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The Little Wonder: The Remarkable History Of WisdenStock informationGeneral Fields
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DescriptionJohn Wisden, at his peak known as 'The Little Wonder', was a key member of the England cricket team who in 1859 sailed across the Atlantic on the world's first overseas cricket tour. In 1864, after his retirement, Wisden published the first edition of the book that would make his name immortal. He printed 'full and accurate scores' along with indispensable facts about the Derby, the St Leger, the university rowing matches 'and other Interesting Information', including potted histories of the Wars of the Roses. The 1864 edition is now valued at anything up to GBP25,000, and Wisden Cricketers' Almanack has been published continuously ever since - not for nothing is it known as 'the cricketer's bible'. The Almanack has, despite some close shaves, never missed a year. In 1937 it was just 48 hours from liquidation, and in the Second World War a German bomber set fire to the company's headquarters, destroying its records. And yet somehow, the yellow (since 1938) book has retained its antique, rugged character. It is a labour-of-love collection of records for cricket obsessives, but also a hearty eccentric. Promotion infoThe remarkable true story of the world's most famous sports book, published to coincide with the Almanack's 150th anniversary year Author descriptionRobert Winder was Literary Editor of the Independent and Deputy Editor of Granta. He is the author of several books including Hell for Leather: A Modern Cricket Journey and Bloody Foreigners: The Story of Immigration to Britain, and a team member of the Gaieties Cricket Club, whose chairman was the late Harold Pinter. |