worth a read
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I found this book interesting as he covers a lot more of his private life and relationships than most books of this type,you do get to find out what the real boris becker is like, but because the book is not wirtten chronologicly it was sometimes it was difficult to work out when in his career events where happening which slightly spoilt it, worth a read though.
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An enjoyable read
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This book was sincere and interesting. We learn about the details beyond the tennis, and Boris Becker becomes a normal person - not an idol. He takes us through his life, and shares many of his educated opinions with us. He really is an intelligent guy! And he can be proud of this book. So why does The Player only get 3 stars? To me, the flaw in this book was that it wasn't at all chronological - we are taken from one event at one stage of his life to something completely different in seconds. This style was confusing and took away meaning from his stories. I felt like I didn't get enough time to absorb what he was expressing. Nevertheless, this book is certainly worth a read!
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Contradiction
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I have to say being a newcomer to reading autobiographies, i didn't have high expectations of 'The Player' Not because i dislike Boris Becker as either a Tennis player or an Author, I just didn't know what to expect.
Honestly i have to say it's one of the most interesting books i've read. To put everything on show, your relationships, your private life and children, your career and everything that matters the most to you is hard to do because regardless of who you are there are going to be things in life that you've done, that you regret or wish hadn't happened the way it did.
People have previously said that the book isn't the easiest to read, that the chapters are broken up and in no particular order. But i think that even though there is a chronological order to things in life, when you're reliving them as you write it doesnt come out like that and i think that this shows when reading.
Admittedly even i have a complaint about the translation..its a little etchy in places but generally it's consistant and of a good quality.
This book has given me a lot more respect for Boris as a person. He's honest and isn't afraid to talk about any of his experiences. I definetly recommend this to people interested in either him or just a good read!
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On the line!
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As a self-confessed tennis aficionado who was hooked by the runaway success of Boris Becker in the eighties, my purchase of 'The Player' was a foregone conclusion. After noting the support of two co-authors on the inside cover (Robert Lübenoff and Helmut Sorge) and the use of two translators I felt in safe hands for a rattling good read.
And rattle it did - the diction, that is. I tried to ignore the clumsy style for the first few pages, focussing instead on the person behind the prose. To no avail. The writing jars, and in so doing distracts from the at times compelling subject matter. I soon concluded that the finger of blame largely points at an exceedingly poor translation effort that borders on abominable. Many German phrases have simply been shoehorned into English, word by word, with no attempt to come up with a more apt equivalent. Grinding sentence construction ('In an atmosphere like that of a bullring, with the spectators cheering me on, I won in four sets...) ensures a bumpy ride to the baseline for all but the most battle-hardened readers.
The story line (if there is such a thing in an autobiography) is anything but linear. While the (abstract) chapter headings conjure up a location or topic, Boris often breaks the flow by skipping ahead to or revisiting other events that may not necessarily bear any relation to the subject in hand. His erratic style can be taxing on the reader's patience, to say the least.And yet... this reader finished the book. Something amongst the minefield of pedestrian prose and inherent inconsistencies kept me turning pages! Halfway through, and it dawned on me: the book's poor editing and haphazard translation unintentionally enhances its author's beguilingly honest approach to laying bare his life to date. Some of the details proffered are surprisingly revealing, down to the exact name, address, or Euro. Here is one of the world's most well-known celebrities, ensconced in the tricky process of reshaping his career from tennis pro to business man, still smarting after a humiliating kicking from the Inland Revenue and a knife-edge divorce... the man is vulnerable, and he's trying to make sense of it all. One can't help the impression that BB has written this book as much for himself as for general consumption.
No doubt ardent critics will have a field day with 'The Player'. There's plenty of score-settling (with ex-coaches and players alike), ample incongruity (BB states his wish to steer clear of politics, yet lambastes the German Conservative Party on various occasions), and some tedious rhetoric (like his admiration for Mandela). Most of all, the book plays into the hands of those who might wish to summarily condemn Germans as extroverted, loudmouthed pragmatists. BB's frequent references alone to the (admittedly impressive) carpool at his disposal, down to their exact specification and the top speed he took them to (367 km/h for his Porsche) could suffice to give the wrong impression. In the end, it didn't deter me enough to lose interest. Despite his cosmopolitan air, Boris Becker is a German at heart, and they have every right to be proud of their cars. If, like me, you have a soft spot for Boris and are prepared to forgive some post-ironic clangers, 'The Player' will reward you with a warts-and-all insight into the mind of one of the greatest and most influential tennis players. Boris's considerable and loquacious presence amidst the BBC's Wimbledon commentary team, which to this reviewer's taste has proved a real bonus, also echoes from every page of his book.
My three-star rating reflects the surprising absence of photos (bemoaned by many reviewers, I gather), but most of all the inexcusable ineptitude of the book's editor and translating team. At the relatively tender age of thirty-seven, BB may find ample time to cringe at certain passages of his autobiography in years to come. Us readers, on the other hand, can snigger with impunity whilst secretly wondering what future aces might be served by the cocky yet likeable darling of Wimbledon.
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Boum boum open-hearted
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I have bought Boris' book by curiosity, more than as a fan of his (or of tennis for that matter), and I'm glad I did buy it. All in all, I very much agree with Elizabeth Stockley's comments: Boris appears natural, and talks openly about everything that touched him, from the most impressive to the most humiliating chapters of his life. What amazed me is how honest his approach was, not only about tennis, politics, racism, but also about the scandals that tarnished his reputation. That takes an enormous amount of guts. Most people would brush everything under the carpet, but he doesn't. He even admits to his own mistakes & weaknesses with total honesty. No subjet is taboo: from politics to drugs, booze, as well as his personal life. He isn't afraid to tell about his delicate relationship with other players, coach, trainers either. Moreover, he never boasts about his status, he never comes across as being arrogant either (all to his credit). In fact, he tells more about the bad aspects of his carrer rather than the good ones. Rather than organising his book in a chronological order, he has opted for a presentation that covers the most important stages of his life. It makes more sense, even if it makes it harder to follow. I must admit that a few pictures would have been appreciated, but that's very trivial. What counts is his side of the story. He probably didn't want to elaborate on the stereotypical aspects of tennis, because it was already covered in other biographies (like John McEnroe's for example). He talks about what's really affected him, and that's why I liked it. Thanks Boris for this book.
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