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 enlarge | Author: James Blake
Publisher: Harper
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $3.45
You Save: $22.50 (87%)
New (54) Used (20) Collectible (2) from $3.45
Avg. Customer Rating:  27 reviews
Sales Rank: 157903
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.1 x 1.4
ISBN: 0061343498
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.342092
EAN: 9780061343490
ASIN: 0061343498
Publication Date: July 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: THIS ITEM IS UNUSED AND IN GOOD CONDITION. IT MAY HAVE SLIGHT SHELFWEAR BUT OTHERWISE IT IS FINE.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Well written and an easy read October 28, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book was an easy read and gave some very good insights into how tennis players think.
 James Blake October 19, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent! What courage this young man has. It is inspirational and I have given it to all my grandchildren.
"Fire it up one time...BAM!" September 27, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.
Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.
Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.
Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.
This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!
Good character, good writing September 22, 2007
We enjoy tennis and are fans of James Blake. This book is far more interesting than the usual substance-free celebrity book. It shows a great deal of character on James' part, and of course, follows him through a fairly complex series of challenges. For that matter, the writing is clean and good. This one is worth reading!
Outstanding memoirs September 19, 2007
Some people lose their jobs. Others have health problems or car problems or kid problems or whatever else you can imagine. When any of these things happen, we are often forced to reevaluate our lives in light of these challenges. James Blake brings an excellent picture not so much of a career but of one such period in life dominated by hardship. While the actions of his life are interesting enough, the more interesting point of his text focuses on that "what now" period he faced between a neck injury and a viral outbreak which nearly ended his career (and still remains today). Blake never takes himself too seriously but simultaneously shows depth of reflection and introspection when he describes why he's done what he's done. There's a lot to consider here for anyone who has faced such a time in life, and we all will face such a time eventually.
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