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) Weekend Box Office Results: Five Nights at Freddy’s Scores Monster Opening Link to Weekend Box Office Results: Five Nights at Freddy’s Scores Monster Opening

Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - The Movie Database (TMDB) Playing the Moldovans at Tennis - The Movie Database (TMDB)

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) Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks is the story of Hawks' attempt to a win a bet. A bet, which, to any sane person, would sound utterly ridiculous: that he could beat all of the players that were on the field for the Moldovan national soccer team, in tennis (one on one). Why this bet, of all things? As he and his buddy were watching the game on TV, they decided to debate if athletic ability wins out over skill and knowledge of a game. As Mr. Hawks used to play tennis at a very low competitive level, he was adamant that he could beat athletic individuals, like these soccer players, at his game. So adamant that he was willing to agree to stripping naked and singing the Moldovan national anthem if he wasn't able to beat all 11 players. Pretty daring, but somewhat expected - Mr. Hawks wrote one book previously, Round Ireland with a Fridge, where apparently he walked around Ireland while carrying a fridge, also on a bet. I can imagine to be willing to read this book another time *again*. According to my memory and goodreads, I already read it twice in German, but, but! since I don't have the recollection of a second year, I am going to stay with: read twice, once in 2007 in German, once in 2019 in English. Comedian Tony Hawks challenges to individual tennis matches all 11 of the Moldovan footballers who lost to England, 4-0.

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Wonderful reading! I am Moldovan, and at times it actually hurt to read some things, and sometimes I wanted to scream "That's not true!", but as a matter of fact - a lot of things in this book ARE true... Though it was written some time in the end of 90's as I undersand, and things are much better here now (at least we have lights in the streets now!), but a lot of things about mentality of Moldovans never changed...

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Playing the Moldovans at Tennis

It's not nearly funny enough. There are many smiles, but few big laughs. 2. The book is good. It revealed that the author learned a lot about himself from his experience in Moldova. This only vaguely transfers to the screen. 3. The plot is reasonably but not compellingly constructed. If the streaming had stopped half way through (it didn't, it worked well), I am not sure I would have felt any need to find it again to see the end. Even if you hate tennis and couldn't find Moldova on the map, you'll be charmed. Utterly recommended" ( FHM)

Fortunately, Tony Hawks is a different kind of person. His humour is self-depreciating, and he is genuinely interested in getting to know and understand the Moldovans. He is even questioning if he is doing the right thing with his bizarre adventure, which seems to him rather frivolous as time is passing, considering the living conditions of everyone around him. 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... The full-length feature film version of his book Round Ireland with a Fridge, starring Tony, Josie Lawrence, Ed Byrne and Sean Hughes, was released in Autumn 2010. Filming on the follow-up, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, with Steven Frost, Angus Deayton, Morwenna Banks and Laura Solon, has just been completed. In March 2011 Tony travelled to Japan to appear at the Okinawa International Film Festival where Round Ireland with a Fridge was nominated for Best Comedy. The ensuing unpredictable and often hilarious adventure sees him being taken in by Moldovan gypsies and narrowly avoid kidnap in Transnistria. It sees him smuggle his way on to the Moldovan National Team coach in Coleraine and witness (almost) divine intervention in the Holy Land.