Playing The Moldovans At Tennis

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Ranked #6,399 in Arts , #161,210 overall

Book Review

My first reaction to the mere existence of this book by British comedian Tony Hawks was one of extreme scepticism - and not merely because of my total lack of interest in football, tennis or almost any other sport. Round Ireland With A Fridge was a brilliant book, not least because of its uniqueness and sense of genuine honesty. It was an oddity that unexpectedly became a cult. This second Hawks book immediately makes one suspect a cynical cash-in, an attempt to do the same thing a second time.

 

Image: Playing the Moldovans at Tennis

Synopsis 

The set-up for Playing the Moldovans is once again a bet, but this time it's impossible to believe that those involved (Hawks and fellow comedian Arthur Smith) weren't thinking about a book from the start. Still, no matter. Despite being a "same again" it's still damn good.

The bet this time is again suitably strange: whether Hawks can play the entire Moldovan football team at tennis and beat every one of them. The stakes are rather more substantial than the £100 of the first book - the loser of the bet must strip naked on the Balham High Road and sing the Moldovan national anthem. If you've seen Hawks and Smith on the TV you know that whatever happens the real losers will be the spectators!

That question, will it be Hawks or Smith, is the peg for the rest of the book. Hawks travels around various countries - mainly though not just Moldova - hunting down and playing the members of the Moldovan football team at tennis. On the way we get to see a lot of the culture and people of the countries.

Analysis 

The humour in Moldovans - not quite so "laugh out loud" as in Fridge - is offset by Hawks clearly genuine emotions concerning the people he meets, be it positive or negative. There are just as many strange people in this book as in Fridge, but a lot less likeable ones. As with Fridge there is a compelling sincerity underpinning the humour.

Hawks makes good use of his excellent observational skills, obviously learnt during his years as a comic. He captures the essentials of people, places and situations and paints his pictures well with just a few brush strokes. I certainly learned more about Moldova from reading this book than I'd previously learnt in my entire life. Though that wasn't too difficult.

And yes, one of them really does go through with it.

Conclusion 

Hawks is unlikely to ever again produce something as spectacular as Fridge. That was a one-off. The "stupid bet" concept that worked so well there feels a bit laboured when repeated. Despite that, this is an amusing, light read that manages to be both revealing and informative.

On the evidence of this book Hawks has a fine career in travel writing ahead.

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by trevorm

Hi, I'm Trevor and I live in Edinburgh - the capital of Scotland.

I'm interested in a wide variety of things and love learning. I intend to write a sim...

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