Beckham: My World is both an autobiography and a photographic portrait of him and his family (that's Mrs Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham and their baby son Brooklyn, in case you didn't know). The Beckhams have been captured on film by renowned photographer Dean Freeman and there are plenty of shots covering all aspects of David's life and career: if you are a fan of his football, you will love the atmospheric snapshots of David proving himself on the field. If you are a fan of his looks, you will be ecstatic over the range of matinee-idol poses Freeman has created. Beckham in the bath, Beckham in bed, Beckham as a father.

David reveals as much of himself in the text as he does in the photos and offers some pretty candid thoughts about the more memorable moments of his life so far, such as the World Cup: "I know I've not always been an angel. There are things I have done that I have regretted but there were times after the world cup when I was treated like a criminal." On Glenn Hoddle: "I never read Hoddle's book, just the bits and bobs that were serialised, including that rubbish about me not being focused. I am not sure if anything was said to the manager's face, but I think he knew our feelings. We lost respect for him over that." It's obvious David is very much in love and adores his family. But what is even clearer is that he is also very uncomfortable with a lot of the publicity he receives, despite the fact that he admits he loves being centre stage on the pitch. As a personal insight into a footballing hero and cultural icon, it works very well and is very readable, but it scores more as a loving tribute to Beckham's heartthrob status and on that level you won't be disappointed. --Jonathan Weir

Independent on Sunday on MY WORLD
'an intriguing book'

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