If you only read one book this year..............................

read this one!.

I heard all about this book when Dr Dean Allen was on TMS during the lunch break on the last day of the  Boxing Day Test.

I was  instantly hooked, listening to him talking about the history of cricket in South Africa in the late 19th century, a wonderful Victorian village which still stands, intrigue and more.

I made enquiries about buying the book and found out that I would be able to meet Dr Allen in person as he was  giving talks about the book  at a couple of Cricket Society meetings  in the North East. and North Yorkshire

I was lucky enough to catch up with him giving a talk  at Chester le Street a few weeks ago.

I came home with a signed copy of the book  and not enough hours in that evening to read as much as I wanted to!

I am not going to give the 'story ''away.

What I will say is  that I  found myself transported into Victorian South Africa, both  before and after the Boer War.

I read about names that were familiar to me  from cricket, most especially Lord Hawke. ( well there should be a 'Yorkshireman' in every good story)

The mixture of Cricket and politics,  money making,  and social climbing,  is enough to power any work of fiction, this however is all true!
Some evenings as I put the book down, I had to remind myself that it really was all fact and fascinating fact too!!

It really is a rags to riches tale of a young Scottish railway worker who became part of South African and cricket history

This is not  a review of the book, more a total recommendation.


More information about Dean Allen the author can be found on his website and also how to purchase the book.

http://www.deanallen.co.za


Buy it!!!! It is one of the best books I have read so far this year!!! ( and I read a lot!).




spot Lainey!