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][2] Some critics have called it one of the finest books on cricket.[3][4]
Background[edit | edit source]
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.[5] As Guha explored Baloo's story further, the book expanded to become a social history of cricket in India.[6] 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."[5]
Editions[edit | edit source]
An early edition cover featured a picture of author R.K. Narayan playing cricket with his nephews and niece.[7][8]
References[edit | edit source]
- ā Padmanabhan, Mukund (22 September 2002). "Rewriting cricket's history". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 July 2018.[dead link]
- ā Lezard, Nicholas (3 May 2003). "Review: A Corner of a Foreign Field by Ramachandra Guha". Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- ā Kynaston, David (23 May 2018). "Top 10 books about cricket". Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- ā "Which are the finest cricket books?". Cricinfo. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- ā 5.0 5.1 Haigh, Gideon (17 May 2008). "A cricket history of India". Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ā Menon, Suresh (22 February 2009). "One writer, many hats". Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ā Kodkani, Jayanth. "Malgudi's Sachin is 75". Times of India. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- ā Satyan, T.S. "Walking with R.K. Narayan". Frontline. Vol. 19, no. 14 (July 06ā19, 2002 ed.). Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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.