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Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life
In 2004, James Blake's life was getting more perfect by the day. A rising tennis star, with each passing year his game seemed to improve. In 2002, he was named Sexiest Male Athlete by People Magazine, and along the way he continued to gain in the rankings and earn respect on the court. Each day seemed to offer a new milestone, a new achievement; he was leading a charmed life and loving every minute of the ride.
But that life came to an abrupt halt in May 2004 when Blake broke his back in a freak accident on the court. A few months later, as Blake was recovering from his injury, he suffered another tremendous setback when his father–the man who had raised him and provided the inspiration for his tennis career–lost his battle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his father's death, Blake's situation was further complicated when he contracted Zoster, a rare virus that paralyzed half of his face and threatened to end his already jeopardized tennis career.
Breaking Back tells the story of the tumultuous year that followed these three devastating events, detailing how Blake persevered through hardship to become one of the best tennis players in the world. Here Blake explains how the wisdom and words that his father imparted to him over the years gave him the ability to succeed in the face of these seemingly insurmountable odds. Though these trials proved the most difficult of his life, ultimately this trifecta of tragedy became the culmination of all his father's lessons, showing Blake that even in death, his father was still teaching him how to be a man.
In the spirit of Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike and Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking comes this remarkable tale of strength and determination from one of tennis's biggest stars. A story of passion, willpower, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and a son, Breaking Back is one athlete's account of finding hope in the bleakest of times.
But that life came to an abrupt halt in May 2004 when Blake broke his back in a freak accident on the court. A few months later, as Blake was recovering from his injury, he suffered another tremendous setback when his father–the man who had raised him and provided the inspiration for his tennis career–lost his battle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his father's death, Blake's situation was further complicated when he contracted Zoster, a rare virus that paralyzed half of his face and threatened to end his already jeopardized tennis career.
Breaking Back tells the story of the tumultuous year that followed these three devastating events, detailing how Blake persevered through hardship to become one of the best tennis players in the world. Here Blake explains how the wisdom and words that his father imparted to him over the years gave him the ability to succeed in the face of these seemingly insurmountable odds. Though these trials proved the most difficult of his life, ultimately this trifecta of tragedy became the culmination of all his father's lessons, showing Blake that even in death, his father was still teaching him how to be a man.
In the spirit of Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike and Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking comes this remarkable tale of strength and determination from one of tennis's biggest stars. A story of passion, willpower, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and a son, Breaking Back is one athlete's account of finding hope in the bleakest of times.
263 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
20 people are currently reading
1064 people want to read
About the author
James Blake
2 books3 followersJames Blake has been a professional tennis player since 1999, when he left Harvard to join the professional tennis circuit. He grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, and currently resides in Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
July 15, 2022
James Blake's life was getting better every day. A rising tennis star and People magazine's Sexiest Male Athlete of 2002, he was leading a charmed life and loving every minute of it. But all that ended in May 2004, when Blake fractured his neck in an on-court freak accident. As he recovered, his father—who had been the inspiration for his tennis career—lost his battle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his father's death, Blake was dealt a third blow when he contracted zoster/Shingles, a rare virus that paralyzed half of his face and threatened to end his already jeopardized career.
In Breaking Back, Blake provides a remarkable account of how he came back from this terrible heartbreak and self-doubt to become one of the top tennis players in the world. A story of strength, passion, courage, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and son, Breaking Back is a celebration of one extraordinary athlete's indomitable spirit and his inspiring ability to find hope in the bleakest of times.
Fanatic tennis player and watcher of all the tennis tournaments, understanding the importance of physical health, mental concentration, all the travelling. Just my type of book, told in an honest, straight forward biography.
We watch the matches, and we think life is perfect for the glamourous life as a tennis player, it's not, travelling the world, often not seeing much, just training, practising, playing and leaving to the next place. Fighting in every little tournament to win a few points and make it to the top, only a small number make it, many spend most of their careers in challenger tournaments.
This biography shows and tells the world " I never knew what problems James Blake had" how a couple of years or so could effect and change so much, the loss of a father, health problems, neck injuries. It is hard to make it to the top, but harder to return to the top.
