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Amazon.co.uk Review
In Ronnie O'Sullivan's autobiography, Ronnie, the language is uncompromising, the subject matter challenging and the approach unflinching. Even in an age when inner demons are considered to be an essential part of a star's entourage, Ronnie O'Sullivan's autobiography is a class apart. Undisputedly the most charismatic talent in the game of snooker, the public's successor to Alex Higgins and Jimmy White in the lineage of gunslinger, wide-boy heroes, O'Sullivan began rewriting the record books as a child prodigy, and reached the summit of his game as world champion in 2001--but all along, his life was falling apart.
Ronnie (written with Guardian journalist Simon Hattenstone) is a stark affirmation for those of us who would believe that there must be more to being a top professional sportsman than simply working hard to develop talent--that there are often dark, elemental forces driving achievers to go beyond the point where most of us would cease to care. Ronnie's relationship with his parents is at the heart of the story, underpinning his struggle for contentment, his descent into depression and addiction. We learn that the tabloid facts--his father ran a string of sex shops, was convicted of killing a man in a fight and sentenced to life imprisonment; later his mother was also imprisoned, for tax evasion--are just the half of it.
The style is confessional without being mawkish, and thankfully, O'Sullivan's brand of openness, particularly when chronicling his periods in therapy (including with former England cricket captain turned psychiatrist Mike Brearley) and at the Priory, is free of the awful self-aggrandisement and "me-isms" that blight the official public accounts of many celebrities.
Ultimately this is a tale of redemption, of a young man dismantled by experience, now putting himself back together. O'Sullivan closes the book looking back to the beginning of his public life, his mid-teens, when he first tied his fortunes to professional snooker. He sees it as a golden era, off and on the baize, a period of personal happiness and sporting success the like of which he at last believes has not been lost forever. --Alex Hankin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'The autobiography not only chronicles his meteoric rise but gives us an insight into the equally extraordinary events in his private life. The fact that O'Sullivan does his own reading gives the work a powerfull added dimension.' (DISABILITY TIMES )
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Danny, Dickie and Mickey O'Sullivan were three brothers known as the Fighting O'Sullivans. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Danny, Dickie and Mickey O'Sullivan were three brothers known as the Fighting O'Sullivans. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Although this book could have been written a bit better i think its well worth a read.
Thanks to Ronnie being so open with the way he deals with life this book gives you a great window type view of how a great Snooker player struggles to play the game at the top while trying to deal with every day problems life puts in your way.
The book helps you to understand what has troubled Ronnie for so many years bringing sense to the TV interviews he has made in the past.
Its true that the book is an easy read and fairly short however with the vast age range that makes up Ronnies fans im sure this will go in its favour.
Thanks to Ronnie being so open with the way he deals with life this book gives you a great window type view of how a great Snooker player struggles to play the game at the top while trying to deal with every day problems life puts in your way.
The book helps you to understand what has troubled Ronnie for so many years bringing sense to the TV interviews he has made in the past.
Its true that the book is an easy read and fairly short however with the vast age range that makes up Ronnies fans im sure this will go in its favour.
Well done Ronnie
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ronnies book was a good read and not too hard to follow but oncwe picked up its hard to put down it gives a fascinating account of what he's been through to reach the top of his profession.Ronnie takes you through all of his emotions from how down he was after his dad was sent to prison to the high's of winning his ultimate dream - the world champion, however while doing this he still manages to let you know how priviliaged he feels to be doing a job he loves. A MUST FOR ALL RONNIE FANS
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am not usually a book reader, but read this book in a couple of days, people who play snooker will read it and think wow!, how can this person play the game as well as he does and have so many other problems to deal with in his life. Non-snooker fans will probably know Ronnie anyway due to his natural flair and apparent ease with which he plays the game and therefore it will be fascinating for them as well. Ronnie has been open, honest and quite rightly proud of his achievements. It is nice to hear a snooker player say what he thinks about other players, Ronnie has spoken his mind truly in this book. I think he has put on a mask to his problems for so long and is now facing them well, and moving on with his life and career. Buy the book.Well done Ronnie!.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Full, frank and disarmingly honest account
I read this book to get a bit of insight into his character and see how he became one of the all-time greats. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Rory Q
My idol; a very open Ronnie O'Sullivan
As Ronnie is my idol, it may be a bit of a biased review, but I thought it was a very open account of his life, especially his constant battle with depression. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Martin
Excellent as always
Excellent service from Amazon as usual. I bought this book for myself, so far I have only seen the cover as my husband started to read it first. He enjoyed it very much. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Moneybags
Inside Ronnie's Head
After previously reading books about Jimmy White and Alex Higgins, It was time to read a modern 'Snooker Bad boy' story. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Big G
good read
ronnie is a good read we learn of osullivans troubles that have plauged him throughout.from humble beggings to incarceration drugs to 147s and playing lefthanded there is no... Read more
Published 16 months ago by jdig1984
Great book
I'm fan of Ronnie, and this is one of the best books ever. It's very well written and it explains a lot of stuff about his life and playing which it's quite interesting. Read more
Published on 2 Dec 2008 by Monica Pujante
Ronnie the crack fiend.
Its sad to see such a talent showing, quite unscrupulously, how to smoke crack on the front covers of his audio cd's, books and personalised tobacco tins. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2008 by J. Lawrence
Ronnie simply a 'genius'
Ronnie's autobiography was a pleasure to read. He has gone through high's and lows in life and makes you wonder some of the things he has been through is quite extraordinary. Read more
Published on 10 May 2007 by Fahmida Begum
Ronnie O'Sullivan's Autobiography
This Book is one of the best Autobiography's I have read it is a compelling read and it never gets boring. Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2006 by T. Rice
Gripping until the end
Ronnie has been one of my all time heroes in the snooker game and I suppose that helps when reading an autobiography. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2006 by "potters2k"
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