Pendleton's book, would you buy it?

Lichtblick

(If there is already a thread on this topic, search this forum can't find it.)

Victoria Pendleton's autobiography, Between the Lines, would you buy it?

Isn't 32 rather young to be writing an autobiography?

I rather like this quote from a reviewer: "Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words: it is war minus the shooting." © George Orwell (i.e., Eric Blair)

I won't be buying it. I don't particularly want to read (even more than in on-line reviews) about self-mutilation with scissors in the middle of a row with team mates................ (notwithstanding all athletic and other achievements, sorry Vict., too much detail).

ddraver

well fine...

I ve actually read it.

It is a searingly, Tyler Hamiltonesque, honest account of her life story. There is no doubt how much she has overcome to get where she got. The passages about her self harm are so personal that it feels like that you re cutting yourself with her. In terms of sporting stories, it is nothing special ( as are all of them - [affect stupid footballer person accent] "it was like, so hard but we won and it was...like...brilliant innit" [/accent]) - basically she does nt win much, until she does, until Mears starts instead.

However, as a human story, it is one if the best "autobiographies" I ve read. It gives lie to the public front that Team GB and Sky are some perfectly managed super team, it gives very personal background it to her life and, all in all, it is very well written (by the ghost writer)

It is definitely worth a read!

greasedscotsman

Lichtblick wrote:

Isn't 32 rather young to be writing an autobiography?

Not really. If she left it another ? years (I'm not sure when you think would be a good time to right one), would anyone know who she was? Suppose that depends on what she does next. I would say now is a good time to write a book. People will be interested in her, she's just finished her cycling career, time to cash in (and I see nothing wrong with that). Do you feel the same way about David Millar's book?

And I don't think I'll be getting it, I have so many other books I haven't even started yet, I really don't need another.

Richmond Racer

I've flicked through and read some sections and what I did read didnt inspire me to pick it up again.

No doubting at all her tremendous abilities and what she did as a pathfinder for female track cyclists. But as a person I really wouldnt care to spend much time in her company, cetainly not in a working capacity. She quotes Chris Hoy as saying "I think (Vicky) measures her success by how much attention she gets'. Very needy, it would be exhausting.
She complained when she retired that 'half the GB track staff' would never talk to her again - well, Vicks, after reading how you depict people in your book, its no bleeding wonder - and they're hardly going to be issuing press releases or giving interview to put across their version of events.

Le Commentateur

Timing is everything with these books. Even 6 months from now would be too late, considering she has just retired from a niche sport. Anyway it's out in time for the Xmas gift-buying season.

Richmond Racer

Could be worse - how about Tom Daley' autobiography at 18...

Lichtblick

Thanks, dd, this

The passages about her self harm are so personal that it feels like that you re cutting yourself with her. In terms of sporting stories, it is nothing special ( as are all of them - [affect stupid footballer person accent] "it was like, so hard but we won and it was...like...brilliant innit" [/accent]) - basically she does nt win much, until she does, until Mears starts instead.

is enough to put me off.

Wiggins had a hard start too, didn't he? But I don't see him rushing into print (Good!)

Thanks greased,

Do you feel the same way about David Millar's book?

Good question, I bought that book, but somehow I don't think I'll read it twice

Thanks RR, this is good:

She complained when she retired that 'half the GB track staff' would never talk to her again - well, Vicks, after reading how you depict people in your book, its no bleeding wonder - and they're hardly going to be issuing press releases or giving interview to put across their version of events.

ms_tree

I've got a copy on loan from the library. (Your library use it or lose it). Why buy it if you're not sure if it's any good when you can borrow it? The best type of recycling. (but then I am biased). Also got the Tyler Hamilton book out at the same time.

mike6

Its the obvious time really. Newly retired from the sport that made her name. I remember reading something from the BC sports psychologist, Steve Peters, suggesting that Vic had almost no self confidence. I found that to be really enlightening, as I assumed all world and Olympic champions must be steel willed, super confident individuals. Just shows that some of them have the same weaknesses and doubts as us mere mortals.

aspender

Lichtblick wrote:

Wiggins had a hard start too, didn't he? But I don't see him rushing into print (Good!)

And another autobiography due out in November:

Lichtblick

aspender wrote:

Lichtblick wrote:

Wiggins had a hard start too, didn't he? But I don't see him rushing into print (Good!)

And another autobiography due out in November:

Thanks asp, didn't know about those books, can't keep track of everything, have a job, life, family etc.

gpreeves

Will probably read Pendleton's, if nothing else she seems like a fairly complex character. And at least she's waited until retirement (from competition) to publish her autobiography, most footballers seem to have published three before I've even heard of them!

TMR

Lichtblick wrote:

Thanks asp, didn't know about those books, can't keep track of everything, have a job, life, family etc.

And access to a search engine, which would help you avoid looking silly on the Internetz 8)

itisaboutthebike

No.