Great story, told so well a good honest person, and well liked.
In Breaking Back, Blake provides a remarkable account of how he came back from this terrible heartbreak and self-doubt to become one of the top tennis players in the world. A story of strength, passion, courage, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and son, Breaking Back is a celebration of one extraordinary athlete's indomitable spirit and his inspiring ability to find hope in the bleakest of times.
Fanatic tennis player and watcher of all the tennis tournaments, understanding the importance of physical health, mental concentration, all the travelling. Just my type of book, told in an honest, straight forward biography.
We watch the matches, and we think life is perfect for the glamourous life as a tennis player, it's not, travelling the world, often not seeing much, just training, practising, playing and leaving to the next place. Fighting in every little tournament to win a few points and make it to the top, only a small number make it, many spend most of their careers in challenger tournaments.
This biography shows and tells the world " I never knew what problems James Blake had" how a couple of years or so could effect and change so much, the loss of a father, health problems, neck injuries. It is hard to make it to the top, but harder to return to the top.
Great story, told so well a good honest person, and well liked.
September 6, 2011
I love me some JB, so it pains me to rate this book as simply OK. There were moments of eloquence. However, much of the text read like a play-by-play. While interesting in the context, I would have liked to see more self-reflection. The lessons distributed were repetitive to the point where they became less effective. I felt JB didn't take those lessons to heart b/c he still beat himself up about matches. Watching him play after the book came out, I can still see the man who gets down on himself and sometimes even the pre-teen who threw tantrums on the court. I realize he is only human, but he's gone through so many life-changing events that I had hoped to see more progress. He didn't completely let the reader into his mind and heart, though, so maybe there was more going on than the book revealed.
November 11, 2011
Another really good tennis book...I wasn't as engrossed by this one as I was with Andre's, but I appreciate this book for very different reasons. Blake's career high occurred after I wasn't playing/watching tennis nearly as much, so I didn't feel as close to him as I did to Andre. But his attitude about tennis was completely different than Andre's --- really positive, and that came as the result of his father's influence. His dad was a great guy/mentor, and I learned a lot about how the attitude of a parent can influence his/her child to reach high levels in sports. Great teachings/philosophies. I'd say this book inspired me in how to "coach" my kids to reach their best in sports.
February 17, 2010
I am a huge fan of all of the American Tennis players. But after reading Blakes book I am now a huge fan of him and everything he does. From being in the top 10 then nearly losing his life, and then working his way back up into the top 10 is amazing. He talks a lot about how much of a mental sport tennis is, and how he struggled in matches due to lack of confidence or letting something else get in his head. Which is something only a tennis player can appreciate. Overall great book if you are a fan of the game.
September 2, 2016
Inspiring, but quite repetitive in the 2nd half with a rushed ending.
May 27, 2018
Blake shares his roller coaster journey with his audience. In the midst of his most difficult and trying year, he finds a way to bounce back. With the mindset of getting better each day, he focused on what's right in front of him, rather than jumping ahead to the outcome. He describes how the mind outside the court impacts the play between the lines. Throughout his story are examples of family, education, camaraderie and charity. This is a tennis story told by someone that values not just the sport but the pursuit of getting better every day. In a way, Blake's life is much like the game of poker, it is not about the cards you are dealt, but how you make the most/best of it. By combining our rational ability (finding the positive), with our pursuit for excellence, the human mind has the perfect recipe for achieving experiences that are far reaching and ultimately reaching each person's unique potential.
