Some books for Christmas

As round about now all the newspapers offer lists of books for Christmas, Fantasy Bob does not see why he should be any different.  He suspects that desperate Christmas shoppers might like some advice on cricket books.  Although these fine volumes have been published over previous years, they are all still available.  Here's FB's first XI (not in batting order).

• Fatty Batter - Michael Simkins - very funny autobiography of self confessed useless cricketer.  Lots and lots of LOL moments
• A Lot of Hard Yaka - Simon Hughes - now expert analyser of super slo-mo bowling actions - tells of his hard graft as Middlesex pro
• Rain Men - Marcus Berkman - the original book about having your own cricket team and trying to get 11 fit and sober players
• Sloggging the Slavs - A Paranormal Cricket Tour from the Baltic to the Bosphorus - Angus Bell - has bat will travel - find cricket and cricketers in the most unlikely spots in Eastern Europe
• Netherland - a novel by Joseph O'Neill - finding hope and inspiration and more in teh cricket scene in New York - or New York New York as the Americans have it
• Harold Larwood - a recent biography by Duncan Hamilton
• Dickie Bird - Dickie's autobiography as quirky as the man himself
• The Ashes - every bookshelf should have a history of supreme sporting contest - so many to choose from - Ken Piesse's illustrated history has lots of good pictures

• Beyond a Boundary - the magisterial CLR James tells you why W Indian cricket was so important and radical.  Maybe the greatest cricket book ever written.
• Coming Back to Me - Marcus Trescothick - a harrowing personal story tells of the relentless pressure at the top to which Banger was wholly unsuited.
• Henry Blofeld - My Dear Old Thing - Bloers at his best was a match for Arlott and Johnston.

And the second XI is pretty good too.................. but for another day.  Next year's prize recommendation will of course be the published version of Witterings.

Happy Reading.