Rafa – Bargain Price Author: Visit Amazon's Rafael Nadal Page | Language: English | ISBN:
B006CDCWDM | Format: EPUB
Rafa – Bargain Price Description
Review
Rafa: My Story is a terrific sporting memoir, full of memorable anecdotes and stamped with the authority of a ghostwriter who earned the complete trust of his subject. It is hard to imagine how Nadal could have done any more to get the best out of his own raw material. And it is to Carlin's enourmous credit that the book is a true reflection of the man, in every sense -- Ed Smith New Statesman Between them they have served up a winner -- Simon Redfern Independent Take a glimpse behind the curtain of both his private and professional life - it's as exciting as Rafa himself Woman's Own
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Rafael Nadal was born in 1986 in Mallorca, Spain. Currently ranked #1 in the world, he has won 9 Grand Slam titles and a career "Golden Slam" all four majors plus a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. He lives in Mallorca, Spain.
John Carlin, originally from the UK, is currently a Senior International writer for El Pais, the world's leading Spanish-language newspaper. He wrote the book that became the feature film "Invictus"." "0786869151
- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: Hyperion; First Edition edition (August 23, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1401324517
- ASIN: B006CDCWDM
- Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
I am enjoying the Rafa memoir. Initially, I wondered how a memoir could be written so early in this young man's life, and not be "fluff" for over 270 pages. I quickly learned that not only is there no fluff, it sucked me in as a reader.
The format is almost like "Forrest Gump" in print. It starts with Rafa prepping for his 2008 Wimbledon match against Roger Federer, the slam he's always wanted to win. Rafa writes somewhat of a diary/journal entry of his thought as he gets ready for the match. And as he goes through these motions, he has "flashbacks" of times earlier in life that has gotten him to where he's at: lessons he's learned, the family's who's been a solid foundation of support, and the human side of of who Rafa's become of these things. The flashbacks come back to the present match and integrates itself whole.
Once a short entry of that match is read, John Carlin interjects with words and mini vignettes/interviews from family and friends who fill the "gaps" of the thought processes of how Rafa thinks and what he's become.
The story then heads back to that Wimbledon match and Rafa writes more. The cycle continues.
I bought this book right as I was about to go to sleep and ended up reading nearly 20% of the book and took it to work to read during my lunch. I could not put it down, but had to because the eyes were drooping. At this rate, the book will not make it to the weekend. Rafa draws me in and paints a story of an every day man who happens to do something extraordinary professionally. Nadal speaks with desires of a simple life and yet, with a profound sense of thought of in how to approach it. Tennis is the backddrop of this story, but many life lessons are learned as well as we watch someone grow into their own.
RAFA is a remarkable book which gives amazing insights into the mind of a tennis legend. The way he prepares before a game, his mental state during a game, his methods of handling the disappointments and the successes of the tennis court - all of this makes RAFA a fascinating read.
The book has a unique format in which the first person account by Nadal is interspersed with chapters by John Carlin. The chapters by Nadal mainly talk about some of the important matches of his fledging tennis career, starting with THE MATCH - the Wimbledon 2008 final; his surprisingly strong family ties and its impact on his game; his domineering uncle and coach for 20 years - Toni and of course, his never say die spirit which is visible in most of his matches, among other things.
As the chapters go on, the book slowly uncovers the duality of Rafael Nadal - the one on the tennis court and the other off it. The one on the court is a gladiator who fights till the end, never gives up, doesn't know what fear is and ruthlessly decimates his opposition. The one off the tennis court is a soft, insecure lad , a boy next door, who is scared of dog, who is uncomfortable driving a bicycle or a motorbike and one who is scared of flying in a helicopter ! The contrast cannot be more starker.
The importance he gives to his family and friends and in turn their impact on his game is mentioned throughout the book. After a remarkable year of 2008 when he won both French Open and Wimbledon and became No.1 for the first time, 2009 was a big let down, when he was dogged by injuries, when he lost in French Open for the first time and eventually lost the No.1 ranking. As he writes, this dip in his career was as much due to the separation of his parents as due to external factors like injuries and loss of form.
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