Author:Michael Simkins
A fat boy with a passion for sweets and a loathing for games, the young Michael Simkins finds in cricket a sport where size doesn't necessarily matter and a full-blown obsession is born. Now in middle-age, he still harbours the somewhat deluded belief that the England middle-order might usefully benefit from his hard-earned skills. From impromptu Test series played with his dad in the family sweetshop through to his years running a team of dysfunctional inadequates, Fatty Batter is the bestselling and hilarious story of one man's life lived through cricket.
Once you've read this account of one man's love affair with cricket, you'll never want to read another ghosted autobiography by a Pietersen or a Vaughan again - incompetence and failure is far more fun
—— Michael AthertonAn instant classic
—— Stephen FryThe childhood recollections, suffused with warmth and spangled with pain and humour, are the book's unique selling point. Lovely stuff
—— Daily TelegraphSimmo may be a shockingly average amateur cricketer, but when it comes to self- deprecating wit and telling a good anecdote, he's as sprightly as Garry Sobers in his prime ... anecdotes and quirky characters hurtle down at us like yorkers bowled by a fast bowler that I'm not quite knowledgeable enough to name ... an entertaining read indeed
—— Sunday TimesMichael writes about disaster, humiliation, rejection and ridicule - the hilarious truth
—— Nicholas HytnerBrilliantly witty
—— Ed Smith , Daily MailIt is wonderfully written - full of wit, gags, self-deprecating asides and a pure, unfettered understanding of a man's limitations - and it talks to all of us. You should buy it. You really should go out straight away and pick up a copy. It'll make you feel so much better
—— All Out CricketAt last the work of genius that will finally bring the long-suffering cricket addict a measure of understanding in the world. A wonderful and very funny book
—— Sir Tim RiceYou read the wonderful Michael Simkins with a mixture of horror and delight
—— David HareOne of Britain's funniest writers
—— Daily MailExtremely funny - whether or not you know your bails from your balls
—— Daily MailOne of the funniest sporting memoirs ever
—— Sunday TelegraphAlmost painfully funny
—— ObserverCovers not only the highs of the last two seasons but the lows
—— London CyclistIn the course of telling the tale, his image as an everyday hero is absolutely confirmed with all the necessary detail and insight both cynics and fans would require
—— Mark Perryman , Morning StarConveys the most engaging personality of this almost comically unpretentious bloke, who never thought that Tour winners came from Kilburn
—— Geoffrey Wheatcroft , New StatesmanCompelling and often emotional account... Outspoken, honest, intelligent and fearless, Wiggins has been hailed as the people’s champion
—— Yorkshire PostA genuinely up-lifting read
—— Alan Pattullo , The ScotsmanEngaging
—— Malachy Clerkin , Irish TimesMy Time conveys the most engaging personality of this almost comically unpretentious bloke, who never thought that Tour de France winners came from Kilburn
—— Geoffrey Wheatcroft , New StatesmenThere is plenty of material for cycling aficionados … but his story is also of interest to the general reader
—— Lewis Jones , SpectatorWho could resist finding out more about the sideburned new superstar of British cycling
—— Daily TelegraphEuphoria does not last forever and so the race is always on to ensure that the books is read for those keen to know of to re-live the spine tingling moments of triumph. My Time is not at all the worst of this kind of output. Indeed, it might be among the best...there is plenty of fascinating detail
—— Alison Rudd , The TimesGive sports fans a glimpse into what it takes to win gold
—— CloserFascinating...it covers most levels of Wiggins existence – cyclist, team leader, husband, father, son – during the most important years of his life, with the candour that has become his trademark...co-written by Guardian sports writer, William Fotheringham, who helps to tell the story in the direct but eloquent tone that Wiggins watchers will recognise countless radio and television interviews. It is an absorbing read that covers Wiggins’ career from his departure from Garmin to his latest Olympic success. Cycling fans will relish the horse’s mouth accounts of the triumphs they have watched unfold this year, while newcomers to the sport, attracted by the man’s performances this year, both on and off the bike, should find more to enjoy
—— Timothy John , Road Cycling UKIf you love cycling, this makes a very welcome change from the rather saturated market of ‘cyclist doping confessions'
—— Cycling UKWhat makes the book special for me is the love of cycling that comes through. His passion for the sport, for its history, his awareness of where he stands in the pantheon of Lycra-clad heroes, and his inability to truly comprehend his achievements all come across in waves. And in typical Wiggins fashion, he doesn’t dodge the difficult bits. He talks openly about the latest drugs scandal and the unwelcome role of moral enforcer which has been forced onto him by his newfound standing as Tour winner
—— Freewheeling France (blog)A speedy guide to cycling success
—— The TimesLike the man, it’s engaging, modest and likeable, with the section on the Olympics especially fascinating
—— Simon Evans , Choice