A Corner of a Foreign Field
Book cover, first edition
AuthorRamachandra Guha
LanguageEnglish
PublisherMacmillan Publishers
Publication date
2002
ISBN978-0330491167

A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport is a 2002 book by Indian historian Ramachandra Guha that offers a historical account of cricket in the Indian subcontinent.[1] Some critics have called it one of the finest books on cricket.[2][3]

Background

The book was initially conceived as a biography of left-arm spinner Palwankar Baloo. Baloo was a Dalit, a community that has historically been subjected to untouchability under the Indian caste system. His cricketing feats, however, enabled him to overcome contemporary Indian social barriers associated with being a Dalit.[4] As Guha explored Baloo's story further, the book expanded to become a social history of cricket in India.[5] On the subject of the book, Guha has written, "The making of modern India is its theme, with cricket serving merely as a vehicle, as my chief source of illustrative example."[4]

Editions

An early edition cover featured a picture of author R.K. Narayan playing cricket with his nephews and niece.[6][7]

Awards

The book won the 2002 Book of the Year Award from The Cricket Society and MCC.[8]

References

  1. ^ Lezard, Nicholas (3 May 2003). "Review: A Corner of a Foreign Field by Ramachandra Guha". Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. ^ Kynaston, David (23 May 2018). "Top 10 books about cricket". Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Which are the finest cricket books?". Cricinfo. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b Haigh, Gideon (17 May 2008). "A cricket history of India". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. ^ Menon, Suresh (22 February 2009). "One writer, many hats". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  6. ^ Kodkani, Jayanth. "Malgudi's Sachin is 75". Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  7. ^ Satyan, T.S. "Walking with R.K. Narayan". Frontline. Vol. 19, no. 14 (July 06–19, 2002 ed.). Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022. I photographed him at work, with members of his family, listening to his daughter - Hema playing on the veena and more important - playing cricket with his nephews Thumbi and Nokki and niece Shanta.
  8. ^ "The Cricket Society and MCC Book of the Year Award". The Cricket Society. Retrieved 17 January 2024.


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