Pots of Gold
A History of Snooker
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Swift Press
Publishing:25th Sep '25
£20.00
This title is due to be published on 25th September, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
'THE UNDISPUTED NUMBER ONE OF SNOOKER BOOKS' BARRY HEARN
‘Terrific’ Phil Yates, snooker broadcaster
‘Must-read … Enthralling’ Neal Foulds, former world no.3
‘Perfection!’ Alan McManus, former Masters champion
‘A truly great read’ Hazel Irvine, sports presenter
Snooker is a British success story, a working-class game which became a multi-million pound professional sport, exported to the world. A sublime test of skill and nerve, it has fascinated succeeding generations of players and spectators.
In this new history of the sport, David Hendon shows how the fortunes of snooker have mirrored wider changes in British society. Beginning as an upper-class pursuit invented in the British Raj, snooker was taken up in the working men’s clubs of industrial Britain. It nearly ceased to exist as an organised sport in the late 1950s, before reviving and becoming big business in the Thatcher era: 18.5m people watched the famous 1985 World Championship final. Since then, it has become a global sport, most notably in China and the Far East.
Weaving the big picture with the personal stories of snooker’s big characters, from Alex Higgins and Jimmy White to Ronnie O’Sullivan, anyone who has ever wielded a cue or breathlessly watched a marathon safety exchange will love this book.
‘Fast moving, colourful and packed with anecdotes, I loved this book and it is a must-read for anyone who follows snooker or just wants to know where Dennis Taylor got his upside-down glasses. From the invention of the sport 150 years ago, to the 1980s boom which changed my life, right up to Ronnie O'Sullivan's all-conquering career, the whole history of snooker is brought to life on these pages. This is the undisputed number one of snooker books’ - Barry Hearn
‘The 147 of snooker histories. A terrific book that could only be written by a writer steeped in snooker. I learned so much I lost count’ - Phil Yates, snooker broadcaster
‘In this must-read book David Hendon has meticulously and tirelessly put together an enthralling and often humorous insight into the story of snooker. From its origins to where we are today – not forgetting everything in between. What a journey it has been!’ - Neal Foulds, former world no.3 and snooker broadcaster
‘A century of sporting chronicle to defeat all others – perfection!’ - Alan McManus, former Masters champion and snooker broadcaster
‘A truly great read and a terrific piece of work, bursting with colourful stories and observations about a sport loved by so many. Hendon’s passion for the game shines through, as does his fascination with the characters and stars involved in this global game. True to form, his research is impeccable and important, his story-telling is superb’ - Hazel Irvine, sports presenter
ISBN: 9781800753525
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
288 pages