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What If I Had Never Tried It
 
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What If I Had Never Tried It (Hardcover)

by Valentino Rossi (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Century (29 Aug 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1844138801
  • ISBN-13: 978-1844138807
  • Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 16 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 47,495 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Product Description

Valentino Rossi is the greatest living motorcyclist. His legions of fans adore him (over 4,000 turned up to see him in Leicester Square last March). He has fought through the 125 and 250 class groups to win the World Championships five times and has been ranked in the top three places at the World Championships for the last nine years. He is currently the MotoGP World Champion, and has won on a Honda bike - considered the best, and most recently on a Yamaha - considered the worst. He is arguably the greatest racer ever - and certainly the most entertaining - his post race antics, and cheeky personality have won him as many fans as his on-track prowess. He is the kind of star who only comes along once in a while - a Muhammad Ali or Pele - hugely talented, massively driven, yet also scorching charismatic, unnervingly rebellious and totally endearing - a twentieth-century version of the hell-raisers of old. All who know Rossi say he is a consummate professional, that he works harder than anyone could ever realise, but that most of all, he still loves what he does. He just seems to win, more because he's still enjoying himself so much. He is infamous for his on the edge riding, pushing himself and his bike to the very limits of what they can do, and screaming around racecourses in record times. But he is also well known for his good looks, his techni-coloured hair and cheeky humour - and for his sheer youthful exuberance in victory - his post-match victory laps have become a thing of legend. Previously he has driven victory laps in full beach gear, including flip-flops, with a man sized chicken riding pillion (and also, in a jibe to Max Biaggi who had an unceremonious break-up with the model Naomi Campbell, with a life size doll of Claudia Schiffer strapped on behind him.) His warmth of character coupled with his amazing career statistics to date - his first GP win aged 17, his first world title at 18, his first 500 class win at 21 and his first MotoGP win at 22 - mean that this young man has the motorcycle racing world at his feet. His raw talent coupled with his firm belief in the 'entertainment' aspect of his sport and the importance of his fans, means that he really is the David Beckham of bikes - he has done the near impossible and transcended his own territory. His appeal - being at the top of his game without being a purist, still being seen to be young and excited by the game, and being a perfectionist on and off the track when it comes to his driving - means that he really is one of the superstars of the sporting world.


From the Publisher

The life story of the world's greatest motorcycle rider

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Customer Reviews

21 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (21 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Shame his writing talent doesn't match his riding..., 6 Mar 2006
I speak as a huge fan of Valentino Rossi when i say that this book is overall a disappointing read.

The problem with the book is that Vale hasn't lived enough of his life yet, and by his own admission failed to complete a full school education, and it shows with the construction and content of the book. The whole book has the feel of a long homework essay written by a teenager, although perhaps the translation into english might be to blame for this. Again due to his young age, Vale has little to fill the book with apart from drawn out repetitive anecdotes about his childhood and trackside pranks, and his limited outlook on life. His ability on a motorcycle and to surround himself with the best pit garage talent throughout his career, is beyond question, however his ranting about Honda for the 1st three chapters became a bore. I had the feeling throughout the book that Vale either isn't as interesting as we would like him to be, or isn't able to express his feelings articulately enough to make this book an interesting read.

It is easy to fall into the trap of saying that a product about something or someone is great simply by association with an individual or event that people hold in high regard, but in my view Valentino for the time being should have let his motorsport do the talking, and perhaps waited until he had completed his career in motorsport a decade or so from now, before writing a autobiography about his life.

If you want to read a better motorcycle racers auto\biography, try the Barry Sheene or Steve Hislop books both of which are a far more interesting and engrossing read.

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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Vale - brilliant, 11 Oct 2005
By A Customer
This is one of the best books i've read this year. Gives a great insight into Rossi himself and into the world of MotoGP. A must read for any Rossi fan! Very funny in parts!
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Feelings, 19 April 2006
By J. S. Batchelor "Batch" (Rugby , England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I have to start my review with "What a shame" I was so looking forward to this book but it hasn't really lived up to my expectations. In a nutshell the problem in my opinion has come from the translation to English. It is quite clear that it wasn't Valentino's words as quite early on he states he didn't do well at school but then throughout the book he uses extreemly "flowery" turn of phrase which I feel are just not him. The discription of the racing also uses incorrect terms such as when he means "Lent over in the corner" he uses "Bent over in the corner" which frankly I found annoying. With that said the insight it gives is interesting and exciting and a must read for die hard fans but could have been so much better.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars In good shape
I was very happy with the condition of this book. There were no trouble at all, and it took only a few days to get the book to Norway. I can recommend to buy from this seller.
Published 4 months ago by Fredrik Nielsen

5.0 out of 5 stars Rossi the Goat
This was a really good read. I found it entertaining and amusing. Rossi comes across well and you feel he is actually telling you all of this stuff. Read more
Published 4 months ago by L. J. Hunt

5.0 out of 5 stars What if I had never tried it is an excellent book
This book was an excellent over view of Valentino Rossi's career. It is most useful for fans new to the sport.
Published 5 months ago by Kevin Smith

3.0 out of 5 stars Will please the technical fans, but the onscreen persona is missing
What if I had never tried it explores the life of motorcycle legend Valentino Rossi and his life growing up in the industry. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Stampy

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
Being a big valentino rossi fan i had to get this book when it come out i also got once each for my brothers as i wanted to keep mine i have read it a few times and we... Read more
Published 12 months ago by TLN

5.0 out of 5 stars Brill read
I am not a reader at all, infact it can take me up to a year to read any book i have picked up in the past, but this book is brill, i read it in 2 days!!! a record for me!! Read more
Published 18 months ago by Ms. Leah G. Wilson

5.0 out of 5 stars Great funny informative read.
Ok first off there are a few reviews here that moan about it not always being overly grammatically correct or about its not translated very well etc, granted this is no Pulitzer... Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2006 by Philos

4.0 out of 5 stars Vale like he is?
You will certainly like this book if you're a Vale fan and know who he is and for what he stands. Those looking for indepth an technical analysis of motorcycle racing will be... Read more
Published on 4 Sep 2006 by Rjm Theunens

5.0 out of 5 stars Already a Legend at 27, what more do u want?
I have to agree with the last reviewer, why are people knocking this book?
I thought it was great, and yes some things are lost in translation, but if the whole book was... Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2006 by C. De Marinis

4.0 out of 5 stars Written by the man himself
Ok, so it may not be a book you would read if you are after fine literature, but if you are seriously interested in what the man himself has to say about his achievements and past... Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2006 by Severn

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