CROQUET HISTORY: Queen of Games: The History of Croquet

1991
by Nicky Smith

Hardback with dust jacket, published in 1991 by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0297811762. Containing 127 pages with illustrations, measuring 160mm x 240mm.

For many people, croquet conjures up an image of country houses with large lawns or Lewis Carroll's description of Alice's game with flamingos, hedgehogs and playing cards. But contemporary croquet is far more than a quirky pastime with Victorian associations. It is a fiercely competitive sport with a dedicated and international following. Today's top croquet players are young men who play to win. Theirs is a technical and tactical game which thrives in Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada and South Africa and enjoys growing interest in countries as far apart as Sweden and Japan. For all his, croquet remains a game with an English heart. The history of croquet in Britain retches back more than a hundred years and is filled with colourful and ontroversial characters. The author has gathered anecdotes and reminiscences from a variety of retired and active players to reveal the essentially social nature of croquet and provide an invaluable record of the halcyon days of great clubs and true eccentrics. In doing so, she links the past with the present and highlights questions which preoccupy the croquet world today. Queen of Games: The History of Croquet is for everyone. Thousands enjoy the occasional game of garden croquet but those who achieve the 'top class' remain an exclusive few. Nicky Smith unlocks this private world where etiquette and elegance have always been the rule and have contributed to the enjoyment of this unique sport.