Who knows how many books will be written about the extraordinary sporting year of 2019? The Cricket World Cup final was so nail-biting even its tiebreaker was tied. But great sports books tend to be reflective not reactive and this year the titles that make the best reads are a surprisingly off-piste bunch. Another title that puts language to the fore is Duncan Hamilton’s biography of Neville Cardus, The Great Romantic (Hodder & Stoughton). • Save up to 30% on the books of the year at guardianbookshop.com

Source: The Guardian November 30, 2019 07:52 UTC