📚 Book: On The Tigers' Trail | ✍️ Author: Mohammad Isam | Episode 12

Book Café Podcast

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kZsJeIQOM9Q
📚Book: "On The Tigers' Trail"
📚Genre: Sports / Cricket
✍️ Author: Mohammad Isam
🎧 Episode info:
Mohammad Isam, Bangladesh cricket correspondent for @espncricinfo, discusses his debut book, an anthology of all the articles he has written over a ten year tenure with ESPNCricinfo, the world's most popular cricket website.
✍️ Author's bio:
Mohammad Isam is the Bangladesh correspondent of ESPNCricinfo. He also has Bylines in @theGuardian, @TheTimes, @WisdenCricket. Before joining ESPNCricinfo, he worked for @TheDailyStarNews, the leading English-language daily in Bangladesh.
📚 Book Review by @omarrasman :
In his debut book, Mohammad Isam gives readers an anthology of some of his best writings during his ten year tenure with ESPNcricinfo, the world's most popular cricket website.
While all the articles were well written, the one story that really stood out for me was the author's own interactions with a giant of the modern game - England's Kevin Pietersen @kevinpietersen1587 - when Isam was recruited as a net bowler to help Pietersen overcome his weakness against left arm spin. And far from being reticent about his thoughts, Isam's doe-eyed, loquacious inner monologue with regards to Pietersen was as hilarious as it was brilliant.
Other gems in the book include a story entitled "Left-arm revolutionaries" that deep dive into the history of left-arm orthodox bowling in Bangladesh and paying homage to those who paved the way for future stars like Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan to take up the mantle and continue the tradition.
The most difficult story to read about in the book is undoubtedly the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack. Whereas most mere mortals might have ignored the pleas for help or turned the other way, Isam charged right into the center of this maelstrom to discharge his duties as a human being.
At the time that he started his Cricinfo career, Bangladesh was still an up and coming team. And in an age where memory is fickle and fan opinions can get borderline vitriolic, Isam's book is a timely reminder that Bangladesh's progress as a cricketing nation has been commendable rather than immutable.
This then, has been Isam's greatest gift to his readers, i.e. that emotive feeling of nostalgia which comes from revisiting these articles is quite akin to catching up with an old friend.
As such, the book is well worth reading and deserving of full marks.
My Rating: 5/5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (with great distinction)

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