Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
An intimate self-portrait encompassing the life, times, and career of one of the most transformative individuals--let alone athletes--of recent times. Journeying from a blue-collar childhood to shatter tennis's exclusive country-club culture, Billie Jean King paved the way for a more open, inclusive, and equal sports environment. In her memoir, she takes us behind the scenes of the pro tennis tour, through her five years as the top-ranked woman in the world, her twenty Wimbledon championships, her thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." With her ever-present candor, King also describes the high personal price of public greatness. We see how she struggled to live authentically and the challenges she grappled with beneath the mask of fame, including entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, and struggles with her sexual identity until her "outing" by a former lover led her to embrace her true self. We come to understand how, through it all, her unshakeable integrity, resilience, and sense of purpose allowed her time and again to overcome her obstacles, and, at a few dire moments, to rebound from near ruin. Hers is the story of a pathbreaking fighter for equality, world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit.
Synopsis
An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of a champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. Billie Jean King was only seven years old when she told her mother, "I'm going to do something great with my life someday." But the world she wanted did not exist yet, so she set out to create it. In this spirited account, King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis successes that came at a breathtaking pace--six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." King poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of her career and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
King describes the myriad challenges she hurdled, including entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial ruin after being outed, and accepting her sexual identity. It was not until the age of 51 that she began to publicly and unequivocally acknowledge, "I am gay." Today, King's life remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality and love. She shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness. Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended her achievements in sports.
Synopsis
An inspiring and intimate self-portrait by Billie Jean King, the champion of equality, that encompasses her brilliant tennis career and unwavering commitment to social justice even as she was engaged in a private struggle to publicly and unequivocally be her true self Billie Jean King was the first of her kind, a woman athlete who became a global cultural icon because of her pioneering activism as much as her spectacular playing career. A handful of other female athletes had taken stands here or there before, but King was the first to outwardly rebel and then carry the fight for women as a group. She is an original. Her watershed "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs in 1973 was watched by an estimated 90 million people worldwide. What started for King as a young girl's quest for individual freedom expanded into broader issues over time.
In this spirited account, King describes the rollicking early days of the pro tennis world she pushed to create and her evolution into a thirty-nine-time Grand Slam champion, an activist, a feminist, a political influencer, and a public figure who was at first so fearful of admitting her sexual identity, and then so closeted once she did, her physical and emotional health suffered. King recounts in vivid detail the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the civil rights movement, the women's movement, the Cold War, the assassinations and antiwar protests of the 1960s, and, later, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She poignantly describes her oft-submerged struggle to be her "authentic self"--the hard-won place where her public and private lives converged, though not until the age of fifty-one, after she narrowly averted financial ruin when she was outed and sought in-patient treatment for an eating disorder fourteen years later.
All In is a bracingly candid and complex autobiography of an athlete-activist that reminds us of the scale of her challenges and triumphs, vision and courage. As King notes, so many of the issues she and others have fought for are being reargued today. All In situates King in a new context--the here and now--looking backward (and forward) with the benefit of her accumulated wisdom, grace, and insights. The result is the story of a woman with an indomitable spirit who continues to advocate for equity and inclusion today.
Synopsis
An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice.
"A story about the personal strength, immense growth, and undeniable greatness of one woman who fearlessly stood up to a culture trying to break her down."--Serena Williams
In this spirited account, Billie Jean King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career--six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes. She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
She describes the myriad challenges she's hurdled--entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed--on her path to publicly and unequivocally acknowledging her sexual identity at the age of fifty-one. She talks about how her life today remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality, and love. And she shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness.
Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, a world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sports.
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice.
"A story about the personal strength, immense growth, and undeniable greatness of one woman who fearlessly stood up to a culture trying to break her down."--Serena Williams
In this spirited account, Billie Jean King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career--six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes. She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
She describes the myriad challenges she's hurdled--entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed--on her path to publicly and unequivocally acknowledging her sexual identity at the age of fifty-one. She talks about how her life today remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality, and love. And she shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness.
Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, a world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sports.