A celebration of humankind at its best.-Tad Friend, The New Yorker
A cerebral yet sensitive tour de force on the pioneering life of an exemplary human being and principled sports champion in two countries and across the world, this uplifting and eminently readable rendition of Anil Nayar's sports career is written with tremendous flair, insight, passion, and professional finesse.-Khalid A. H. Ansari, founder and former publisher of the daily Indian newspaper, MidDay, and chairman emeritus of the Squash Racquets Federation of Maharashtra
Told in a seamless manner with sweetness, insight, and enough objectivity to give it both emotional and intellectual integrity and impact, this memoir on a champion sportsman will be of great interest to squash enthusiasts in all countries, folks who follow sports of any kind, people interested in cross-cultural dynamics, those who lived through or have interest in the crucible of the '60s and '70s, and anyone who simply likes a good life story.-Thomas Webber, author of Flying Over 96th Street and Deep Like the Rivers
This portrayal of Anil Nayar's legendary contribution to a narrow slice of global culture offers a vivid example not only of the unifying capacity of sport, but also of the uplifting influence of a stellar sportsman, one who played with integrity, artistry, and grace.-Sundaram Tagore, gallerist, art historian, filmmaker and heir to the cultural legacy of India's legendary Tagore family
Anil Nayar's story is urgently necessary in today's fractured world. A legendary national squash champion in India and across North America, he bridged worlds and forged a deep legacy as a sportsman, as a leader, and as a symbol of cross-cultural diversity. Lucky is the gripping story of his unlikely and unsurpassed journey.-James Zug, author of Squash: A History of the Game
2020-08-28
A portrait of a history-making squash champion, written by his wife.
In this highly detailed memoir (richly illustrated with photos from every stage of the man’s life), Nayar tells the story of her husband, the legendary squash champion Anil Nayar, following his life both on and off the court. Written with Nayar’s close cooperation, the book follows the story of his life from his childhood in Bombay to his time at Harvard and his rise in the ranks of the professional squash-playing world. She not only reveals the interior details of that world in great detail for the sport’s aficionados, but also smoothly outlines the sport for nonspecialists who may know only that, in 1965, Nayar became the first Indian to win the Drysdale Cup and become a world champion squash player. She also provides liberal amounts of personal details, taking readers behind the scenes of the challenges Nayar faced, both professionally and personally, with his first wife Linda and their family. It’s the professional side of the story, however, that will likely be the book’s greatest point of interest for most readers. Nayar dramatizes key matches, her husband’s interactions with other major figures in the sport, and the challenges her husband faced when he sought to diversify his career. Throughout this narrative, Nayar makes the canny storytelling choice to tell much of the story of her husband’s sports career via his own quotes: “The mental state is undeniably the hardest to manage, but I remember clearly when I felt I played the best squash of my life—it was like I was playing an instrument to perfection.” And Nayar herself reinforces this: “The very finest qualities of a world-class sportsman have much less to do with winning or losing or fame or fortune and more to do with simply playing beautifully.” These broader touches make this a standout sports memoir.
A readable, inviting biography of squash legend Anil Nayar.