October 18, 2010
Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life By: James Blake is very interesting autobiography about a tennis player and what he had to accomplish to get where he is today. I gave this book four stars because I found it really inspiring in how the author has all these bad things happen to him and yet he manages to bounce back instead of letting the bad things tear him down. Another reason I liked this book was that it wasn’t all about tennis like I thought it would be instead it really talked about how tennis plays a role in his life. I especially like the way the author really let his emotions shine threw in this book and wasn’t embarrassed to say how he felt, even though it was a hard time in his life. I think that the reason I liked this book so much was that I could really connect with the author and relate to him better than other reader. The author talks about how he looks up to his parents as role models and how he feels that friends really can make a big impact in someone’s life. The only thing I didn’t like was there was too many tennis matches that he described. Lots of the book is describing different tournaments he was in and I found it kind of disinteresting towards the middle of the book. I feel that the author described some more interesting matches toward the end, and described them with more passion then matches in the middle of the book. Overall this is the reason I gave the book four stars instead of five.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes tennis, but also maybe someone who is having troubles in their life and needs to read a book about how one person changed their life around. If you don’t know anything about tennis it is not a problem the author puts a glossary of tennis words in the back of the book. I found myself looking in the glossary to look up a couple of words that I had forgotten. I know that if you like tennis and a story about determination, hard work, and friends you will love this book. I find that Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life is either a book you find super interesting or boring. I found it very interesting and was able not only to relate well and understand this book well, but I also learned a couple things in the book that you will have to find out for yourself. Overall I would read this book again and recommend it to any reader who likes a good book as much as I do.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes tennis, but also maybe someone who is having troubles in their life and needs to read a book about how one person changed their life around. If you don’t know anything about tennis it is not a problem the author puts a glossary of tennis words in the back of the book. I found myself looking in the glossary to look up a couple of words that I had forgotten. I know that if you like tennis and a story about determination, hard work, and friends you will love this book. I find that Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life is either a book you find super interesting or boring. I found it very interesting and was able not only to relate well and understand this book well, but I also learned a couple things in the book that you will have to find out for yourself. Overall I would read this book again and recommend it to any reader who likes a good book as much as I do.
December 11, 2012
Breaking Back by James Blake
Nonfiction: Autobiography
288 Pages
SUMMARY
James was born and grew up in a small town in Massachusetts called Fairfield. He had a very good life growing up, and he was also an amazing junior tennis player. He climbed his way up the ranks, and then he was off to college at Harvard. Not only is James amazing at tennis, but he is also a smart man. After the second year at Harvard, he decided to leave college to go pro at tennis.
He then climbed his way up the pro ranks into the top 100, and he started getting into Grand Slams, the most prestigious types of tournaments, of which there are only four a year. There is one Grand Slam in Paris. James was practicing with his friend on a public court when he ran up to the net to hit a ball, tripped, and flew right onto the net-post. Verdict? He broke his neck, and would not be able to play for months. He slowly recovered, and slowly made his way back into tennis. He was doing well, then disaster struck. He contracted a virus called Zoster, a very nasty virus, which put him out of commission for six months. James proved to be very resilient though, and broke back (hence the title) to end up having a successful life on tour. He is now in his early thirties, just got married, and is looking forward to life after the professional tennis tour.
MY THINKING
I think that this book was a great read, and the theme was this: when you experience setbacks in life, don’t take them as a problem, bounce back and fight harder. James Blake is definitely testament to this. He broke his neck, then returned to the pro tour, then came down with a nasty virus that took him off the pro tour again. He showed toughness, and bounced back to still win titles and have a good career.
The reason I gave this book a four is because it was overall very good and had a great message, but at some parts it failed to grab my attention. I felt that the ending could have been more exciting, but the action was great throughout the rest of the novel.
Overall, any tennis fan who likes an inspiring read will like this book.
Nonfiction: Autobiography
288 Pages
SUMMARY
James was born and grew up in a small town in Massachusetts called Fairfield. He had a very good life growing up, and he was also an amazing junior tennis player. He climbed his way up the ranks, and then he was off to college at Harvard. Not only is James amazing at tennis, but he is also a smart man. After the second year at Harvard, he decided to leave college to go pro at tennis.
He then climbed his way up the pro ranks into the top 100, and he started getting into Grand Slams, the most prestigious types of tournaments, of which there are only four a year. There is one Grand Slam in Paris. James was practicing with his friend on a public court when he ran up to the net to hit a ball, tripped, and flew right onto the net-post. Verdict? He broke his neck, and would not be able to play for months. He slowly recovered, and slowly made his way back into tennis. He was doing well, then disaster struck. He contracted a virus called Zoster, a very nasty virus, which put him out of commission for six months. James proved to be very resilient though, and broke back (hence the title) to end up having a successful life on tour. He is now in his early thirties, just got married, and is looking forward to life after the professional tennis tour.
