Overview

A study of how cricket in England between the Wars reflected the social relations and cultural values of the time. The authors explore English social and cultural history through the sport by analysing the relationships between classes, Church and society, as well as gender roles. They point out cricket's role as part of the national image and the influence it had on evaluating the 'English character'. They carefully outline how the sport demonstrates the tendencies and morals of the time; for example, in the game of cricket social and economic differences were made obvious. The game was intertwined with the convictions of whether a person's moral fitness for political and social leadership was a shown by prowess in the sport. Examining cricket playing among women and their support for the sport provides an unusual perspective upon gender roles between the Wars. The study the beliefs that cricket sportmanship expressed Christian teachings and how the Church's presence in recreational cricket established the role of Christianity in English social life and ethical values. The images of cricket and how far the world of cricket conformed to these ideas are essential for understanding English culture and society between the Wars.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jack Williams (Liverpool John Moores University, UK)
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Volume:   No.8.
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.385kg
ISBN:  

9780714644189

ISBN 10:   0714644188
Pages:   248
Publication Date:   30 August 2003
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

"The Independent - article by Jack Williams Liverpool Echo ""In the unlikely event of the World Cup failing to produce any scandal, there""s plenty here to keep cricket fans awake during rain stoppages."" The Twelfth Man ""This highly academic and studious work seeks to evaluate to what extent cricket reflected the cultural and social time in England between the two World Wars. For those with a keen interest in social and cricket history this book will be required reading, if one does consider it a little expensively priced at £25.00 for a hardback of just 200 pages.An impressive and wide ranging number of reference sources have been consulted, which clearly indicates that this study of the inter-war period and cricket""s rle and place in the social order has been thoroughly researched and evaluated"" The Guardian- "" Jack Williams""s excellent (though outrageously overpriced) book...is tightly focussed, well written and adept in putting cricket into a broader culktural framework...Williams is not frightened to ask some big questions and writes for an audience beyond the boundaries of the academic series of which his book is part"" ""Cricket and England...attempts to dispell the cosily bucolic notalgia the game has inspired""- The Daily Telegraph Times Literary Supplement- see file- mixed report Day by Day- "" This intelligent and interesting book considers how the break-up of the United Kingdom may make English cricket represent uniquely English qualities...This carefully researched, tightly written, thorough and detailed cultural and social history of the inter-war years "" Farnham/Haslemere Herald ""This is a brilliant study based on meticulous research and the astute questioning of some impressive sources. It is particularly rewarding when examining the relationship between the amateurs and professionals."" The Journal of the Cricket Society, Vol 19, No 4, Spring 2000 ""Thorough and searching, this is a valuable book."" British Society for Sports History, at http://www.umist.ac.uk/UMIST_Sport/Reviews%20May%2099.htm ""Cricket and England is well-researched and well-written, even though there is more than the occasional hint of repetition. It includes many interesting illustrations, some valuable statistical tables and a fine bibliography. It succeeds in demonstrating that cricket was directly related to the politics, culture and religion of inter-war England and showed the strength of social cohesion and cultural conformity of the English society at that time."

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Mr Jack Williams

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