Throughout John Major’s life, one of the best factors has been his deep love of cricket.
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Selina
http://www.inspire-itsolutions.com

 

[wisden18]

I don't think Bodyline do have any more of the leather ones in stock, at least they didn't a month or two ago when I e-mailed to ask them. No harm in asking though of course.