But Seriously: An Autobiography

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It’s what they’ve achieved in terms of breaking into what remains a white, middle-class sport that is most impressive,” he says. He got a slot as a talkshow host, but as he confesses with winning candour, he got bored listening to his guests. It's a fun read, mainly because John McEnroe is an appealing guy with an interesting story, but because the book's timeline finished 20 years ago I feel somewhat unsatisfied.

High in the stands, above the fray, McEnroe wondered whether, in his “superbrat” prime, he had ever done anything quite so bad. The kind of behavior and attitude that McEnroe has exhibited as a professional has always rubbed me the wrong way. After all, how many of us wake up and ask the question: I wonder what John Inverdale is really like behind the scenes? To be honest, I’m not that keen on (auto)biographies, since I prefer the escapism that good fiction offers. With his signature irreverence, tempered just a bit by age, McEnroe serves up a juicy, revealing look at how his tennis afterlife is playing out off the court.Sarà perché mi ha riportato a quando, da bambina, passavo le ore, i giorni, le notti a guardare i tornei di tennis, oppure perché non posso fare a meno di ammirare John Mcenroe… Un uomo che, con tutti i suoi difetti, riesce sempre a trovare il modo di risultare simpatico. He includes an essay by his daughter Anna in which she describes the pressures that come with having the last name McEnroe, and the book ends with a touching poem by daughter Emily to her father. This follow up remains an easy read, John doesn't take himself so serious, however, the book struggles with flow.

In this memoir he reflects on his playing years but also on his life since, developing new careers in broadcasting and art dealing, and bringing up a large family. I had forgotten how short the career of a tennis player used to be now that we live in the era of Roger and Serena. I do admire McEnroe for expanding his career after his halcyon playing days, and achieving fame outside of, and beyond, his own considerable tennis playing accomplishments.In a way he' s become a normal-ish person because of his respect for family values, and these remind me of the patriarch in my life which was my grandfather. Something about his interview told me he wasn't a bad guy at all -- not like the press has made him out to be. Since his hit book, he's maintained a huge presence as a commentator at Wimbledon and other Grand Slam tournaments. Here McEnroe talks about his other interests and his work, most notably his career as a tennis commentator and analyst for various networks for which he is widely and rightly regarded as one of the most articulate and respected television sports broadcasters in the world.