MY THINKING
I think that this book was a great read, and the theme was this: when you experience setbacks in life, don’t take them as a problem, bounce back and fight harder. James Blake is definitely testament to this. He broke his neck, then returned to the pro tour, then came down with a nasty virus that took him off the pro tour again. He showed toughness, and bounced back to still win titles and have a good career.
The reason I gave this book a four is because it was overall very good and had a great message, but at some parts it failed to grab my attention. I felt that the ending could have been more exciting, but the action was great throughout the rest of the novel.
Overall, any tennis fan who likes an inspiring read will like this book.
August 3, 2007
"I was never supposed to be a jock."
It's quite possibly that James Blake isn't even supposed to be walking still. But he is -- and he's writing -- and we're all the richer for it.
Now here is an unusual sports autobiography. Precious little attention is given to the sport on the court and in his head. Life and adversity take center stage instead.
And there's no shortage of those things herein: During his 2004 pro tennis season, Blake suffered a broken neck in a freak on-court accident, recovered from that and spent his father's final days with him before Thomas Blake Sr. succumbed to cancer, and then contracted the rare case of zoster (shingles) afflicting a twentysomething due to the stress.
This engaging account (with a co-scribe's help) is long on life and short on pretension. Superfans of the sport and player and non-fans of tennis and sweat altogether will learn from this book. Think Tuesdays With Morrie maybe for the sports set, only this one seems even more genuine.
Blake pulls no punches here. Literary references are peppered in and always make good sense. The man did go to Harvard for two years, and he grew up with "school parents" (as opposed to "sports parents") who gave him $25 for every 100 books he read as a child. This is certainly a story worth telling from a man who took two years at Harvard and learned much more from his father and his obstacles.
This book deserved to land right where it did, at the No. 22 spot on the NYTimes bestseller list.
It's quite possibly that James Blake isn't even supposed to be walking still. But he is -- and he's writing -- and we're all the richer for it.
Now here is an unusual sports autobiography. Precious little attention is given to the sport on the court and in his head. Life and adversity take center stage instead.
And there's no shortage of those things herein: During his 2004 pro tennis season, Blake suffered a broken neck in a freak on-court accident, recovered from that and spent his father's final days with him before Thomas Blake Sr. succumbed to cancer, and then contracted the rare case of zoster (shingles) afflicting a twentysomething due to the stress.
This engaging account (with a co-scribe's help) is long on life and short on pretension. Superfans of the sport and player and non-fans of tennis and sweat altogether will learn from this book. Think Tuesdays With Morrie maybe for the sports set, only this one seems even more genuine.
Blake pulls no punches here. Literary references are peppered in and always make good sense. The man did go to Harvard for two years, and he grew up with "school parents" (as opposed to "sports parents") who gave him $25 for every 100 books he read as a child. This is certainly a story worth telling from a man who took two years at Harvard and learned much more from his father and his obstacles.
This book deserved to land right where it did, at the No. 22 spot on the NYTimes bestseller list.
June 25, 2008
I was hoping for fast-paced look into the tennis world, one that would take readers right into the action of tennis matches with some of the great players in the world. The second-to-last chapter was just that, with descriptions of matches with Federer, Roddick, and most notably, the 2005 U.S. marathon match with Andre Agassi. But the rest of the book was far different. I guess I should have read the title closer. Here Blake is out to explain what went wrong in that disasterous 2003-2004 year, including a serious neck injury, his father's battle with cancer and ultimate death, and the emergence of a zoster(who has ever heard of one of these?). Blake's story gained fame after he came back so strong in 2005 and 2006, closing the year ranked number 4 in the world. The story is inspirational. And he does a good job sharing it. I just wish there was a little more tennis and a little less reflection. But give him credit, not only is he one of the smarter athletes out there, but he has to be one of the toughest to come back from such devasting injuries. Notes of interest: He did spend his early childhood in Harlem before the family moved to the midwest. He also never attended a tennis academy, which is an extremely rare thing. In fact, Blake played for his high school team and has had the same coach since he first started taking lessons at eleven. You can't help cheering for a guy like that.