Tom Daly - of course I'd read his. Such a rich and varied life he's lead......even tho he's only 18. Two sheet of A4 should suffice. Any more than than and he'd be making friends with Roger Irrelevant.

ddraver

couldn't Really have picked a worse example really Licht. Wiggis book opens with him hearing if his dads death. in fact in terms if style, they re remarkably similar!. he has about 5 or 6 variations on those 2 books too....

if you don't want to read it then don't, but don't try and pretend its cos its rubbish....

thegibdog

Ignorance is bliss.

rick_chasey

Will see how she does on strictly first.

In repayment for hours of cycling I get wall to wall strictly and strictly takes two.

Might be fed up with her by then.

Yellow Peril

I'll probably read it only if it is to see if it changes my opinion of her dad who I think is a tw@t.

32 isn't particularly young these days for a book. Footballers seem to knock them out when they are still more or less foetuses. It is also the point at which the focal point of her story as come to an end. Unless she goes on to replace Pat McQuaid no-one particularly wants to read about her sleepless nights raising kids or doing the school run, we do that in our own lives.

I sincerely hope it is better written than "Boy Racer" as there is a book that was written too early in a career and IMO poorly. Also, in terms of bitching and slagging in bio's a lot of it is purely sensationalism, sort of an all's fair in love and print. I'm led to believe Cav made some behind the scenes apologies about some of the things he wrote in his book.

Captain Fagor

Rick Chasey wrote:

Might be fed up with her by then.

I passed that point some time ago.

Herbsman

Yellow Peril wrote:

32 isn't particularly young these days for a book. Footballers seem to knock them out when they are still more or less foetuses.

That made me laugh out loud. But exactly what I thought when I read the OP... plenty of other sportspeople write autobiogs at a very young age. Why should it be any different for a track cyclist?

davidof

Many of these women cyclists seem to be suffering: Pendleton, Gilmore, dare I mention Hatch?

afx237vi

Captain Fagor wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Might be fed up with her by then.

I passed that point some time ago.

+1

I like watching sport, but let's face it, most sports people are not that interesting. I don't blame them for cashing in when their name recognition is at its peak, but most of these books will be in the 99p bin of your local charity shop by January.

CanalRider

I shall read it but like previous poster I'll get it from the library. I prefer to read an autobiography written when a career is over. However, by way of exception, Ellen MacArthurs is a great and inspiring read. I like the fact that it was self penned and not by a ghost writer.

Lichtblick

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Lichtblick wrote:

Thanks asp, didn't know about those books, can't keep track of everything, have a job, life, family etc.

And access to a search engine, which would help you avoid looking silly on the Internetz 8)

Thanks for that tip. Must get a search engine sometime soon. :roll:

Lichtblick

ddraver wrote:

couldn't Really have picked a worse example really Licht. Wiggis book opens with him hearing if his dads death. in fact in terms if style, they re remarkably similar!. he has about 5 or 6 variations on those 2 books too....

if you don't want to read it then don't, but don't try and pretend its cos its rubbish....

Sorry about that DD. It was a poor example, I posted in haste. I do have a job, a life, a family, and sometimes I post in haste. <bashes self on head for posting in haste>

As to your 2nd paragraph, I transliterate that into "don't pre-judge a book because it may be rubbish".

OK. But on that basis, everyone would have to read every book in the world, in case they're not rubbish. Life's too short, mate! I have no intention of reading any of Salman Rushdie's books - for example. Nor a dozen other (so called big name) authors. That is what reviews are for: deciding if the book is for you or not.

Life is also too short to read every cycling memoire out there. IMHO.

I enjoyed the Tyler Hamilton book, though, and that's mostly because it gave the up to date stuff on the endless LA cheating/lying/denial.

Lichtblick

Yellow Peril wrote:

32 isn't particularly young these days for a book. Footballers seem to knock them out when they are still more or less foetuses.

Yep. In our local bookshop, under Sporting, there are many books on Football and Golf.

That's about it.

The only cycling book is something called It's not about the bike. :roll:

I sincerely hope it is better written than "Boy Racer" as there is a book that was written too early in a career and IMO poorly. Also, in terms of bitching and slagging in bio's a lot of it is purely sensationalism, sort of an all's fair in love and print. I'm led to believe Cav made some behind the scenes apologies about some of the things he wrote in his book.

Again, a book I didn't particularly want to buy or read. I've never been a big fan of Cav, prefer Sagan these days...........but so what? If Sagan writes a book about his early racing days I don't think I'd rush to buy or read that either.

There is only so much time available, to read books. One hour a day is the absolute maximum for me.

frenchfighter

No I wouldn't. But then I do not support the finances of sportsmen who are cashing in. I have never bought one and don't intend to start.

Pretty standard life she had anyway.

itisaboutthebike

Pretty standard life she had anyway

Yep - I've met loads of lasses who've won the world/Olympic sprint title.

frenchfighter

Trained hard, got lots of natural talent, won prestigious races lots of times. In a velodrome. Not very exciting life.

itisaboutthebike

Yes I would agree its not very exciting (I'm not a big track fan).............but it's not a 'pretty standard' life by you average 20/30 something lass.

desweller

Lichtblick wrote:

I have no intention of reading any of Salman Rushdie's books

Out of interest - why not?