Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2013: 150th Edition

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack #150

by Lawrence Booth (Editor)

Wisden 2013 – the 150th edition – contains coverage of every first-class game in every
cricket nation, and reports and scorecards for all Tests and ODIs.

Including the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and some of the finest sports writing of the year – such as the brilliant obituaries – together with trenchant opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack truly is a "must-have" for every cricket fan.

A perennial bestseller in the UK.

"There can't really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it's obviously Wisden". Andrew Baker in the Daily Telegraph

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

1584 pages, Hardcover

First published April 11, 2013

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cricket is perhaps the source of the best sports writing in the world, because unlike other sports it’s not so much about watching the action, but about imagining the thought process and the emotion behind it. A Wisden gives you excellent narrative material and a lot of material to come up with untold stories that you can construct yourself as you follow the sport. It’s not a cover to cover read, so much of it is made up of statistics (where internet databases are so much better these days). But it’s a unique tribute to the sport and to the passion of the cricket follower.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly interesting compilation of articles, match reports and statistics about the cricket season of 2011-2012. This is the 150th anniversary edition of Wisden, and I particularly enjoyed the first section on the history of the publication.

I also enjoyed the section of cricketing records throughout the years, and found it fascinating to look up cricketers I knew such as W. G Grace, Don Bradman and Graham Gooch.

There were also some very interesting articles in the comment section, about various aspects of the cricketing world.

A very rewarding read, and one I shall come back to on cold winter evenings when I wish to relieve the balmy summer of cricket, or to reminisce over the past triumphs of some of my cricketing heroes.

[Jim Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisden purchasers typically fall into 1 of 3 groups, collectors, a particular type of cricketing aficionado, or a friend of said aficionado, who's looking for a gift. That isn't meant to be mean, it's just is what it is.

There isn't nothing much I can say to the collector or the person who always buys the book at the start of the season, those people will buy it no matter what I say I suspect. To the aficionados, and their gift giving friends, I say.... "It's a Wisden. It's got all the usual things that a Wisden aficionado has come to know and like in it."

If you or your friend has a history of buying, and/or liking, this sort of this book, you'll like this book. If you're not sure, and are ho-hum about the price, you have to think if you or your friend are the sort who'll like a 1500 page book full of averages, potted descriptions of games, and articles that give you a sketch of a certain person or incident that occurred in the past year. If you are (or think you might be), this book is for you, and is a good place to start.

[Mike]

I might be one of the few people who does read Wisden all the way through. I will freely concede that I am a Wisden anorak. As ever some great writing. It wouldn't be my birthday without a copy - since the age of 8 there has been one from grandparents or parents every year and also older Wisdens - this year is a very special one.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess I didn’t read it all. I don’t think anyone does. The essays are superb and represent some of the best sports writing going. Self congratulatory for the 150th edition, but that seems entirely reasonable.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing as always to dip into