December 29, 2010
Memoir
James Blake never thought when he left to go to college at Harvard University that he would end up being a professional tennis player that made it to the top of the rankings.
Everything was going great for James on the pro tour when he started his practice match at The French Open against fellow American, Robby Ginepri. The clay court was wet and slippery, but James wanted to play. Ginepri drop shotted him early in the match and as James sprinted up to it, he careened straight into the netpost, his neck breaking on impact.
This stunning autobiography reveales how James came back from that devestating injury to find himself in the quarterfinals of the US Open and number 4 in the world.
This book was amazing. James Blake could make anyone smile. His book is filled with emotion and his writing is genuinely heartfelt. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, because it is a relatively easy read and almost anyone will be enthralled with James Blake's character. I will call this book one of my favorites.
James Blake never thought when he left to go to college at Harvard University that he would end up being a professional tennis player that made it to the top of the rankings.
Everything was going great for James on the pro tour when he started his practice match at The French Open against fellow American, Robby Ginepri. The clay court was wet and slippery, but James wanted to play. Ginepri drop shotted him early in the match and as James sprinted up to it, he careened straight into the netpost, his neck breaking on impact.
This stunning autobiography reveales how James came back from that devestating injury to find himself in the quarterfinals of the US Open and number 4 in the world.
This book was amazing. James Blake could make anyone smile. His book is filled with emotion and his writing is genuinely heartfelt. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, because it is a relatively easy read and almost anyone will be enthralled with James Blake's character. I will call this book one of my favorites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was very well-written and is one of the better memoirs I've read. I've been a tennis fan since childhood and James was a player I followed since he turned pro. I really felt like the book provided me with a very good look into the life of this tennis great, both on and off the court. I honestly was hard on James for the better part of his career and felt like he perhaps underachieved during his prime, when I felt his was arguably the most athletically gifted player on the tour. After reading his memoir, I felt like (for me) a lot of questions were answered and I appreciated him that much more. Gosh, I still wish he could have found a way to pull out that epic US Open battle against one of my other all-time favorites (Andre Agassi). I felt like that was his best shot at ever winning a slam. Oh well. Still a great book. I highly recommend it!
August 22, 2007
I think my actual rating for this book would be a 2.5. I like James Blake too much as a person and player to only give his book a two, but for some reason I think three is a bit high.
Unfortunately for James, ever since his return to the tour, commentators talk about his amazing story. That left me knowing most of the major details of this book so much of it was not a surprise. It was good however to hear additional information and reflection.
James Blake is definitely one tennis player I do enjoy to watch and root for, and while his book may not be the most amazing read you ever pick up (few sport-related books are), I would recommend it to those wanting to know more about his comeback.
Unfortunately for James, ever since his return to the tour, commentators talk about his amazing story. That left me knowing most of the major details of this book so much of it was not a surprise. It was good however to hear additional information and reflection.
James Blake is definitely one tennis player I do enjoy to watch and root for, and while his book may not be the most amazing read you ever pick up (few sport-related books are), I would recommend it to those wanting to know more about his comeback.
June 27, 2008
How can you not like James Blake? Besides being a great sport, he is super-sincere, and given to yelling 'gosh darn it' on the tennis court.
This book is surprisingly thoughtful and introspective, as he covers The Worst Year of His life. First his beloved dad died, then james' face becomes paralised by shingles, then he falls on a tennis court and in a freak accident hits the net, breaking his back and putting his future tennis career in jepoardy. Instead of being your typical 'triumph over adversity' this book is surprisingly thoughtful when it comes to figuring out how to muddle through insanely bad luck and work out what is really important to you. Ah, James, I'd love you even if you weren't super talented and didn't dabble in male modeling on the side.
This book is surprisingly thoughtful and introspective, as he covers The Worst Year of His life. First his beloved dad died, then james' face becomes paralised by shingles, then he falls on a tennis court and in a freak accident hits the net, breaking his back and putting his future tennis career in jepoardy. Instead of being your typical 'triumph over adversity' this book is surprisingly thoughtful when it comes to figuring out how to muddle through insanely bad luck and work out what is really important to you. Ah, James, I'd love you even if you weren't super talented and didn't dabble in male modeling on the side.
