Every cricket lover, for better or worse, has their year. The year it all fell into place or all fell apart. A year of triumph or disaster; of tragedy or comedy. This being cricket, there’s normally a bit of everything.

A series of writers, poets, musicians, comedians, and ex-players – plus the odd England captain – have come together to produce a collection of personal essays, using the game of cricket as the backdrop to tell their own stories. 50 voices for 50 years: each one delving into the year that means the most to them. This is Golden Summers.

Covering 50 different seasons, from 1934 right up to the weird summer of 2020, Golden Summers tells the story of modern cricket in a refreshing and engaging way, revealing the impact the game has had on so many writers.

Journalists such as Scyld Berry, David Frith, Stephen Fay, Emma John, Tanya Aldred, Eleanor Oldroyd, Geoff Lemon and Lawrence Booth – plenty of Wisden Almanack editors among them – write beautifully about their chosen years, and players like Mark Wood, Heather Knight, Derek Pringle and Vic Marks provide great insight, with all of the contributors interweaving personal memories with a look at the cricket happening at that time.

Edited by Phil Walker, Jo Harman and Matt Thacker.