Spun Out: Shane Warne the Unauthorised Biography of a Cricketing Genius |
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Paul Barry
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Pages: 560 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0593056620
Pub: Bantam Press
Pub date: 2006-08-02
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 258738
Reader Reviews:
Disappointing... (1/1 people found this helpful)
While I find the subject matter fascinating and have enjoyed reading the book to a certain extent, it is pretty obvious that the author is using it as a 500-page retribution, full of bile and spite towards it subject, apparently because he refused to work with the author. The book is full of spurrious and circumstantial quotes and sources, some attributed to anonymous contributers, giving the book a glib and obviously unofficial feel. Despite the breadth of information on the subject and his full life, it even pads out a chapter with an embarrassingly bad fake newspaper article of what could have happened to Warne in a certain situation. Pathetic. Warne is classic sporting biography fodder - a flawed genius, a true legend with a scandalous private life, who no doubt deserves tough scrutiny. However, this is a deeply flawed book with without depth or any real focus other than sledging its subject.
A Waste of Money (0/0 people found this helpful)
I felt annoyed with myself after reading this book - annoyed that I had wasted my hard earned money in the hope of some meaningful insights into a cricketing great.
Instead, I read a 'cut and paste' tabloid style stitch up. There is nothing in this book that could not be gleaned from newspaper articles about Shane Warne, other than some less than scintillating recollections from childhood friends and ex school mates (presumably the only people that the author could get to talk to him).
We learn a few things about the author though - his smugness at placing money on England's 05 Ashes victory (mentioned a couple of times); the fact that he is an ex Pom (is there such a thing?); and the fact that he obviously loathes Warne. Most distasteful though are his comments about Warne's long suffering wife, Simone - both her appearance and intellectual abilities come in for a battering. It seems completely unnecessary but, sadly, par for the course in this shabby biography.
My strong advice is not to make the mistake I made by buying this book did - otherwise you too may be left not just with an emptier wallet, but also with an unpleasant taste in your mouth
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Biography -> Sport -> Cricket
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> Cricket
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Hardcover