Extracted from five hundred years of musical history, this is a fascinating collection of stories about classical music's most unusual concerts and characters.Tales such as that of the organist caught with his trousers down or the orchestra that played faster and faster so that its members could catch the last train home, the sad story of the composer who committed suicide while conducting, the completely silent piece of music and the stone deaf composer who insisted on conducting ...

This selection of the very best, and most intriguing, writing on cricket, drawn from the mid-eighteenth century to the present day, adopts a fresh approach. It is arranged around the theme of the many things that must happen simply for a day's play to happen - from creating a clearing in a Malaysian jungle to getting to the ground - so includes, alongside writing by players both great and unknown, the perspectives of spectators, umpires, scorers and other unsung heroes of the game....

Inspiring and irreverent by turns, Brian Levison's new anthology has drawn on rugby's wealth of excellent writing. Frank Keating, P. G. Wodehouse, Alec Waugh, A. A. Thomson, John Reason and Mick Imlah are among the distinguished names who have written movingly, amusingly and entertainingly about the game they loved.Great players such as Brian O'Driscoll, Willie John McBride, J. P. R. Williams, Chester Williams, Colin Meads, Gavin Hastings and Brian Moore give us a fascinating insid...

A history of beloved cricket grounds from around the world. Using a Then and Now format, historic pictures of cricket grounds are paired with their modern-day equivalent to show the dramatic changes that have taken place.Cricket Grounds Then and Now is a history of some of the most famous cricketing venues from around the world, told through the format of Then and Now photos.Author of the bestselling Remarkable Cricket Grounds and Remarkable Village Cr...

Across six of the seven continents on which cricket is played, there are some remarkable cricket grounds. From a tidal strip of sand outside the Ship Inn at Elie, in Fife, to the monumental Melbourne Cricket Ground with its 100,000 capacity, this book features the extraordinary places and venues in which cricket is played.Many grounds have remarkably beautiful settings. There is the rugged Devonian charm of Lynton and Lynmouth Cricket Club set in the Valley of the Rocks, not far fr...

This essential companion for all cricket lovers documents the illustrious history of the gentleman's game. It is crammed full of fascinating feats, sticky wickets and intriguing trivia, so even if you don't like cricket, you'll love this.From the worst batsman in the world to the record innings that almost wasn't, this compelling collection of balls, bails, bats and blockholes is guaranteed to enthral.The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, s...