El Presidente suggested a shameless plug, so here goes. In 2005, I was sent by a Canadian psychic to come and play cricket with you in Slovenia, and document your stories in a book. A year and a half later, the psychic's prophecy has manifested, and 'Slogging The Slavs: A Paranormal Cricket Tour From The Baltic To The Bosphorus' is out. If you're looking for an Eastern European cricket book, with elements of paranormal, it's probably the book for you.
'Slogging The Slavs' dedicates its biggest chapter to Slovenia. You can read all about the socialogical phenomenon of Mezica, and the superstar line-up of Ljubljana CC. For those that played in the Five Continents' drubbing at Velden - the one where Ian Donchi fielded in his underpants, and Steve Fish patrolled cover point with a broken wrist - you are now immortalised in literary history, and can see yourselves in the team photo and scorecard.
For Slovenian cricketers I never managed to meet, if you appeared on a reality TV or gameshow, refused to bat with gloves, switched from being left-handed to right-handed and found greater success, bowled 1 ball for 8 runs over your career, gave up vegetarianism with a sirloin steak, or presided the country, etc, you will also find yourselves in this Cyrillic tome.
I personally can't wait for my copy. Hopefully Amazon will get their copies sent out soon. I would recommend to anyone who wants to order it to go through Angus's link, as you'll get it faster.
Our copies have arrived in Slovenia now. Have just skimmed through now but it looks like a good fun book, nice pictures. Love the Mad Mick "The Tiger" Bilič picture.
Anyone involved with Ljubljana CC should definitely get a copy.
I've finished reading this and have to say Well Done Angus. A lovely book that was bloody funny and had me gripped to your adventures throughout.
I loved the sections on Estonia and Serbia and the tiny adventure he had in Moldova.
The Slovenia section was great too. I can hear Donchi and Mark saying the words written on the page clearly and a grinning Borut is captured perfectly.
By the way, if the author is lurking around, "Lightning" is spelt without an "e" and your editors missed "winnig" instead of "winning" in one of the photos.
Thanks, Brad. That means a lot. I must admit, there have been nervous nights where I've woken in a sweat, paranoid Ljubljana CC, or Mezica, (or Bob Hawke), would sue.
Glad you enjoyed it. I really enjoyed meeting you guys, and hearing your stories.
I've had a quick look and seen a few spelling mistakes.. err I mean I liked the look of it. Some good stories. Of course with all these pedantic proofreaders and translators here we should have a "sister thread" on mistakes that are found in the book. And in this thread.
Meanwhile Angus (and anyone) have you read Jonathan Wilson's Behind the Curtain a kind of companion piece about football in Eastern Europe.
It's really great - some good anecdotes and very familiar to those of who've travelled a bit in Eastern Europe.
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You will play better Today than you did Yesterday, and almost as much as you will Tomorrow
Golcar CC wrote: Meanwhile Angus (and anyone) have you read Jonathan Wilson's Behind the Curtain a kind of companion piece about football in Eastern Europe.
It's really great - some good anecdotes and very familiar to those of who've travelled a bit in Eastern Europe.
Slogging The Slavs and Slovenian cricket will be on the BBC World Service this week on World Cricket show. Listen out for it. Also in the news, Slogging The Slavs made Book of the Week in The Independent on Sunday, The Guardian Travel, and The Daily Telegraph last week.
Angus wrote:Slogging The Slavs and Slovenian cricket will be on the BBC World Service this week on World Cricket show. Listen out for it. Also in the news, Slogging The Slavs made Book of the Week in The Independent on Sunday, The Guardian Travel, and The Daily Telegraph last week.
Slogging The Slavs is also reviewed in the February edition of SPIN World Cricket Monthly. There is specific mention of Slovenia in the review, and it gets 5 out of 5!
