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(More customer reviews).When Nelson Mandela commenced his long walk to freedom, just over a decade ago,he wanted to know whether Sir Donald Bradman, Australia's only cricketing knight, was still alive.As I write this review "The Don" is only one day off his 92nd birthday(born 27/8/08). Any lover of cricket, the world over, knows the name of Bradman-his name is synonymous with fair play, modesty and excellence.His test batting average of 99.94 runs per average is almost double other quality test batsmen.(I consider myself fortunate in seeing the second best, South Africa's Graeme Pollock,average 60.97, make his best score of 274 in Durban in 1970). In fact Bradman only needed to make 4 runs in his last test innings to average a 100-instead he was out for 0-one of the few 'ducks'of his career. British Labour peer, Lord Charles Williams,has written a superb book which is as much about Australia as it is on our nation's greatest sportsman.Williams places Bradman's great feats in the context of Australia growing up in the world. As Williams notes, the heroes in almost every other country symbolised the spirit of warlike nationalism. However Australia has never had a civil war or revolution, nor been at war with her near-neighbours.For Australians sport became an integral part of politics and sporting champions achieved a status several ranks higher than elsewhere. Thus, Bradman's deeds against an English 'army'clad in white,were akin not to Babe Ruth's baseball feats (and the pair did meet) but rather, as significant as George Washington's victories against the British redcoats!! Even today, many years retired, Bradman is always rated as the greatest Australian in opinion polls ( not just the best sportsman).Williams taps the Australian psyche brilliantly, particularly the Depression era where a fledgling nation, at the end of the earth, needed heroes. The two 'stars' who provided the boost to national confidence in those dark days are still remembered as Australian icons-'Big Red' (the champion racehorse Phar Lap, who died in the USA after brilliantly winning at his only American start)and Don Bradman. For anyone remotely interested in Australia and cricket this is a must-read.
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Bradmanis a masterly portrait of cricket's supreme batsman and Australia's greatest hero. Uniquely among biographers of Don Bradman, Charles Williams sets his subject's cricketing achievements within the context of a crucial period in the history of modern Australia, a time when, as the country felt her way towards something that the world would recognize as "nationhood," Bradman became a focus for national aspirations anda figure of unique status. Williams' story is as much about Australia as it is a great Australian.
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