Cricket
As evidence of eccentricity I submit to you that Whistlestop Bookshop’s website has a page dedicated to cricket, a worldwide bat-and-ball sport that is generally and comprehensively NOT understood in the United States. As with most interests, I came upon it in literature, which is why I include fiction titles here. I also became intrigued by the excellent cricket reporting in The Times and the Sunday Times of London. To a comical extent I can be mystified by the details, but the writing is superb — imagine being able to appreciate poetry while having only a brush of understanding of the language. Cricket, no surprise, is also a manifestation of history, both English and the British Empire, and of culture (the spinning creativity of countries affected by such history). It is rich and powerful in metaphors, which lends itself to literature — and thus we have returned to my continuing education. And I hope, perhaps, to yours. I am always on the alert for more good books on cricket — a bit challenging in the US but worth the effort.
Bat, Ball, and Field: The Elements of Cricket
Bat, Ball, and Field: The Elements of Cricket
Bat, Ball and Field is a wonderful foray into the history and culture of cricket.
'Hotten is not just good, he is one of the best' Cricketer
Chronicling the evolution of the sport since its earliest years, highlighting transcendent moments as well as tragedies, Jon Hotten lifts the seemingly impregnable veil from the Laws, batting strokes, types of bowling and the sometimes absurd names given to where fielders stand, allowing anyone a pathway into enjoying the sport, and an introductory immersion into its long history.
This book is divided into the three parts that make up the fundamental elements of cricket: bat, ball and field. Their harmony produces cricket's unique environment; their centuries' long conflict provides its innovation, adaptability and vast psychological hinterland. These sections unite to map out in a completely original way the story of the sport that began as a country pursuit and is now followed by billions across the world.