The Universe versus Alex Woods – Gavin Extence

Alex Woods is ten years old when he has his first brush with the universe, in the form of a meteorite that crashes through the roof. There are immediate and longer term consequences that lead indirectly to his involvement in the vandalisation of Mr Peterson’s back garden.

The reclusive Isaac Peterson is not impressed, and neither is Alex’s mother who insists her son makes reparations. Thus begins an unlikely friendship between the two loners across several generations.

As things are settling down for Alex the universe (or fate) strikes back with some devastating health news for his friend. How he (now a teenager) comes to terms with the potential effects provides the meat of the novel.

It is a bitter sweet tale, heart-warming and shot through with enough black humour to steer clear of mawkishness. Instead it is genuinely moving with a lump in the throat and a tear on the cheek climax.

Gavin Extence writes it well, combining some coming-of-age anxiety and humour with Kurt Vonnegut philosophy while addressing a sensitive subject with intelligence and respect.

Out of the Ashes – Tim Albone

Read as part of the sport reading journey

Taj Malik Alam and his family left Afghanistan in 1995 to live, with tens of thousands of their country folk, in a refugee camp near Peshawar in neighbouring Pakistan. Two years later, as an impressionable twelve year-old boy he was infected with a love of cricket as the 1997 Cricket World Cup came to India & Pakistan, with England playing Sri Lanka at Peshawar itself.

Refugee camp cricket was a bit different, played on dirt tracks amid the detritus of the camp, using tennis balls wrapped in gaffer tape and bats that were often just bits of spare wood.

When in 2001, in the aftermath of 9/11, the Americans drove the Taliban into the hinterland, Taj returned to Kabul with an ambitious mission – to bring cricket into his homeland, use it a force for cohesion within the divided land, and create a national team that could help integration with the wider world, projecting a positive image of the war-torn country. And not least, being Afghan, to win everything in sight!

It’s a tall order; few in Afghanistan have even heard of the sport and those that have mistrust it as a foreign, or even worse Pakistani, aberration. Nevertheless through sheer persistence, cheek and daring Taj begs, borrows or cons land, equipment and cash out of government and the wider cricket world, and recruits sufficient players with natural ability, increasing skill but minimal experience, to embark on a remarkable journey.

The target is the Cricket World Cup, the fifty over competition in which the test match playing nations are joined by a few minnows who have to fight their way through qualifying rounds. For the Afghans, new boys initially ranked 90^th in the world, this would mean winning through four tournaments against well established, better resourced countries from all around the world.

As big a challenge as the cricket is the culture shock awaiting the internationally isolated Afghans in the varied and sometimes glamorous locations – Jersey, Tanzania, Argentina, South Africa and Dubai – where the lifestyle is often at odds with their background of poverty and strict Muslim law.

Tim Albone chronicles the adventure through the matches, management disputes and political intrigue with a calm and assured style - this story needs no hyperbole, and the Afghan players are excitable enough. His open access to the squad provides the inside track on extraordinary events.

I’ve followed cricket off and on since boyhood but this book opened up previously unknown strata of the international game with tiny nations or tiny minorities of huge nations competing to claw their way up the hierarchy to have a day in the world spotlight and a shot at the big boys. It’s refreshing and inspiring.

The Postman Always Rings Twice – James M Cain

Frank Chambers is a drifter, but when he bums a meal at Nick Papadakis’ diner and filling station in the Californian sticks he accepts the offer to stay around and work his keep.

Instrumental in his decision is a glimpse of the Greek’s attractive young wife, Cora, and it’s not long before the two of them are thick as thieves. But it’s not robbery they have in mind.

To say more would be a spoiler as passionate, violent and duplicitous events unfold towards an uncertain end; all narrated by Frank in no-nonsense fashion as suits his character and the 1930’s period.

It’s a short and punchy novella from a writer of pedigree, every bit as good as the classic film it inspired.

Racing Through the Dark – David Millar

Read as part of the sport reading journey

David Millar was near the very top of the professional cycling pantheon when he was exposed as a user of performance enhancing drugs in 2004. Nothing unique there, but this Millar’s tale contains no lame apologies, excuses, or shifting of the blame. Instead it is a searing indictment of the sport at the time and no-holds-barred confession of his place within it, wrapped in the personal story of his rise, fall and redemption.

We learn of his early years and the emergence of his prodigious talent leading to an ambition to turn pro. Given a chance he proves his worth and is soon witnessing the secret rituals of ‘recovery’, ‘preparation’, and other dark arts, which he abhors and refuses to countenance.

But his resistance is worn down through the pressures of performance and the responsibilities of team leadership, and when he succumbs, briefly, the performances improve marginally but his enjoyment and self-respect plummet. His resolve to quit the doping and race clean again comes too late and he’s busted, sacked, and suspended from the sport, missing out on the Athens Olympics and spiralling into self-loathing, depression, debt and dependency on a few long-suffering friends.

His rehabilitation is centred on re-entering the sport as an evangelist for clean racing, making him less than popular with some but earning the respect of others. For him it now becomes more about taking part than winning, but the old talent and determination are still there, and will out.

The book has many strengths apart from the doping exposé; giving an insight into the mentality of the sporting success, the physicality and excitement of road racing, the glory of winning, and when you can’t win, the importance even when losing of gaining the respect of your opponents and more crucially of yourself.

As an avid Tour de France follower (normally on TV but this year roadside on the Cote de Grinton Moor) I found nothing here to undermine my admiration of the riders and enjoyment of the spectacle. It was only a shame David Millar was omitted from the 2014 line up in this, his retirement year.