Justyn Barnes – författare

Often translated as resilience or perseverance, the Finnish concept of sisu is about never giving up, even when a task is seemingly impossible.Considered a hot topic of popular psychology, sisu is regarded as having a positive impact on mental health. At the heart of sisu is the idea of getting back up from failures, whether that be losing a job or the end of a relationship, and having the courage to use that experience to further oneself. Running a marathon and feel like you’ve hit a wall? Got a business idea but too scared to try it? Channelling sisu can be the key to overcoming both mental and physical blocks.Although a Finnish concept, this book explains how anyone can embrace sisu and channel their inner courage to make the most of any situation.

A lot of leather has 'plunk-plicked' against willow since cricket was first played on the village greens of Olde England, but this doughty little book heroically manages to capture the true essence of the noble ball game in just 100 run-grabbing moments (plus a few extras for overthrows). This is the story of cricket as it has never been told before: a well tossed-up compilation of surreal match reports, spoof correspondence and quirky cartoons. From a Great Victorian refusing to walk (even though his bails have been knocked off by the bowler) to modern-day sledgers playing floodlit pyjama cricket, the game's towering achievements, hilarious happenings and ludicrous coincidences are entertainingly recalled. The book's title says it all: which other sport would have Silly positions in the field? For those who don't know, silly mid-off (facing the batsman) & silly mid-on (behind him) field within a couple of metres of the man at the crease as he flails at the ball, delivered at 140kmh, using a 1kg wooden bat.