“Worthwhile Read”
It is not an essential requirement to be interested in the sport of cricket to appreciate this well-written book. However, being acquainted with at least a vague idea of prominent cricketing ‘names’ past and present would certainly enhance one’s enjoyment, as well as aiding understanding of various nuances that occur throughout Jupp’s narration of his predominantly ‘misadventurous’ sojourn following the England cricket team on a test series tour of India.
Reading this account produced by an obviously intelligent, articulate, and humorous author, one is bemused by the nature of what appears to be a rash and misconceived venture. Selecting a tour to India of all places as a first foray into sports journalism was never likely to prove one of Miles Jupp’s better moves. One can imagine John le Mesurier peering over his shoulder saying “Do you think that’s wise?”
The author’s droll or sardonic self-deprecatory comments and observations fail to gloss over some of his more bizarre decisions along the journey. How many of these were fuelled, or given a temporarily optimistic tinge, by alcohol is open to conjecture (Jupp does not whitewash this aspect of his socialising, but I was left thinking that the man possessed quite a capacity for the more than occasional evening when wine or beer consumption played a major role). However, I found that sympathy, at times empathy, enabled feelings of frustration or disbelief to be subdued when reading of the more self-inflicted machinations. In fact, I think the reader can barely fail to feel frustrated on the author’s behalf as he encounters some of the frighteningly, unscrupulous swindlers, as well as the generally prevalent overcharging, that litter the route of the vulnerable, weary traveller. Of course, problems and errors of judgement must abound to avoid a staid travelogue. Reading a concise report of a well-organised, strictly-disciplined, travel itinerary would have been tedious in the extreme (unless one is fascinated by timetables, health and safety etc.)
Overall, this proves to be an entertaining chronicle of a highly-intelligent-but-scatterbrained cricket enthusiast’s rollercoaster adventure, which also contains more than a hint of being a journey of self-discovery as our guide acquire a fresh perspective on certain facets of his life. The reader is also granted access to some of the realties that lie behind the sporting media façade.
I would tentatively suggest a four stars’ rating if one is coming into this pre-armed with at least some knowledge of cricketing protagonists throughout the past thirty-to-forty years.
Paperback edition
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
