Out of My Comfort Zone: The Autobiography

This is a great book by a great cricketer. As a veteran of over 150 tests, captain of one of the greatest cricket teams of all time, and someone who was ranked the #1 batsman in the world for quite some time, Steve Waugh's credentials aren't in doubt. The impression of Waugh as captain and batsman - astute, decisive, dogged, thorough and inspired are all borne out in this book. Despite it's considerable lenghth, it's an easy read - he writes in a straightforward manner and in an engaging style. It's filled with insights into so many things. Particularly interesting are Waugh's views on his travels - he was clearly keen to get to know the countries and people in the parts of the world he travelled to, and conveys a clear sense of the privilege he's felt in being able to do this. There are some great stories about his times with the Australian team, including such colourful figures as Merv Hughes, David Boon and Allan Border. Waugh is also a fine analyst of the game, offering critiques of his own methods, his views on opponents and the different types of the game. He's also honest in his appraisal of the state of the game over the period he describes. A must for any serious fan of cricket.

A real winner as a player - & as a book (0/0 people found this helpful)

Steve Waugh is a true great of the game & this autobiography shows why - the mental edge & physcological preparation he gave himself before every Innings show why he (along with that great team) stayed ahead of the opposition for a decade and a half.
A real winner in every sense.

Simply the best (0/0 people found this helpful)

Im English, not Australian. And Ive watched test cricket since was I around 8 - and as a ludicrously optimistic England fan. But there comes a time when you simply have to applaud the opposition - and as a player and laterly captain Waugh has no peers (over the last 40 years anyway).
Likewise this book. A league of its own. And youre not short changed at over 800 pages. Why do I love this book so much? It tells you everything you need to know about how to succeed at the very highest level. He WAS an awesome player. His personal collection of photos adds another aspect and dimension to the life of an inspirational sportsman. As does the epilogue from his wife. Easily the best cricket autobiography that I have ever read - and Ive read LOADS. Its a shame so few modern day autobiographies give you value for money like Mr Waugh does - AND some of what you pay goes to his Indian charitable foundation.
If you love test cricket - you cannot fail to devour this greedily.
Thank you Steve

The original Mr cricket (3/3 people found this helpful)

I've always been a huge fan, and Im an Aussie, so I am biased. His career went for such a long period you tend to forget a lot of his moments. I for one found this to be a very enjoyable read. I would say that I would have loved if he spilt a lot more beans on some of the behind the scenes stuff but then again he wouldn't be the steely-eyed iceman, never allowing a moment of ill-dicipline if he did. He is the type of cricketer, mentally, that anyone that has played cricket would love to be. As anyone who ever talked about cricket would say, "if you ever wanted someone to bat for your life...it would be Steve Waugh" I found many aspects of the book revealing especially his early years in England and his relationship with his wife.

As to the pearls of wisdom that are in there. I think they're dotted all over the place. I know a lot of clubs took sections out of them and placed them around the club house. As ever they're typical Steve, internalised but in a team motivating way.

What is it good for? (5/6 people found this helpful)

Steve Waugh may not have been the most attractive player to watch, but as the sort of man who seemed to get runs when it mattered most (or for that matter, pluck a catch out of nowhere or take a wicket with a magic ball), he is certainly one to be respected and admired. He was probably the best of Australia's modern-era Ashes-winning captains, too. So I was expecting this to be full of sage words about the sport - basically the sort of thing the current England team should be using as bedtime reading. It is, too. Especially marked is the difference in attitude between Aussie sportsmen (and non-sportsmen) and their English counterparts. It's a good read. I'd say that this was only marred by three things: a strange reticence about his relationship with his twin brother Mark, the book's extreme length and a tendency towards the end to the sort of self-justification that all too often mars a sporting career.

Out of My Comfort Zone: The Autobiography

Steve Waugh

Reader Reviews:

Superb autobiography (0/0 people found this helpful)

A real winner as a player - & as a book (0/0 people found this helpful)

Simply the best (0/0 people found this helpful)

The original Mr cricket (3/3 people found this helpful)

What is it good for? (5/6 people found this helpful)

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