Carr's Dictionary of Extraordinary Cricketers by J. L. Carr
A handsome new edition of a miniature classic with a cult following One of the most delightful and idiosyncratic books on cricket Re-published to follow Aurum's sales and critical success with Byron Rogers' biography of J.L. Carr, The Last Englishman (1 85410 984 7) Published in association with The Quince Tree Press, the publishing imprint Carr founded and ran A perfect gift book Decorated throughout with Carr's own drawings and engravings Carr's Dictionary of Extraordinary Cricketers is one of the most original - and smallest - books ever published about cricket. But it also does exactly what its title says. From John Jackson, a retiring bowler who always blew his nose in embarassment whenever he clean-bowled a batsman, to Horace, the Trent Bridge groundsman's horse who, whenever he saw the Nottinghamshire number 11 walking out to bat, would start to amble over towards the heavy roller, here are all the game of cricket's most eccentric and quixotic practitioners. Originally this book was published by Carr himself as a miniature booklet that very quickly became a bestseller - with WH Smith alone selling many thousands - and made his reputation as a remarkable and unique small publisher. Unavailable in most bookshops for over ten years, it is now reissued on Aurum's cricket list in an expanded and beautifully designed miniature hardback, illustrated with Carr's own cricket drawings and engravings.