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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply a credit to cricket books, 5 Feb 2003
Harold Gimblett, a man who in his own words, questioned his sanity, dismisses his own cricketing brilliance and torments himself and others with verbal attacks on those around him. Yet here is a man, whom Somerset cricket, and indeed, English County Cricket from 1935-1954 , would have been much the poorer without.
His first over smiting over long leg, or the far sightscreen, often from the first ball he recieved, made batting against very fast and very dangerous bowling look very very easy indeed.
Brought up in a small Somerset village, he was given a game for his county because of injuries to the regualar team players, having been at the county ground on trial, and having been rejected. A last minute replacement, a farcical trip to get to the match, and a maiden century in 63mins against bowlers who had played for England. His efforts to play this down, and subsequent traumas over self imposed questions that nobody could answer, eventually forced his retirement from the game in 1954.
When you read this book, you will feel for the man. You may even shed a not unworthy tear or two. It compells compassion.
A brilliantly written book by David Foot, who draws on many excellent sources to provide you with an intimate account of this tormented genius.
If there is a better cricket book, that tugs on more emotions, then it has yet to be written. As near perfection as is possible to come. Highly and thoroughly recommended. And when you do read it, it will haunt you enough for you to start it again almost immeadiately.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than just another cricket book, 25 Jun 2007
David Foot is an excellent writer, and in my view he's never been better than in this high class biography of Harold Gimblett. One of John Arlott's great cricket stories told how the young Gimblett was called up from village cricket to make his debut for Somerset, and scored an amazing century.David Foot's wonderful biography loses nothing in comparison, explaining how the boy from Bicknoller became an England player,and how his mental struggles affected him both throughout his career and beyond. A book to savour.
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by Gideon Haigh
by Gideon Haigh
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