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 Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
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Serious: The Autobiography
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Product Description
Serious is McEnroe's enormously entertaining story of how a shock-haired kid from Queens grew up on the world stage. Who would have thought that John McEnroe would evolve from Grand Slamming superbrat into the most refreshingly candid and authoritative elder statesmen of tennis? He is still kicking over the statues, but with a hard-won wisdom to temper the explosiveness that characterised his oncourt personality. This book, written in collaboration with James Kaplan, grew out of a New Yorker profile of McEnroe that the journalist wrote a couple of years ago, but for the most part reads like unadulterated SuperMac, unfiltered and straight from the source--who lest we forget was one of the greatest tennis players of the modern era, and a Wimbledon legend. I don't get tired of such compliments. I feel proud of having earned them. And--I admit it--there's a part of me that's addicted to the attention. It's one reason--I'll also admit this--that I'm writing this book. It's not just to get attention, but to do some serious thinking about how much attention I need, and why I need it. This openness is occasionally a mixed blessing--there's a touch of the Oprah's about some of his attempts at self-justification--but overall McEnroe "thinking out loud" is as hugely entertaining as you might expect. Forthright opinions on just about everything, from heyday rivalries with the likes of Borg and Conners--through his battles with the tennis establishment and the media (touching on his occasionally tempestuous private life)--to what's wrong with the game today. Ace.--Alex Hankin
Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
From subway-rider to seniors' tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.
Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
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Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
From subway-rider to seniors' tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.
Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.
Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.
Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.
Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.
This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!
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Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
From subway-rider to seniors' tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.
Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.
Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.
Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.
Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.
This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!
A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.
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Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
From subway-rider to seniors' tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.
Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.
Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.
Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.
Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.
This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!
A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.
Better athlete than author, 29 Aug 2007
Hoo boy. More whining from a third-rater* about how he doesn't get enough respect; I've just finished reading Nathalie Tauziat's opus, and now this. But at least Mlle. Tauziat was the French Nº 1 for seven years.
The bulk of the book is concerned with Mr Spadea's year of 2005 in tennis, with brief descriptions of, and anecdotes about, players, coaches, fans, and other denizens of the tennis world, including women. The author's relationships with these are also described. By his own admission he doesn't try to get close to other male players (p.59), and this in itself is a problem for the book, because he's unable to portray them with any depth; nevertheless, I found myself hoping he makes a lot a money from it, because if all his relationships with women are like those described herein, one has to wonder if he'll be left with much else.
There's certainly scope for an "in-the-trenches account of life near the top of the pro tennis tour". Unfortunately, this one is neither particularly interesting, nor particularly informative; it's too self-centred to be either.
All of this does not of course mean that Mr Spadea is a bad person, or that getting to the Top 20 is a contemptible achievement. Nor does it mean that his book is entirely without interest (hence the three stars). In fact, some of it has a kind of horrifying fascination, and parts of it (such as the tips on how to pick up girls) are unintentionally hilarious.
But if you want an informative, charming and witty book about tennis, get Gordon Forbes's A Handful of Summers.
*Rule of thumb (admittedly arbitrary, but at least well-defined) for the purpose of this review:
First-rater -- those who have won three different Slam championships; or in a particular Slam have won it three times, or have won the Triple Crown (singles/doubles/mixed) in one year .
Second rater -- all other Slam champions.
Third-rater -- everyone else.
This is not as brutal as the obvious definition, which also has the defect of not being applicable before the ranking system was invented:
First-rater -- those who are or have been Number 1.
Second rater -- those who are or have been Number 2.
Third-rater -- those who are or have been Number 3.
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Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!
Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.
From subway-rider to seniors' tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.
Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.
Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.
Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.
Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.
This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!
A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.
Better athlete than author, 29 Aug 2007
Hoo boy. More whining from a third-rater* about how he doesn't get enough respect; I've just finished reading Nathalie Tauziat's opus, and now this. But at least Mlle. Tauziat was the French Nº 1 for seven years.
The bulk of the book is concerned with Mr Spadea's year of 2005 in tennis, with brief descriptions of, and anecdotes about, players, coaches, fans, and other denizens of the tennis world, including women. The author's relationships with these are also described. By his own admission he doesn't try to get close to other male players (p.59), and this in itself is a problem for the book, because he's unable to portray them with any depth; nevertheless, I found myself hoping he makes a lot a money from it, because if all his relationships with women are like those described herein, one has to wonder if he'll be left with much else.
There's certainly scope for an "in-the-trenches account of life near the top of the pro tennis tour". Unfortunately, this one is neither particularly interesting, nor particularly informative; it's too self-centred to be either.
All of this does not of course mean that Mr Spadea is a bad person, or that getting to the Top 20 is a contemptible achievement. Nor does it mean that his book is entirely without interest (hence the three stars). In fact, some of it has a kind of horrifying fascination, and parts of it (such as the tips on how to pick up girls) are unintentionally hilarious.
But if you want an informative, charming and witty book about tennis, get Gordon Forbes's A Handful of Summers.
*Rule of thumb (admittedly arbitrary, but at least well-defined) for the purpose of this review:
First-rater -- those who have won three different Slam championships; or in a particular Slam have won it three times, or have won the Triple Crown (singles/doubles/mixed) in one year .
Second rater -- all other Slam champions.
Third-rater -- everyone else.
This is not as brutal as the obvious definition, which also has the defect of not being applicable before the ranking system was invented:
First-rater -- those who are or have been Number 1.
Second rater -- those who are or have been Number 2.
Third-rater -- those who are or have been Number 3.
TIGER TIM, 22 Jun 2005
This book has everything you need to know about Tim Henman - and more. I'm a big fan of Tiger Tim and I'm delighted someone has finally written his life story - hopefully there will be another version when he wins Wimbledon!!!
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The Agassi Story
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Dominic CobelloMike AgassiKate Shoup Welsh;
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In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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Amazon: £11.99
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Customer Reviews
Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.
Conclusion - unfit for purpose.
Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?
He's a Scot anyway!, 30 Jun 2008
What goes around comes around. We will support whoever plays Mr Murray for the next however many years he gets knocked out of tornaments at the qtr finals stage.
He is not British ... he is not a winner ... he is a jock loseer!
He is not in the least bit interesting ... we turn of the radio, tv any other medium his whining voice comes onto ... c'mon the other guy!
Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' non | | |