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Sometimes I Forgot to Laugh
The exhilarating and troubled 25-year career of Peter Roebuck, best known to a generation of Australian cricket fans as the incisive, and sometimes controversial, cricketing voice of ABC Radio and the Sydney Morning Herald , inspires this passionate and riveting autobiography that takes a deep—and sometimes dark—look at cricket from both on and off the field.
- GenresBiography
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Peter Roebuck
15 books3 followersPeter Michael Roebuck was born in Oxford and attended Millfield School in Glastonbury where his mother was a maths teacher and his father an economics teacher. He later went on to Cambridge University, where he won his cricket blue.
His cricketing ability was quickly recognised and he made his debut for Somerset Second Eleven at the age of 13. He made his first team debut in 1974 and went on to make over 17,000 runs, including 33 centuries, until he retired in 1991. He also captained an England XI in Holland and was one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1988.
He entered journalism and wrote his first cricket books while still playing the game. In the English winters he went to Australia where he played Grade cridcket for Waverley and taught at Cranbrook School in Sydney.
He is now a full-time writer and commentator while spending his time between Pietermaritzburg in South Africa and Sydney.
His cricketing ability was quickly recognised and he made his debut for Somerset Second Eleven at the age of 13. He made his first team debut in 1974 and went on to make over 17,000 runs, including 33 centuries, until he retired in 1991. He also captained an England XI in Holland and was one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1988.
He entered journalism and wrote his first cricket books while still playing the game. In the English winters he went to Australia where he played Grade cridcket for Waverley and taught at Cranbrook School in Sydney.
He is now a full-time writer and commentator while spending his time between Pietermaritzburg in South Africa and Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 21, 2018
Peter Roebuck, in spite of being a man shrouded in mystery (read this article - and the book, to know more), remains my favourite writer on cricket. This book, which I abandoned, was when he made an attempt to write about himself. I remember having not finished this book, and I remember having not enjoyed it much either.
Roebuck's reputation is made from 'It Never Rains' and 'It Takes All Sorts' and 'In It to Win It'. And his columns. This, an autobiography, does not matter.
Roebuck's reputation is made from 'It Never Rains' and 'It Takes All Sorts' and 'In It to Win It'. And his columns. This, an autobiography, does not matter.
October 17, 2017
Peter Roebuck's recent untimely demise reinforces the impression that, while no man is an island, many men have secret parts hidden deep within themselves that never see the light.
Roebuck was best known in Australia as a sometimes philosophical, sometimes acerbic cricket commentator and writer. He also had a long and sometimes turbulent career as a batsman and captain in English cricket who was, at his peak, touted as a possible selection for the English team.
Sometimes I forgot to laugh is Roebuck's attempt at autobiography, and while there are few insights into what was a strange and at times lonely character, there is also much good writing about the game of cricket, and some of the great figures of the game Roebuck had the fortune to play with and against.
I have to admit I only read this book because Roebuck had died in such mysterious circumstances (leaping from his hotel window after been questioned by S. African Police over an alleged sexual assault), but it is one of the better cricket auto/biographies I have read.
Roebuck is an insightful judge of other people, and his descriptions of Viv Richards, Joel Garner, and Ian Botham, with whom he shared success at Somerset, is intriguing, and adds to the corpus of knowledge of these three great champions of the game. He provides insights into the early careers of other great players as well, such as Martin Crowe of New Zealand, and Steve Waugh and Allan Border of Australia.
Roebuck goes into some detail about the "Somerset affair", when, as Captain, he supported the Board in the axing of Richards and Garner from the County, to be followed by Botham leaving in disgust. This naturally tore the County apart - Roebuck was in an invidious position, but handled himself as well as he could given the situation.
As for insight's into Roebuck's life, there aren't too many. Given this is a cricket autobiography, that may be par-for-the-course (to mix sporting metaphors). The title of the book probably says something about the man, as well as his admission to being a repressed cricketer, eliminating errors from his game in an attempt to avoid embarrassment and ridicule, which was obviously something he could not cope with - he writes in the book "Was this a mistake? Could things have turned out otherwise?". He failed to provide answers to those questions in the book, and perhaps in his life. He will be missed.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
Roebuck was best known in Australia as a sometimes philosophical, sometimes acerbic cricket commentator and writer. He also had a long and sometimes turbulent career as a batsman and captain in English cricket who was, at his peak, touted as a possible selection for the English team.
Sometimes I forgot to laugh is Roebuck's attempt at autobiography, and while there are few insights into what was a strange and at times lonely character, there is also much good writing about the game of cricket, and some of the great figures of the game Roebuck had the fortune to play with and against.
I have to admit I only read this book because Roebuck had died in such mysterious circumstances (leaping from his hotel window after been questioned by S. African Police over an alleged sexual assault), but it is one of the better cricket auto/biographies I have read.
Roebuck is an insightful judge of other people, and his descriptions of Viv Richards, Joel Garner, and Ian Botham, with whom he shared success at Somerset, is intriguing, and adds to the corpus of knowledge of these three great champions of the game. He provides insights into the early careers of other great players as well, such as Martin Crowe of New Zealand, and Steve Waugh and Allan Border of Australia.
Roebuck goes into some detail about the "Somerset affair", when, as Captain, he supported the Board in the axing of Richards and Garner from the County, to be followed by Botham leaving in disgust. This naturally tore the County apart - Roebuck was in an invidious position, but handled himself as well as he could given the situation.
