Cricket, Literature and Culture

Symbolising the Nation, Destabilising Empire

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Cricket, Literature and Culture by Anthony Bateman, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Anthony Bateman ISBN: 9781317158042
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: May 13, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Anthony Bateman
ISBN: 9781317158042
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: May 13, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

In his important contribution to the growing field of sports literature, Anthony Bateman traces the relationship between literary representations of cricket and Anglo-British national identity from 1850 to the mid 1980s. Examining newspaper accounts, instructional books, fiction, poetry, and the work of editors, anthologists, and historians, Bateman elaborates the ways in which a long tradition of literary discourse produced cricket's cultural status and meaning. His critique of writing about cricket leads to the rediscovery of little-known texts and the reinterpretation of well-known works by authors as diverse as Neville Cardus, James Joyce, the Great War poets, and C.L.R. James. Beginning with mid-eighteenth century accounts of cricket that provide essential background, Bateman examines the literary evolution of cricket writing against the backdrop of key historical moments such as the Great War, the 1926 General Strike, and the rise of Communism. Several case studies show that cricket simultaneously asserted English ideals and created anxiety about imperialism, while cricket's distinctively colonial aesthetic is highlighted through Bateman's examination of the discourse surrounding colonial cricket tours and cricketers like Prince Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji of India and Sir Learie Constantine of Trinidad. Featuring an extensive bibliography, Bateman's book shows that, while the discourse surrounding cricket was key to its status as a symbol of nation and empire, the embodied practice of the sport served to destabilise its established cultural meaning in the colonial and postcolonial contexts.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In his important contribution to the growing field of sports literature, Anthony Bateman traces the relationship between literary representations of cricket and Anglo-British national identity from 1850 to the mid 1980s. Examining newspaper accounts, instructional books, fiction, poetry, and the work of editors, anthologists, and historians, Bateman elaborates the ways in which a long tradition of literary discourse produced cricket's cultural status and meaning. His critique of writing about cricket leads to the rediscovery of little-known texts and the reinterpretation of well-known works by authors as diverse as Neville Cardus, James Joyce, the Great War poets, and C.L.R. James. Beginning with mid-eighteenth century accounts of cricket that provide essential background, Bateman examines the literary evolution of cricket writing against the backdrop of key historical moments such as the Great War, the 1926 General Strike, and the rise of Communism. Several case studies show that cricket simultaneously asserted English ideals and created anxiety about imperialism, while cricket's distinctively colonial aesthetic is highlighted through Bateman's examination of the discourse surrounding colonial cricket tours and cricketers like Prince Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji of India and Sir Learie Constantine of Trinidad. Featuring an extensive bibliography, Bateman's book shows that, while the discourse surrounding cricket was key to its status as a symbol of nation and empire, the embodied practice of the sport served to destabilise its established cultural meaning in the colonial and postcolonial contexts.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book World Market Transformation by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Tactical Performance by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Arab Spring Challenges for Democracy and Security in the Mediterranean by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Migration and Insecurity by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book The Industrial Age by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Philosophical Works of Etienne Bonnot, Abbe De Condillac by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book China-India Economics by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Specialist Mental Healthcare for Children and Adolescents by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Progressive Renaissance by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book The New Yearbook for Phenomenology and Phenomenological Philosophy by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Gold and Prices by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book The Visible Human Project by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book Responding to Money Laundering by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book English Landed Society in the Eighteenth Century by Anthony Bateman
Cover of the book The European Union and the Asia-Pacific by Anthony Bateman
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy