Politics aside - and as a child of mining communities, it is fair to assume that I have never been confused with a Thatcherite - the main issue with the book is that there are sizeable sections that have no real relevance to cricket.
As a social history it is a decent read and took me back to the year which was my first summer north of the border, also a momentous one for Derbyshire, of course.
I think it could have done with a little more primary research, as the book deals with how other writers perceived the two very different 'giants' of the time. There was the opportunity, given the recency of events, to get the thoughts of contemporaries of both, which wasn't taken.
There were parallels, as the author points out, in the careers and fortunes of the two main protagonists, but I wouldn't recommend this one as a cricket book alone. The Ashes series has been covered by others many times and cricket fans would be better off with one of the many other volumes.
Yet as a social history of more recent times, it is a worthwhile read.
Something Changed: Beefy, Boadicea, Brixton, Bunting and How Cricket Helped Change The Nation is written by Ben Dobson and published by Pitch Publishing
Only a few cricket books are very good. Some are decent and most pretty poor. This seems like it would be at the pretty poor end of things. Any book that claims a sport helped change the nation is quite childish anyway as there are obviously tons of things more important. Like you I couldn’t stand Thatcher so this would be a book I would steer clear of myself
ReplyDeleteHave you read the article on the guardian newspaper website about the reporter’s day out at the hundred. A d.j all through the game . People being told to make more noise at certain times. The whole thing like showbiz rather then sport as you can tell from the ridiculous bbc sports page. I’m very pleased I’m old
ReplyDeleteI couldn't watch it, Ian. I tried a couple of times but I have no interest in the teams and certainly not in the atmosphere/environment
DeleteIt is a bastardised version of the game that I grew up to love. If it is the accepted direction of travel, it certainly won't have me on board..
Can you remember it’s a knockout from the 70s. I really think the 100 has missed a trick by not combining the two. A joker could be played at some stage by the batting team and the bowler and fielders would have to wear huge clown size shoes for say 5 overs and the crowd could be told to laugh and cheer and everyone would have a great time. The rest of us left could watch the sam robson innings against Durham in the 50 yesterday. Probably the best one day innings I’ve ever seen in 55 years of watching cricket. By a player who thankfully wouldn’t get a look in in the 100
DeleteInteresting idea but I don't think I could stomach reading about two Tories which appears to be the thread throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteFor the more left leaning reader i can suggest the Tom Cartwright book 'The flame still burns' by Stephen Chalke and David Foot's 'Cricket's Unholy Trinity', the chapter on Charlie Parker and his relationship with Plum Warner is worth the read alone.
As an aside I have found almost all of the Fairfield Publishing Companies books to be first class in writing and subject matter.
Thanks for the book reviews though Steve and keep up the good work.
Thanks Rick. They are both excellent books. Years ago my Dad told me cricket was the best game in the world, ruined only by 'the silly buggers that run it'. He meant the likes of Warner, Gubby Allen and others, but would have trotted it out again for those running the modern game...
DeleteI think your Dad was spot on.
DeleteRICK is right .I agree and would add Freddie Brown we only have to look at the way Les was treated ,I am proud to say I saw the great man as a young boy in his last season !Malbar
DeleteIt’s funny isn’t it that I think lot’s of people would agree with your dad that cricket is the best game in the world but by a mixture of total greed and society changing in a bizarre way that in a few years it could easily be one of the worst games in the world but still called cricket watched by people who will barely remember the game as it was played for decades before it became a corporate business where nothing but money matters
DeleteI'm currently reading "The Final Test" by Huw Turbervill. Huw is "old school' very pro Test cricket and anti The Hundred. I concur completely.
ReplyDelete