Playing the Moldovans at Tennis

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I expected to find this book funny, which it is; I didn't expect to find it illuminating and rather moving, which it is too" ( Daily Mail) A pretty funny account of a weird idea that arose from a bet – playing the entire Moldovan football team at tennis! I much preferred Round Ireland With a Fridge as I simply preferred the concept, but Hawks still writes with a dry humour and a naivety that takes you on his journey with wide eyes and an open mind. Tony Hawks, un actor de comedie din Anglia şi un bărbat excentric ce adoră provocările neobişnuite, e legat de Moldova printr-un pariu. Misiunea sa bizară e să găsească membrii echipei naționale de fotbal şi să-i convingă să joace tenis cu el. pentru contribuția ta din Moldova la faptul că „oamenii cu orice fel de dizabilitate trebuie să fie respectați de către societatea în mijlocul căreia trăiesc și să aibă dreptul la o viață pe cât e posibil normală și satisfăcătoare”. As the story unfolds, Tony's desire not to let the family down, particularly ten year old Elena, becomes more important than winning the bet itself.

Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - Macmillan Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - Macmillan

What follows is the hilarious report of Tony's adventures mainly in Moldova, with a visit in Northern Ireland (where the football team has a match that would give Tony the opportunity to challenge some players he hadn't met yet.) and an exciting trip to Nazareth where things seem to go wrong for Tony...

It is fascinating to see glimpses of life in Moldova and it is the local cast who are the true stars of the film, in particular the outstanding Anatol Durbala who plays Iulian the translator.

Playing The Moldovans At Tennis - Film - British Comedy Guide Playing The Moldovans At Tennis - Film - British Comedy Guide

If you’ve enjoyed either of Tony Hawks’ other books, this is definitely one to read. Whilst not being “travel” in any real sense of the word, it’s certainly about a journey, and one worth following. If you like people who do silly things, it’s worth a look and if you’ve ever wondered how people in other cultures, particularly in Eastern Europe live their lives, then this is something that’s going to be of great interest. For those looking for barrels of laughs, then other books would be more to your tastes. It’s an entirely new challenge to going to Ireland and wandering around with a fridge. For one thing, Tony isn’t even sure where Moldova is, much less what language they speak there. And for another, even getting to Moldova is quite a process and one that, in Tony’s case, involves going to Liverpool to meet a Beatles tribute band. Not quite how you’d expect a Moldovan odyssey to start, but that’s how things had to be done. Hawks's comedic talent comes across well in the written form...he has a breezy, witty style that makes the book extremely enjoyable...Hawks is not only a crazy comic but a keen observer of the human experience.” — The San Francisco ChronicleTony Hawks is a funny guy. After all, he is a comedian, and comedians tend to have to be funny. But in recent years, he’s progressed from being “funny ha-ha” to being possibly a little bit strange. It’s not his fault, I guess. He just can’t resist a challenge. So when he got drunk one night and was bet that he couldn’t hitch hike around Ireland with a fridge in tow, he did, and then promptly wrote a book, the hilarious, if not terribly imaginatively titled “Round Ireland With a Fridge” pare însă că acest lucru este adevărat. „Prima dată când am devenit vulnerabil și avem mare nevoie de ajutor. La așa ceva moldovenii reacționează!” This is an extremely entertaining book...A real treat for fans of the weird, the silly, and the out-of-left-field.” — Booklist (starred review)

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - Episode

There are some nice cameos from Angus Deayton, Laura Solon and Morwenna Banks and Steve Frost is an excellent choice as the Arthur Smith character. Tony, a successful and somewhat complacent writer, makes a bizarre bet with a friend that he can play and beat the entire Moldovan national football team at tennis, one by one. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes travel memoirs and has a good sense of humor.Tony’s writing style is again very chatty and straightforward. Whilst not flowing quite as well as “…Fridge”, it’s still a very easy book to read, as it’s told in a relaxed, almost conversational, style and you can almost hear Tony’s voice in your head, relating the events to you. The funny moments are rarer than in “…Fridge”, but there’s some real laugh out loud moments, although even they seem to reflect the Moldovan way of life in that they appear more frequently both before and after he’s been to the country and less so whilst he’s there.

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - Episode BBC Radio 4 Extra - Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - Episode

This would probably be interesting to read both for foreigners going to Moldova, or those who have spent some time there already, and would definitely recognize quite a lot of situations described. Arthur Smith is also a funny guy. He’s a friend of Tony Hawks and has starred alongside him on the comedy circuit and on “Red Dwarf”. He’s also pretty fond of telling Tony he’s not very good at tennis, which upsets Tony because Tony thinks he’s actually rather good at the game. And so it is that one night, whilst watching England beat Moldova 4-0 and after quite a few drinks have been consumed, a bet is made. The bet is as so; that Tony can’t beat the entire Moldovan football team at tennis.Peter Moore is another example of similar literature, though perhaps one of the best ones is Daniel Kalder's Lost Cosmonaut: Observations of an Anti-Tourist.