October 25, 2015
This was one of the best athlete autobiographies that I've ever read. Talk about adversity, and having the ability to battle through it. This guy, James Blake, is one tough man. James Blake was living a great life on the ATP World Tour and then everything spiraled downhill. First he broke his neck, then his father died of stomach cancer, and finally he got zoster which paralyzed half of his face. After all of that he somehow managed to push through, and start playing tennis again. Not only did he resume playing tennis on the ATP World Tour, but he also won matches, tournaments, and most importantly his "life back," as he says in the book. This is an inspirational story, and a book that I just couldn't put down. This is a must read for anyone that likes to read.
January 3, 2009
Count me among the few who did not know James Blake's backstory. After being a tennis fanatic from the mid-'90s through the early part of this decade, my fandom faded, even though I attended some US Open matches in 2004 and 2006.
This was a very breezy, compelling story and it only took me a few hours to get through. Blake's story is surely inspiring, a story about perseverance and staying positive. The buildup to and including his father's death were very difficult to read because of how close I am with my own father.
The one knock I have on the book is that Blake's positive philosophizing tends to get repetitive and old.
Otherwise, great book.
This was a very breezy, compelling story and it only took me a few hours to get through. Blake's story is surely inspiring, a story about perseverance and staying positive. The buildup to and including his father's death were very difficult to read because of how close I am with my own father.
The one knock I have on the book is that Blake's positive philosophizing tends to get repetitive and old.
Otherwise, great book.
August 28, 2009
A brief memoir by ATP tennis player James Blake, concentrating on his recovery from a freak neck injury and stress-induced zoster, which left his face partially paralyzed and his balance shot. James' own health issues occurred at the same time as his father's death from cancer. Blake writes of his family and friends as much as he does of tennis, and this is a thoughful account of a tumultuous period in a world-class athlete's life. Blake emerges as a class act both on and off the court, battling back to be part of one of the best matches in US Open history, playing Andre Agassi in a legendary fifth-set tiebreaker after-midnight match in the 2005 quarterfinals.
April 22, 2011
Great, fast book! I became obsessed with tennis in high school. Its such a psychological game coupled with strength and endurance. I was able to attend Wimbledon in 2004 and sit atop Henman Hill to watch the final game. The next year, James Blake sets everyone afire with his story. He is such an intelligent guy and I respect him more after reading his book. He overcame so many obstacles in order to persevere and make a comeback in tennis and his lessons learned can be applied to anyone that has goals but things are just always in the way! I know James had a bad US Open last year...his career is winding down ---a lot---but he brought so much heart to the sport!
October 30, 2015
I love tennis and I like James Blake. He seems like a nice guy and I especially loved him putting Pam Shriver in her place for her court-side yakking during Wimbledon in 2010.
This was an interesting book, but most all of it was about his broken neck, Shingles, and his Dad dying. In fairness, the book is called How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, so I guess the content matches the title.
I was expecting more of a “my life in tennis” as opposed to a “Here’s why it took a while for me to get into the top 10”.
I think this would be a great book for those who were huge fans of Blake. A casual tennis fan might get a bit bored.
This was an interesting book, but most all of it was about his broken neck, Shingles, and his Dad dying. In fairness, the book is called How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, so I guess the content matches the title.
I was expecting more of a “my life in tennis” as opposed to a “Here’s why it took a while for me to get into the top 10”.
I think this would be a great book for those who were huge fans of Blake. A casual tennis fan might get a bit bored.
June 10, 2015
Breaking Back details James Blake's devastating losses and his trials overcoming them. The writing is clear and concise, filled with details; the pictures in the center add a delightful visual to Blake's words. As a tennis fan, this memoir engrossed me; as a reader and a writer, some off-putting sections read like a newspaper blurb or a play-by-play. Despite this, Blake's story, which centers around a back injury and his relationship with his father, is both touching and inspirational, a great read for sports fans.
