- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd; First Edition First Printing edition (22 Jun 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1845131371
- ISBN-13: 978-1845131371
- Product Dimensions: 21.4 x 14 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 285,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Steve Jones, Times
'This is an absolutely delightful book about one of Britain's all-time, all-round sporting heroes. Remarkable.'
Product Description
'If Max Woosnam had never been born,' says the author, someone would surely have invented him'. He was no relation to the golfer Ian Woosnam - the only well-known sportsman to go by that name - but in his time he was immeasurably more remarkable. He was an all-rounder to rank, or even out-rank, Ian Botham, Denis Compton or Daley Thompson, but such was his modesty - and the sheer range of sports to which he turned his hand - that no-one has ever heard of him. As a schoolboy, he scored 144 against MCC at Lord's. He played football before the First World War for the then-significant team Corinthian Casuals and toured Brazil with them. Then he fought alongside Siegfried Sassoon for four years on the Western Front. Back at Cambridge he earned no fewer than six Blues in everything from Cricket to Golf and Squash. Then he played for Chelsea - as an amateur. Then he signed for Manchester City, and in 1922 was capped for England. He won an Olympic Gold medal in 1920 - at tennis, and won the Wimbledon doubles title the following year. He won a shooting gold medal at Bisley, he scored a 147 maximum at snooker, and he challenged and beat all-comers at table tennis armed only with a bread knife. But all the meanwhile he held down a full-time job at ICI, sitting on the board in later life before dying in 1965...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
All Round Good Read,
By
This review is from: All Round Genius: The Unknown Story of Britain's Greatest Sportsman (Hardcover)
A compelling subject, sympathetically handled, well written, with generally acceptable judgements made by the author when in speculative mode. Collins brings to life a remarkable figure, supported by what appears to be sound research. It is a pity there is no bibliography to illustrate how wide ranging the research is and virtually no acknowledgements of any quotes, which tends to lighten the authority of the work. Collins has some interesting details about Woosnam's early life, which makes the material on his later life appear much thinner. Understandably, in a book about a sporting hero, the bulk of the work is devoted to his career in a range of competitive sports, but Woosnam lived for 40 more years after he retired and these merit only a chapter.
The book is written with a good sense of perspective - Collins is rightly impressed by Woosnam but is not blinkered into believing him to be above criticism. Collins hints at the conflict between his commitments to a life devoted to sport and the responsibilities of fatherhood - and sport clearly won. Throughout this book, you get the impression that Max Woosnam is a sporting hero to Collins himself - a source of fascination and pleasure for the author, who handles Max with loving care. One area that is not adequately covered is the mystery that the book's full title alludes to - why is the story of Maxwell Woosnam, arguably Britain's Greatest Sportsman, so unknown. Collins' personal stab at an answer goes little further than 'self-effacing modesty'. There is more work to be done here to explain why this Sporting Genius has had to wait so long to be re-discovered, having been so carelessly forgotten by so many sports that he graced. A splendid book that left me wanting to know more about an all-round sporting hero with feet of gold.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A charming book,
By Anthony Hilden (Cheshire) - See all my reviews
This review is from: All Round Genius: The Unknown Story of Britain's Greatest Sportsman (Hardcover)
A deightfully written and meticulously researched book, detailing the extraordinary life of an amazing man.
Max Woosnam should never have been allowed to be forgotten, and in this wonderful book, Mick Collins ensures he is returned to the position he should long have held. A first class piece of research, and told in a delicate and attractive manner, with the turn of phrase every bit as good as the work which clearly went into uncovering Woosnam's life once more. In addition to this, the book is quite beautifully designed. A real treat for a sports lover, or indeed anyone with an interest in a life lived to its fullest. A fine sports book, as good as I've read for many a long day.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Max - A forgotten English hero,
By Danny Canty (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: All Round Genius: The Unknown Story of Britain's Greatest Sportsman (Hardcover)
This remarkable story is finally given the attention it has long warranted. In this thorough and well researched book, the author paints a vivid portrait of one of the most extraordinary characters in English sporting history. England football captain; Wimbledon champion; Olympic gold medallist -- the list of accomplishments is only a glimpse of the larger picture. The wondrous age of amateurism is brought evocatively to life and the stark comparison with contemporary sport is unavoidable. A smashing book.
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