Angus wrote:Slogging The Slavs and Slovenian cricket will be on the BBC World Service this week on World Cricket show. Listen out for it. Also in the news, Slogging The Slavs made Book of the Week in The Independent on Sunday, The Guardian Travel, and The Daily Telegraph last week.
It's up till next Friday. Shame a lot of the good stories were cut...no spies, ice cricket, minefields, mafiosos, Serbia's Olympic bid, Slavic impersonations...and a hell of a bad phone line. Our rabbit chewed the cable. Still, it means listerners in Bermuda, South Africa, India, and Iran will here about Slovene cricket. I was pleased they left a couple of mentions of that in.
I listened on playback and the sound was quite poor, so maybe it wasn't your rabbit after all.
Pretty good show and good to hear you. I can see Slovenia moving ahead of Scotland in years to come (if your rugby coaches get among your cricket players).
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You will play better Today than you did Yesterday, and almost as much as you will Tomorrow
Angus wrote: I just received a directive from The Ministry For Make Glorious and Prosperous Book Sales of Slogging The Slavs! We will be holding a mass buyer orgy on Monday 12 Feb on www.amazon.co.uk. If everyone orders - and the system doesn't crash - Slogging The Slavs should shoot up the rankings, at least for an hour or so, and rattle Harry Potter on his broomstick. Please get everyone you can to make an order on amazon.co.uk this Monday. The link is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slogging-Slavs-Paranormal-Cricket-Bosphorus/dp/0955433207/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_5/026-1785455-4055651Spasiva, Angus.
wow. When I checked earlier today to see how you were going I saw it was 2500 or something in the amazon sales ranks. Now (14:51pm) it has rocketed up to 456th - well done although Harry Potter may not be too nervous just yet.
Orders are flying in from outposts such as Ukraine, Canada, and Yorkshire! It reached #304, and #2 in the Movers and Shakers - up 7,340%! Well done everyone, and thanks.
Angus wrote: Orders are flying in from outposts such as Ukraine, Canada, and Yorkshire! It reached #304, and #2 in the Movers and Shakers - up 7,340%! Well done everyone, and thanks.
23 minutes to 9pm as I have just finished my last class for the day. STS has just hit #271 - does that put it into Best Seller category yet? I do hope so.
By the way I hope that The Ministry For Make Glorious and Prosperous Book Sales of Slogging The Slavs! occasionally mentions our little forum to his massive cricket-loving mailing list. All are welcome as you know.
The Ministry will certainly mention this forum. It will go out in all propoganda.
BTW, Slovenia has picked up a new fan in Seattle. See the new review on amazon.co.uk. (I promise it wasn't submitted by my mum). Your fan base has reached the west coast of the Americas. It knows no bounds.
I was wondering, if someone has a spare few minutes, could they ask their local Slovenian libraries to order some copies, please? If they are confused as to where to get it, in the UK, Bertrams and Gardners wholesalers have it, or they can source it from amazon.co.uk. Thanks. Then all the good children of Slovenia can read about cricket in their country for free, and be inspired to play, and I can start paying off the interest on my overdraft. Cheers.
Some great news. I just found a publisher for southern Africa. Slogging will be out there next year, so please tell all your mates in Botswana and Lesotho. Thanks, Angus.
Thanks, Brad. Oz is a real stumbling block. All the publishers seem cross that I managed to reach them on the phone (at one in the morning my time). They're far too important. They won't even let me send a letter, or a copy of the book. Maybe now they'll look at it differently. New Zealand seemed interested, and perhaps they'll give them a nudge.
How odd to switch to Radio 4 this morning and hear them talking about Ljubljana's cricketers getting a beating from 5 Continents in Velden ... turns out Angus' book - now Batting on the Bosphorus - is book of the week this week ... as I type it's now Women's Hour so I'll see if LjCC gets any further mentions
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You will play better Today than you did Yesterday, and almost as much as you will Tomorrow
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RE: Batting on the Bosphorus - a complete history of cricket in Slovenia