Vinciness, or The Unbearable Sadness of Batting

Vinciness (eng. noun. pron. Vincz-ee-ness)

Definition

1 . the state of being immersed in the beauty of a game.

2. to describe a moment of promise cut short by carelessness, or recklessness, or bad luck.

Format

Vinciness, or The Unbearable Sadness of Batting is a limited edition of 102 copies, each numbered and signed by the author, and featuring design and original artwork by Dan Toomey at Fisher Classics. 

It's bound in a A5-size hardback cover, with bespoke endpapers and 92 pages, 80 on 120gsm uncoated stock and 12 on 130gsm silk. 

This edition will not be reprinted or reissued, so it truly is a one-off (or 102-off).

The book

What is it like to have the world know one thing about you?

James Vince is a cricketer with more than fifty international caps and a pro career that has seen him lift trophies in domestic and franchise cricket. He was on the field during a World Cup Final and played in heated Ashes Test matches. 

And yet that same career has become symbolic of something else: a fragility and failure that has driven both supporters and detractors to despair.

Starring not just James Vince, but Tiger Woods, Gus Caeser, Ralph Steadman, John Arlott, Bill Buckner, David Inshaw, George Best, Brian Lara, sharks, and the greatest cricket picture ever painted, Vinciness is a unique exploration of expectation versus reality, and of what makes cricket beautiful. 

Jon Hotten is the author of seven books, including The Years of the Locust, The Meaning of Cricket and Bat, Ball & Field.

'Hotten has emerged as a worthy addition to the lineage of writers who adhere to C L R James’s aphorism: “What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?” - New Statesman

'Not just good – one of the best.' The Cricketer

Further info

A note on orders outside the UK: Thanks to a couple of people who helped me out with this:

You can order here as long as you enter a valid UK postcode in the shipping section. I suggest SW1A 1AA. Then enter your address as normal. I'll cover the rest of the shipping. Just drop me an email at jonhotten@icloud.com with your full addrss as a back-up for when I'm posting. If that doesn't work, you can email me on the same address and we'll work out another way. Apologies for this, and thanks so much to everyone who has ordered. Thank you!

Shipping calculated at checkout.

For orders outside the UK, or personalised copies, please contact jonhotten@icloud.com.