- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: John Blake Publishing Ltd (1 Feb 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 184358882X
- ISBN-13: 978-1843588825
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.7 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 298,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
There is a tribute book to be written about the nicest man in snooker - but this isn't it. Whatever else he was, Alexander Gordon Higgins wasn't nice. Unpredictable, wild, demonic and obsessive for certain. The People's Champion. An unstoppable force who single-handedly transformed snooker from a niche sport into a gripping phenomenon. When snooker was at its most popular in the 1980s, Higgins was at the peak of his powers. It was no coincidence. John Virgo knew Higgins as well as anyone. He made no apologies for his friend and was frequently driven to dispair by his antics. The gambling, the drug-using, the sheer, uninhibited madness of the man. But there was always a buzz around Alex, there was always something happening.
About the Author
John Virgo is a former top snooker professional. In 1979 he reached the semi-finals of the Embassy World Snooker Championship and later that year became the UK champion. John was a well-respected board member of the World Snooker Association where he served for two years as chairman during the Alex Higgins years. John is a BBC snooker commentator and during the 1990s was the co-star of the BBC's Big Break. He is renowned for his humour and his impersonations of other snooker players. His most famous and best-loved impersonation is that of Alex Higgins.
Inside This Book
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Like him or loathe him, one thing was for certain, it was impossible to ignore the impact that Alex Higgins had, both on and off the snooker table.
John Virgo first met Higgins in the early 1970's and remained friends with him until the Irishman's death in 2010. But being a friend of Higgins was never easy, as Virgo chronicles. Whilst capable of genius on the snooker table, off it Alex Higgins was barely controllable, always ending up in one scrape or another.
Some are quite amusing, most just leave a bad taste in the mouth, such as Higgins' pocketing of a pound note and a pen from a disabled young fan desperate for an autograph and then walking off with the money without providing the autograph.
With two well-written biographies about Alex Higgins already published, by Bill Borrows and John Hennessey, John Virgo's book doesn't add much to what we already know about the Hurricane.
Whilst he lightly touches upon the rivalry between Higgins and the likes of Spencer, Reardon and Steve Davis, he never develops this. Indeed, one of Higgins' best tournament victories, the 1983 UK Championship, where he came from behind to pip Steve Davis, isn't mentioned at all.
Added to this there are numerous elementary errors about the game that make you wonder how Virgo has managed to eke out a living as a snooker expert for so long. For example, when discussing the 1982 World Championship final between Higgins and Reardon he states that Reardon hadn't won a major title for ten years, despite the fact that Reardon's sixth and last World title was won in 1978.
He also believes that Higgins' last World Championship appearance was in 1990, ignoring his 1994 swansong and writes that after Jimmy White's defeat to Steve Davis in 1984, he would have to wait until 1991 to contest another final at the Crucible, despite Jimmy's 1990 World Championship final defeat against Stephen Hendry.
If you're looking for a decent book about Alex Higgins then either Hurricane by Bill Borrows or Eye of the Hurricane by John Hennessey fit the bill. Unfortunately, Let Me Tell You About Alex falls wide of the mark.
John Virgo first met Higgins in the early 1970's and remained friends with him until the Irishman's death in 2010. But being a friend of Higgins was never easy, as Virgo chronicles. Whilst capable of genius on the snooker table, off it Alex Higgins was barely controllable, always ending up in one scrape or another.
Some are quite amusing, most just leave a bad taste in the mouth, such as Higgins' pocketing of a pound note and a pen from a disabled young fan desperate for an autograph and then walking off with the money without providing the autograph.
With two well-written biographies about Alex Higgins already published, by Bill Borrows and John Hennessey, John Virgo's book doesn't add much to what we already know about the Hurricane.
Whilst he lightly touches upon the rivalry between Higgins and the likes of Spencer, Reardon and Steve Davis, he never develops this. Indeed, one of Higgins' best tournament victories, the 1983 UK Championship, where he came from behind to pip Steve Davis, isn't mentioned at all.
Added to this there are numerous elementary errors about the game that make you wonder how Virgo has managed to eke out a living as a snooker expert for so long. For example, when discussing the 1982 World Championship final between Higgins and Reardon he states that Reardon hadn't won a major title for ten years, despite the fact that Reardon's sixth and last World title was won in 1978.
He also believes that Higgins' last World Championship appearance was in 1990, ignoring his 1994 swansong and writes that after Jimmy White's defeat to Steve Davis in 1984, he would have to wait until 1991 to contest another final at the Crucible, despite Jimmy's 1990 World Championship final defeat against Stephen Hendry.
