Former Indian cricketer V.V.S. Laxman to publish autobiography in November 2018
Westland Publications Pvt. Ltd. today announced the acquisition of former Indian cricketer V.V.S. Laxman’s autobiography.
The book titled 281 and Beyond will be published on 20 November 2018.
Commenting on the process of writing the book, Laxman said, ‘It was an emotional journey that left me drained at the end of each session. Several incidents that I had all but forgotten suddenly sprang back into memory as I relived my life in great detail. It was hard work, but it was also great fun. I have been honest and frank, and shared the experiences that have made me the person I am. Without revealing dressing-room secrets, I have tried to offer a peek into the psyche of Indian cricket, and some of its most celebrated sons.’
A stylish batsman who could score against any kind of bowling, VVS Laxman played over a hundred Tests to score over 8000 runs. He also played alongside some of India’s greatest—Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Kumble, Sehwag. Cricket fans still remember with awe his game-changing knock of 281 against Australia in 2001 at Eden Gardens. But that innings came after several years of hard work and dedication to the sport, first as a schoolboy playing for local teams and then as a Ranji player for Hyderabad before he broke into the national side.
Gautam Padmanabhan, CEO, Westland said, ‘VVS’s account of his life is refreshingly candid and full of insights into the way cricket is played–at the domestic, national and international level. We are delighted to launch our new imprint, Westland Sport, with this outstanding book.’
Commenting on the acquisition, Karthika V.K., Publisher, Westland, said, ‘During his playing years, Laxman was known to keep to himself and stay away from controversy. Which is what makes this telling truly special. It’s a wristy narrative, slashing and graceful, built on experience and a nuanced understanding of the game and his own place in it—just like his batting at its best.’
About Westland Publications Pvt Ltd: Founded in 1962, Westland is one of the largest English-language trade publishers in India. Westland’s bestselling authors include Chetan Bhagat, Amish Tripathi, Ashwin Sanghi, Devdutt Pattanaik, Ashok Banker, Rujuta Diwekar, Rashmi Bansal, Savi Sharma, Anita and Harsha Bhogle, and Preeti Shenoy, among others. It has recently launched a new imprint ‘Context’, which publishes literary fiction and non-fiction by some of the finest Indian writers, graphic novelists and chroniclers of our times. Westland publishes print books, e-books as well as short reads in genres ranging from popular and literary fiction to business, politics, biography, spirituality, health and cookery. Westland was acquired by Amazon in 2017. Westland brings Amazon Publishing’s bestselling international books to the Indian market available in over 1000 outlets.