My Favourite Books – The Cricketer’s Edition

Last night England retained the Ashes because it rained.

Yes that’s a little strange, in the ultra-professional world of international sport. But cricket is a little strange. You never know what to expect. It’s not all rain delays, dyed hair-tips and white pants in cricket. Sometimes, shock horror, they even read!

Here are some of world cricket’s finest players talking about their favourite books.

Shane Watson (Australia)
Open by Andre Agassi

“I have read many books but my favourite out of all of these is Andre Agassi’s autobiography, Open. Throughout the whole book he describes the thoughts and feelings going through his mind so unbelievably well. It is like you, as the reader, are in the moment with him. An amazing man with an amazing story.”

Click here to buy Open from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Luke Wright (England)
Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine

“They were my absolute favourite books growing up and they were the first books I really enjoyed reading when I was about 10. Sometimes scary, sometimes funny and always exciting, the books follow kids dealing with monsters, ghosts and strange goings on. A brilliant read.”

Click here to buy The Goosebumps Series from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling

“I was actually imagining myself as Harry Potter. That’s the power of the writer. I thought I could do anything. It was such an engaging tale that I was reading it day and night, at every break.”

Click here to buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Virat Kohli (India)
Open by Andre Agassi

“I like Andre Agassi’s autobiography. The author tells the story of his remarkable career, which featured many ups and downs. The best part about the book is that at no point does the author try to project himself as a superhuman. He is as human as you and me, but a champion and an inspiration.”

Click here to buy Open from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Ed Joyce (Ireland)
1984 by George Orwell

“I first read 1984 when I was about 14 and I can’t remember loving reading something as much as I did this book. It was scary and clever in equal measure and I think I finished it in a couple of sittings. I love being able to go back to a book and discover it anew and I must have read it 10 times since. Concepts such as ‘doublethink’ and ‘big brother’ were of course introduced in this book and it is interesting to see how these ideas have played out in the years since the book was first published in 1949. Definitely a must-read!”

Click here to buy 1984 from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
The Jack Reacher Series by Lee Child

“The books I’m reading at the moment are my favourite – the Jack Reacher series. I enjoy biographies and autobiographies but I like the action and crime of the Jack Reacher books and they are a great read. I used to read a little bit at school and neglected it through college but have recently got right back into it and am glued to these books.”

Click here to buy The Jack Reacher Series from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Steve Tikolo (Kenya)
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

“Nelson Mandela is a legend and an icon who is admired all over the world. When I heard that his biography was out on sale, I told myself this was a book I must read. I have always admired him for his humility and the sacrifices he made in life for the people of South Africa so they could have a free country where everyone lives freely as brothers and sisters. When I read the book I was deeply moved and learned a lot of lessons that have helped me in life.”

Click here to buy Long Walk to Freedom from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
Talent Is Never Enough by John Maxwell

“Maxwell has identified 13 choices that we need to make so as to maximise our talent which I found to be very enlightening. This includes teamwork, which divides the effort and multiplies the effect. So, I find the book thought-provoking considering its relevancy in helping me to be the very best that I can be as a cricketer and human being.”

Click here to buy Talent Is Never Enough from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

Wayne Parnell (South Africa)
The Stand by Stephen King

“I love the thrill and the suspense in his novels. His style of writing has a way of involving the reader, so you can kind of feel like you are in the novel, and there is nothing better than a book that you just can’t put down. The reason I fell in love with his books is because when I was younger, my mother and I would spent a lot of time watching movies that recreated his books. As I got older and started reading at school, I chased after his books and became very fond of them.”

Click here to buy The Stand from Booktopia,
Australia’s Favourite Bookstore

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About the Contributor

Andrew Cattanach

Andrew Cattanach is a regular contributor to The Booktopia Blog. He has been shortlisted for The Age Short Story Prize and was named a finalist for the 2015 Young Bookseller of the Year Award. He enjoys reading, writing and sleeping, though finds it difficult to do them all at once.

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