{"product_id":"9781472908933","title":"Half-Time: The Glorious Summer of 1934","description":"Set against the backdrop of depression-era politics, 1934 was an \u003ci\u003eannus mirabilis \u003c\/i\u003efor English sport. Within just a few days of each other, Hedley Verity, Henry Cotton and Fred Perry all triumphed in their field. To a sporting audience still groaning through the quagmire left by the Great Depression, greedy for inspiring distractions, these heroic events made for a heady spectacle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEngland's Ashes Test victory at Lord's (later known as Verity's match) saw Australia seeking revenge after the Bodyline series of 1932-33, but Verity bowled England to a famous innings victory, taking 15 wickets - 14 in one day! That same day, Cotton set out on the first qualifying round of the British Open. He went on to set a new Open record with a game so sparkling the \u003ci\u003eDaily Express\u003c\/i\u003e called it \"the best round of golf ever played\". And within a fortnight, Perry had beaten Australia's Jack Crawford in the Wimbledon final. England had an extraordinary national hatrick.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTogether, these three contests and these three singular life stories weave a vivid portrait of an England that has faded from view. \u003ci\u003eHalf-Time \u003c\/i\u003ecelebrates a time of intense and rapid social and cultural change, a time that was both the last hurrah of the \u003ci\u003eancien regime\u003c\/i\u003e and the stirring of something new. And moving through it, famous actors on a grand stage, are three very English heroes.","brand":"Bloomsbury USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47171582918896,"sku":"9781472908933","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781472908933_p0.jpg?v=1763599125","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781472908933","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}