Batting on the Bosphorus is an updated version of
Slogging the Slavs, which describes author Angus Bell's cricket tour through Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. Humorous in parts, strange in others, this book is high-energy reading for those who love a good adventure - either in real life or from the comfort of a favorite armchair.
Slick New Cover, Introduction, and Glossary of Terms
Batting on the Bosphorus, available for the first time to a North American audience, is a sleeker version of the previous book - bold black, gold, and red are reminiscent of Eastern Europe's favorite folk colors and make the cover pop. The updates don't stop there. A new introduction to the book explains cricket to those unfamiliar with the sport, and a glossary of terms acts as supplemental reading.
Text has been edited slightly to remove stray commas, Americanize some spellings and terms, and to improve flow, making one-liners more powerful and anecdotes easier to follow for anyone unfamiliar with certain Britishisms.
Same Great Story
Readers who have traveled through Bell's cricket stops will enjoy his apt descriptions of cities, countries, and people. Those who haven't traveled to these destinations will get a sneak preview. The crowded streets of Prague segue into the modern skyline of Bratislava. A cricket match takes place with the Bosphorus and Istanbul's architectural treasures as backdrop.
Peculiar characters and seemingly out-of-place expats help to weave a lively story, their commonalities curious - penchants for paranormal encounters, the ability to display unfaltering ingenuity in a changing world, and, of course, a love of cricket create a suprising dynamic between personalities. Meet an Estonian witch, a guesthouse owner digging for ghosts, and countless sports enthusiasts who manage to play their game despite authorities, proper grounds to play on, or even reliable team members.
Who Should Read Batting on the Bosphorus
The book makes a great read for the adventurous of spirit, the Slavophile, the sports fan, or the international studies or language student. The book is an ideal choice for making time pass during long plane rides and pesky layovers in drab cities. Even readers who don't know the first thing about cricket will be entertained and inspired to plan their own trip to any of the countries Bell visits during his journey.
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