August 18, 2007
Okay, I'm a tennis fan. Anyone who knows me knows that. But I don't think you have to be a tennis fan to love this book. James's story is incredibly touching, and unlike many other "inspirational" books, it's not preachy in any way. Instead, it's just James, writing about a time in his life that would have even the best of us feeling sorry for ourselves. Again, I was a fan of James as a tennis player before I read this book, but I have a whole new appreciation for him as a person now. Loved this book.
December 5, 2007
This book was recommended to me as an aspiring pro athlete...I was doubtful of the crossover between mtn biking and tennis, but I trusted the recommendation and went with it. By the final thee chapters I couldn't put it down. I understood the mental battle he dealt with, the feeling of getting down in a match and self-sabatoging rather than keeping your chin up for a come back. I found new motivation for my own athletic endevors having read this book. For that reason I found it to be a great read. I know I'll reference it in my upcoming season.
January 10, 2009
This book was given to me as a gift; I hadn't heard of it and didn't know James Blakes' backstory, but once I started reading it I flew through it. It is a good story about a very challenging time in his life, but I thought it could have been better written. He mentions a lot of people but doesn't expand too much on anybody in his life besides his father and his coach, so it's hard to get a full picture of who these people are. Overall though it's an uplifting story and I will definitely remember it next time I hear his name announced on tv.
October 22, 2015
It's amazing read. This is the story of grit and commitment and hard work. Facing the life adversities head on and personal will proved much stronger for James Blake. This is very inspirational book in many ways. I had great time reading it and learnt so much about my own life too.
Do not take life for granted, learn to appreciate your fortunes and all the things you possess. I recommend this book to everyone, don't look at this as a tennis player auto-biography, read it as an inspirational story. You will appreciate it at the end of book. Have fun reading!!
Do not take life for granted, learn to appreciate your fortunes and all the things you possess. I recommend this book to everyone, don't look at this as a tennis player auto-biography, read it as an inspirational story. You will appreciate it at the end of book. Have fun reading!!
September 29, 2007
I don't closely follow tennis, but I was very impressed with James Blake's accomplishments after reading his memoir. I borrowed it from the library on a whim and ended up being inspired by the way he worked on himself, both on and off the court. He talks about his weaknesses as a player and as a person and what he did/does to improve. I could relate to some of his personal weaknesses and have adopted his "getting better" outlook on life. It turned out to be one of my better reads this year.
November 28, 2007
I just started this book because I love tennis and I love James Blake. I'd heard briefly about the sadness in his past and wanted to know more. It's nice to hear him mention places that I know from around the area, considering that he grew up in Fairfield, CT. My dad even used to see him at the Trumbull Raquet Club. The book itself is not a literary masterpiece, but it's told with and earnestness that I'm enjoying thus far.
March 2, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. Jame's great secret that he reiterates over and over again is that you have to just keep trying to improve in whatever you do and the results will take care of themselves. I was also touched by how much he loves his family and friends. You may not know it but James has been through some great challenges and he recognizes how blessed he is to be where he's at in tennis as one of the top players in the world.
March 9, 2009
Ok, yeah this is a book about a professional tennis player - James Blake. It is a really good book, but it can really apply to several things other than tennis. When you read this book, you see the stuff that this man went through and how he overcame almost impossible odds. It really makes you think "If he could do that and had to deal with all that, what am I complaining about?" I recommend this book to everyone who thinks they're having a tough time & anyone who likes to read.
June 9, 2010
James Blake's memoir is inspiring, heartfelt, and touching. He's been through so much physically and mentally to get to where he is today in the tennis world. I enjoyed the more personal chapters when he talks about his father and also when he talks about his close knit group of friends: the "J-Block." The book is very simply written and it's a bit disorganized at times, but any tennis fan will be moved by his story.
September 5, 2012
The greatest thing about this book was that I bought it for .64p at a used bookstore, took it home, opened it, and found that it had been autographed by the man himself! As a tennis fanatic, I wanted to know about Blake's back story. Pretty inspiring, especially considering that he's now 32 and still making it to the 4th round of the USO. Gotta love a guy who plays because he simply just loves the game.
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