May Highlights

• 10th May 2007 at 23:32:36 BST by Liam Doyle
• 0 comments

Our round-up of the main releases for the month of May.

Key New Biographies and Autobiographies

A few years ago Bill Borrows wrote a wonderful biography of Alex Higgins. In the absence of an authorised work, it looked like being the definitive work on Higgins. Well, now we have the intriguing release of Higgins' own book - From the Eye of the Hurricane. I'm not sure whether he'll be objective enough to surpass Borrows' work, but given his reputation for controversy, I'd be surprised if it's devoid of interest.

Joe Calzaghe's achievements - the longest reigning world Champion, an outstanding record of 43 fights, 43 wins and the only British amateur boxer to hold 3 ABA Boxing titles at 3 different weights - may not always have been fully appreciated by the wider sporting audience. In part that's probably a consequence of his profile being lower due to boxing's dependence on Satellite and pay-per-view over terrestrial television, but it may also reflect a slight concern that his record has yet to include a big showdown with one of the leading Americans such as Bernard Hopkins or Jermain Taylor. Perhaps this autobiography will enable him to introduce himself to a wider audience and answer such criticism.

Eddie Jordan managed to carve a unique niche for himself as the last privateer to break into the world of Formula One. He did so through a combination of his wheeler-dealer nature, his hustler instincts and a charm that could open many a closed door. His account of his life, including the dramatic and thrilling Formula 1 years, promise much - especially, as he can usually be relied upon to be suitably indiscreet. I imagine there's a few high ranking officials within the sport that are not welcoming this release.

Cetic's 1967 European Cup triumph was, of course, the first triumph by a British team in the European Cup. We're approaching the 40th anniversary of that famous victory and two of the stars of that team, Jimmy Johnstone and Bobby Lennox, are the subject of new books. Given the way sports publishing is today dominated by current players it's doubtful that in the event of a Liverpool triumph, their players (at least those that haven't already published) will have to wait 40 years to tell their stories.

There's an interesting release concerning 1890s fast bowling superstar George Lohmann. It's brought to you by the same publisher that has given us the notable releases of Colin Blythe and Local Heroes. Should be worth viewing.

On the subject of cricket, Shaun Udal releases his autobiography. His Test career was (sure he won't mind the use of the past tense) a late part of his career but he certainly seemed to have the right attitude and enjoy it while it came - in the same sort of way that Paul Nixon has. That part of his career will feature but I imagine life on the county circus will form the bulk of the book.

Other New Original Releases

Other new notable releases include an account of England Managers from Brian Glanville, the doyen of football correspondents. His columns always manage to entertain (and introduce at least one new Italian word) and hopefully the style will illuminate what could otherwise be a relatively staid topic.

One man who never made it to the position of England Manager, despite the fact that many would have loved to have seen it, is Brian Clough. You might think there's been enough written about him, but Clough always provided plenty of copy and this portrait, by a former local correspondent who enjoyed a close relationship with him, will hopefully offer some things that the Nationals never picked up on.

Test Match Special celebrates its 50th anniversary with a new release. I'm not one of those who thinks every bit of Sky's cricket commentary is a disgrace (but their football.....) but TMS still is the daddy. This book is unashamedly nostalgic with all the anecdotes and champagne moments but, what the hell, it's still a nice wonder down memory lane. Whilst on the subject of TMS, we should also mention that Bill Frindall's autobiography is released in paperback.

Bigger Deal is the return leg of Holden's classic Big Deal and even if it doesn't quite live up to the heights of its predecessor, it's still worth a look. The American Draft system is something that appeals and appals in equal measure but there's no denying its drama. In Tip Off, the 1984 NBA Draft - the one that saw Jordan picked only 3rd - comes under scrutiny.

If you're into your Horse Racing, this month offers four releases covering four horses with enormous reputations; Secretariat, Kelso, Ruffian and Man o'War. I think that's some form of publishing Yankee! Books on famous horses as typified by the releases of Seabiscuit and, to a lesser extent, Red Rum and Arkle, have wide appeal and there should be plenty in this lot to fascinate.

The Isle of Man TT is an event that seems to bring even the most hard-hearted of petrolheads out in a misty eyed nostalgia. The centenary of the event has been marked by a number of releases already and this month sees a further three releases. There's One Hundred Years of the TT, 100 Years of the Isle of Man TT and TT in Camera; they cover similar ground although, and I know I'm stating the obvious here, TT in Camera has more of a photographic slant. If you've never been to the event you may wonder what all the fuss is about, but if you're a regular, you'll be reliving those moments.

Athletics 2007 makes its appearance this month. With established annuals there's never much new to say but it's as comprehensive as ever and should be your first port of call for any athletics related enquiries during the season. Recommended.

New in paperback

Paul McGrath's excellent autobiography Back From The Brink is the key release of the paperback offerings. It won the British Sports Book Award for best autobiography as well as the innagural William Irish Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and is a rare thing; a footballer's autobiography that you actively want to read. He's joined by a few other footballers, although I'll be honest and say that don't hold as much interest for me, including Pele, Neil Lennon and Alan Shearer. Cricket wise, there are a couple of paperback releases for Denis Compton and Keith Miller. Both are worthy of your attention.

Johnny Owen was the subject of one of the most moving sports documentaries (a short extract from the BBC documentary - The Long Journey - is available here) I've seen and The Big If also got close to the heart of what made him such a brave fighter. I thought this might have got further in last year's William Hill award, but it's released now - judge for yourselves and decide whether they got it wrong.

Two other quick paperback mentions. Sandy Lyle offers an account of the highs and lows he experienced throughout his successful and popular career and Chris Yates delights with reminisces of his Fishing career.

And Finally......

I don't know much about this but like the sound of The Card. We all know the interest in trading cards and while many of us left those days behind in the playground, for some, it becomes an obesssion. With values attached to this particular pristine card - Honus Wagner's baseball card - of more than $2m dollars it's no surprise that it's highly coveted. This account traces the journey of 'the card' from its origins to sought after collectibale and offers a look at the world of sports memorabilia. Could be intriguing.