A Social History of English Cricket
by Derek Birley
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Description
Acclaimed as a magisterial, classic work, A Social History of English Cricket is an encyclopaedic survey of the game, from its humble origins all the way to modern floodlit finishes. But it is also the story of English culture, mirrored in a sport that has always been a complex repository of our manners, hierarchies and politics. Derek Birley's survey of the impact on cricket of two world wars, Empire and ?the English caste system', will, contends Ian Wooldridge, ?teach an intelligent child show more of twelve more about their heritage than he or she will ever pick up at school.' In just under 400 pages Birley takes us through a rich historical tapestry: how the game was snatched from rustic obscurity by gentlemanly gamblers; became the height of late eighteenth century metropolitan fashion; was turned into both symbol and synonym for British imperialism; and its more recent struggle to dislodge the discomforting social values preserved in the game from its imperial heyday. Superbly witty and humorous, peopled by larger-than-life characters from Denis Compton to Ian Botham, and wholly forswearing nostalgia, A Social History of English Cricket is a tour-de-force by one of the great writers on cricket. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Having read plenty of books on the history of cricket, I was somewhat hesitant approaching this book for fear of it simply repeating what I had already digested. Happily this fear proved unfounded as Birley touched upon much of what was new to me then.
The "social" aspect of "A social history of English cricket" is what makes this stand out from the many other books on cricket history. Birley also has a wry sense of humour and makes a very welcome change to the very dry, stilted prose of many other cricket books; thankfully Birley does not engage in the school of "here is an extremely minor factoid that I am including purely to show that I have done loads of research".
The book goes into detail on all the key moments in cricket English show more cricket history, from ruminating on where and when cricket developed from, to its development through to the Hambledon Cricket Club and thence to Marylebone Cricket Club, with specific detail on the important role of gambling on the development of cricket. All the usual suspects get a mention; WG Grace and his brothers, Lords Harris and Hawke, Prince Ranjitsinhji and some lesser lights.
I've also heard good things about Birley's other cricket book, "The Willow Wand" and if I ever manage to track down a copy I will report on its contents here. show less
The "social" aspect of "A social history of English cricket" is what makes this stand out from the many other books on cricket history. Birley also has a wry sense of humour and makes a very welcome change to the very dry, stilted prose of many other cricket books; thankfully Birley does not engage in the school of "here is an extremely minor factoid that I am including purely to show that I have done loads of research".
The book goes into detail on all the key moments in cricket English show more cricket history, from ruminating on where and when cricket developed from, to its development through to the Hambledon Cricket Club and thence to Marylebone Cricket Club, with specific detail on the important role of gambling on the development of cricket. All the usual suspects get a mention; WG Grace and his brothers, Lords Harris and Hawke, Prince Ranjitsinhji and some lesser lights.
I've also heard good things about Birley's other cricket book, "The Willow Wand" and if I ever manage to track down a copy I will report on its contents here. show less
If you want to know why us Brits love our cricket...
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Published Reviews
ThingScore 100
My vague apologies for recommending a second cricket book this season; I understand that many find the game unnecessarily bewildering. But this really is extraordinarily good, and though the standard thing to say here is "it's more than just a cricket book", in this case it happens to be true, or even truer than usual...
added by melonbrawl
Author Information
8 Works 160 Members
Awards and Honors
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1999
- People/Characters
- W.G. Grace; Denis Compton; Ian Botham; Alfed Mynn; William Lillywhite; John Wisden
- Important places
- Lord's Cricket Ground; Troon, Cornwell, England, UK; Hambledon, Hampshire, England, UK
- Important events
- Laws of cricket (1788)
- Dedication
- To my wife, Norma, with much love.
- First words
- One of the crisper pronouncements about the nature of sport is that of Jonathan Swift: 'Most sorts of diversion in men, women, children and other animals are an imitation of fighting'.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)'Village cricket' in the "theme park sense may have disappeared, but what has not gone is the spirit of clubs like Troon - an amateur ethos without hypocrisy, but full of straightforwardness, decency and generosity - what we might call, if we are not afraid of cliches, the true spirit of English cricket
- Blurbers
- Foot, David; Barnes, Simon; Inverdale, John; Wooldridge, Ian
Classifications
- Genres
- Sports and Leisure, Nonfiction, History, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 796.3580942 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Sports Ball sports Ball and stick sports Cricket Biography And History
- LCC
- GV928 — Geography, Anthropology and Recreation Recreation. Leisure Recreation. Leisure Sports Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 106
- Popularity
- 304,742
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.94)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 1
