Snooker books
Jimmy White's autobiography is unsurprisingly a riveting read, with his portrayal of his early life particularly eye-catching. It's refreshingly free of snooker, as I'm sure most will agree White is almost as well know for his off-table accomplishments as he is for what he's done on the table. There's no self-pity there, and I think Sue Mott of the Sunday Telegraph sums it up best. 'He may play a spellbinding game, full of invention & dash. He may even be the best snooker player in the world - but he is loved because he is naughty... and therein lies his abiding appeal'.
Alex Higgins, well, his scribblings were never going to be dull. It's raw, no doubt about it, and he's not afraid to tackle the big talking points. 'From the Eye of the Hurricane' is a fine read, and I'd recommend it to anyone. As the Mail on Sunday put it... 'any page of this autobiography is more entertaining than Wayne Rooney's collective works'. There's also a very entertaining biography written by someone who's name escapes me at the present time, if anyone could help, feel free to comment.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, for me, has put together the most enjoyable book, surprisingly enough. It's brutally honest, no punch is spared, and he's particularly clear in expressing his opinions on fellow players in profiling them: Hendry, Williams, even John Parrott. Prozac, depression, his father, family life... all tackled here. It's badly in need of some updating however, only goes as far as the 2001 World Championships, and as we all know, plenty has happened in the life of the Rocket since then.
Clive Everton's 'Black Farce & Cue Ball Wizards' is another fine book in the endless list of fabulous snooker books. I reguard Clive as the most knowledgable, and arguably the most respected, man in snooker. In this book, he scrutinises the handling or lack thereof by those in charge of the game, and it's a pretty disturbing read to see how things were mismanaged.
I can't say I've read any books on how to play the game, as I don't play very regularly and haven't done so for six years, but if anyone wants to recommend any books, or add to the list above, feel free to do so.
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Tubberlad - Posts: 5009
- Joined: 02 October 2009
- Location: Ireland
- Snooker Idol: Ronnie OSullivan
- Highest Break: 49