A review by a_o_on_the_go
Stroke of Genius: Victor Trumper and the Shot That Changed Cricket by Gideon Haigh

4.0

Essentially about a photograph - initially, this book is heavy, and somewhat tangled, with voluminous, and perhaps overwhelming, historical detail. However, the path of the superbly researched, and deeply insightful narrative becomes easier to follow as the author, Gideon Haigh, moves from the era leading up to George Beldam taking his 1905 photograph (known as 'Jumping Out') of Australian cricketer Victor Trumper, to the image's contemporary reception, and moves - with great relevance - through the following decades, to the current day - tracing what the photograph has meant, does mean, and could mean to photography, cricket and the Australian nation.