As for insight's into Roebuck's life, there aren't too many. Given this is a cricket autobiography, that may be par-for-the-course (to mix sporting metaphors). The title of the book probably says something about the man, as well as his admission to being a repressed cricketer, eliminating errors from his game in an attempt to avoid embarrassment and ridicule, which was obviously something he could not cope with - he writes in the book "Was this a mistake? Could things have turned out otherwise?". He failed to provide answers to those questions in the book, and perhaps in his life. He will be missed.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
April 24, 2016
"... he fought for his place in a world that did not suit him nearly as well." The words of Peter Roebuck's father, published in 2004, at the end of this book, are an eerie epitaph in the light of his death last year. In fact, Roebuck's last three sentences of the book include "Alas, the dismayed will continue to take their lives for it is all more fragile than it appears."
Whether a fan of Peter Roebuck or not, this is a fascinating insight into the man, all the more remarkable for the fact he has opened the door and let us in to a world he usually kept so private. A man who clearly placed enormous demands upon himself and those he considered capable enough to get on with life, he was never the less compassionate to a fault and immensely interested in life and the characters that give it colour and was filled to the brim with the imperfect humanity in us all. He felt abandoned by England and had no great concern in adopting Australia, loving its capacity and preference for openness. His legendary falling out with Ian Botham is covered in detail and despite painting a sympathetic picture of Beefy, he isn't backward in his dislike for the skulduggery Botham applied in making life difficult for him, from the fallout at Somerset onwards. His praise for Australians such as Steve Waugh, Allan Border and Mark Taylor and the manner in which junior cricketers are developed is noteworthy by comparison to his own experience in passing from boy to man.
As you would expect, it is an extremely well written book by a man who shuffled words on a page with great mastery. Like his newspaper jottings, there is much more on the page than the story being told. There are many dog-eared pages in my copy and highlighted quotes worthy of repetition but perhaps two to finish which remind us of where we started.
"A man may survive many blows, outstare numerous disappointments and still hold his head high. Its not the harshness that brings him down but the tiny, unendurable slights that follow."
... and my personal favourite
"A man must follow his spirit for otherwise something dies within."
Whether a fan of Peter Roebuck or not, this is a fascinating insight into the man, all the more remarkable for the fact he has opened the door and let us in to a world he usually kept so private. A man who clearly placed enormous demands upon himself and those he considered capable enough to get on with life, he was never the less compassionate to a fault and immensely interested in life and the characters that give it colour and was filled to the brim with the imperfect humanity in us all. He felt abandoned by England and had no great concern in adopting Australia, loving its capacity and preference for openness. His legendary falling out with Ian Botham is covered in detail and despite painting a sympathetic picture of Beefy, he isn't backward in his dislike for the skulduggery Botham applied in making life difficult for him, from the fallout at Somerset onwards. His praise for Australians such as Steve Waugh, Allan Border and Mark Taylor and the manner in which junior cricketers are developed is noteworthy by comparison to his own experience in passing from boy to man.
As you would expect, it is an extremely well written book by a man who shuffled words on a page with great mastery. Like his newspaper jottings, there is much more on the page than the story being told. There are many dog-eared pages in my copy and highlighted quotes worthy of repetition but perhaps two to finish which remind us of where we started.
"A man may survive many blows, outstare numerous disappointments and still hold his head high. Its not the harshness that brings him down but the tiny, unendurable slights that follow."
... and my personal favourite
"A man must follow his spirit for otherwise something dies within."
April 15, 2019
Heading for Taunton for the opening day of the cricket season, I thought I should read one of the essential Somerset County Cricket Club narratives. And with legends of my childhood team Brian Rose and Vic Marks both about to publish their auto biographies I wanted to remind myself of Peter Roebuck’s version of history.
The chapters about Somerset’s rise to their first trophies and the subsequent swift and spectacular fall form the centrepiece of this book and - at least to my mind - are the best bit. Botham, Garner, Sir Viv, Marks, Dredge all feature heavily and you really get a sense of what it must have been like to be a Committee member at the Club in the mid 80s.
Elsewhere, lots of love for Australia, some odd opinions about the value of correctional punishment for youths apparently delivered with their consent and famously - and tragically- a line about cricket-related suicides and how they will continue to happen.
The chapters about Somerset’s rise to their first trophies and the subsequent swift and spectacular fall form the centrepiece of this book and - at least to my mind - are the best bit. Botham, Garner, Sir Viv, Marks, Dredge all feature heavily and you really get a sense of what it must have been like to be a Committee member at the Club in the mid 80s.
Elsewhere, lots of love for Australia, some odd opinions about the value of correctional punishment for youths apparently delivered with their consent and famously - and tragically- a line about cricket-related suicides and how they will continue to happen.
September 17, 2012
It is a nice book and the first book I have read written by Peter Roebuck. He is an insightful writer and caches various details about cricket in a nice and intriguing manner. His reading of the game and his witty reflections are a treat to read.
August 20, 2016
A good book with anecdotes from Somerset CCC. Could have been lot better had the book been linear. Half the times Roebuck jumps from current time-line to past and future. (Including his professions - cricketer, journalist and mentor ). It is quite confusing at times.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews