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The A-Z of Bradman: A Comprehensive Companion to the life and career of a legendary Australian by Alan Eason
Scribe Publications (www.scribepublications.com.au)
Pages: 448.
Price: $A39.95, USA customers can purchase for $14.95 plus shipping at PavilionShop.com
Reviewed by Gulu Ezekiel
There are perhaps only two cricketers in the world who could inspire a book of this sort with their hundreds of entries.
One is Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest of all time; the other is his spiritual heir and modern master, Sachin Tendulkar.
It was author Alan Eason's first edition of this mind-boggling compilation which was released in 2002 that inspired me to write a similar one on Tendulkar in 2005, though of much shorter length.
Bradman's achievements extended beyond the field of play, though his 20-year Test career remains unsurpassable exactly 100 years after his birth.
During his lifetime he was described by more than one Australian Prime Minster as the greatest living Australian. To the best of my knowledge, the only person to give a similar appellation to Tendulkar has been Bishan Singh Bedi. But it remains to be seen what Tendulkar makes of his life once his playing career eventually winds down.
It can safely be assumed that Sachin will not be penning any books of his own. Bradman wrote four, his first released at the age of 22 (Don Bradman's Book), his second (My Cricketing Life) in 1938, the third his autobiography (Farewell to Cricket) two years after his retirement from Test cricket and then the magnum opus of all coaching books, The Art of Cricket (1958).
Besides, over 70 books have been written on the man himself.
All this-and much, much else-finds a mention in Eason's own magnum opus, the third edition of this brilliant book, released to mark the Don's birth centenary which fell on August 27.
The first edition (which was self-published) was released a year after Bradman's passing. But one can be sure that the man who was famed for his meticulousness in everything he set his mind to, would have been hugely impressed by Eason's outstanding research.
The book has over 900 entries, starting with A for Aberdeen ("Seaport in north-eastern England where the Don played his last game in Britain, his final appearance of the tour in 1948...") to Z for Paul Zanetti ("Freelance artist whose cartoon of God asking the Don for his autograph on his arrival in Heaven appeared in many newspapers in Australia just after his death on 25 February 2001...").
The entry on Tendulkar at two full pages is the longest of the eight connected to India and Indian cricket.
Interestingly, the longest of all (five pages) for an individual is reserved for Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain who was one of Bradman's most implacable foes.
That is the feature of Eason's work-friends and foes alike have their say.
A mighty book on a mighty cricketer.
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