If you're looking for a decent book about Alex Higgins then either Hurricane by Bill Borrows or Eye of the Hurricane by John Hennessey fit the bill. Unfortunately, Let Me Tell You About Alex falls wide of the mark.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A great book about a 'brat' who just happened to be the best snooker player the world has ever seen! RIP AH
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
There is a good book out there waiting to be written about Alex Higgins, but this isn't it!
20 April 2012
Format:Hardcover
Being a fan of snooker, particularly back in the 80's heyday, I saw this in my local library and snapped it up immediately. I thought that the mix of snooker funnyman John Virgo and Alex Higgins sounds full of great anecdotes. In the end, I am delighted that I did not spend a penny of my money on this tripe.
It is a messed-up jumble of stories which jump about all over the place with little apparent thought. One moment, Virgo will be talking about Higgins playing someone in a match in 1973 perhaps, and then in the next sentence he'll be relating an event from 1982 with no clear point joining the two together. If you are not so aware of snooker's history you'd have trouble working out what match or what year he's talking about.
It's extremely repetitive with same or similar tales told throughout the book in different words. Dates and match scores are often badly mistaken. I just got the feeling that this book was the result of a ghost-writer who knew nothing about snooker sitting down with Virgo for a few hours as he rambled into a tape-recorder. then the guy went away and hashed it all together and Virgo himself must not have bothered to actually sit down and proof-read 'his' own book before publication. Even names are wrong sometimes, with Rex Williams being called both Rex and Ray in the same paragraph. One of the photos in the book is of Steve Davis and Higgins at the 1983 UK Championship Final where Higgins came back from 0-7 down to win 16-15. It's one of the greatest matches in snooker history. However, despite the photo, the match itself is not mentioned once in the entire book! Virgo should be ashamed of putting this rubbish out about his 'mate' within months of his death.
All in all, it reads like a far too quick attempt to cash in on Alex Higgins' death to get a few quid for Virgo, who never really comes across as being exactly close to Higgins to begin with. If Jimmy White had done this instead of Virgo, it'd probably be far more personal and true to character.
Seriously, do not bother with this book.
It is a messed-up jumble of stories which jump about all over the place with little apparent thought. One moment, Virgo will be talking about Higgins playing someone in a match in 1973 perhaps, and then in the next sentence he'll be relating an event from 1982 with no clear point joining the two together. If you are not so aware of snooker's history you'd have trouble working out what match or what year he's talking about.
It's extremely repetitive with same or similar tales told throughout the book in different words. Dates and match scores are often badly mistaken. I just got the feeling that this book was the result of a ghost-writer who knew nothing about snooker sitting down with Virgo for a few hours as he rambled into a tape-recorder. then the guy went away and hashed it all together and Virgo himself must not have bothered to actually sit down and proof-read 'his' own book before publication. Even names are wrong sometimes, with Rex Williams being called both Rex and Ray in the same paragraph. One of the photos in the book is of Steve Davis and Higgins at the 1983 UK Championship Final where Higgins came back from 0-7 down to win 16-15. It's one of the greatest matches in snooker history. However, despite the photo, the match itself is not mentioned once in the entire book! Virgo should be ashamed of putting this rubbish out about his 'mate' within months of his death.
All in all, it reads like a far too quick attempt to cash in on Alex Higgins' death to get a few quid for Virgo, who never really comes across as being exactly close to Higgins to begin with. If Jimmy White had done this instead of Virgo, it'd probably be far more personal and true to character.
Seriously, do not bother with this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
JOHN VIRGOS AUTOBIOGRAPHY?OR ABOUT ALEX HIGGINS
This seems an excuse for john virgo to do his autobiography.very disappointing seems an excuse for john to tell his story inbetween interesting facts about the hurricane. Read more
Published 2 months ago by P. Bowes
Fairly amusing.
As a huge fan of the greatly missed Hurricane I was really looking forward to this book.
Hugely disappointing, poorly written and badly researched. Read more
Hugely disappointing, poorly written and badly researched. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. G. Kirby
Confused and rambling
Like many recent snooker books, John Virgo's reads like something he dictated to a tape recorder and somebody typed out. Read more
Published 8 months ago by ruthie147
Rubbish
This book is a complete waste of money. Apart from dreadfully incorrect facts mentioned previously Virgo writes more about himself than Alex. Read more
Published 10 months ago by John Buckley
virgo's book on the hurricane
I expected a great read with this subject and this author,unfortunately I felt I had wasted my money,the experiences drawn on seem vague and sketchy and appear to mostly centre... Read more
Published 13 months ago by den
Magnifcent
A great read about the greatest entertainer but possibly not the greatest person!Very sad at times but also very funny! RIP Alex you are sadly missed!!!!!
Published 14 months ago by jojo
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