Rating: 4/5
Review:
A fascinating and courageous book
I thought this a very good book - far better than the usual blandly ghosted sporting autobiographies. It won the 2010 Sports Book Of The Year Award, and deservedly so, in my view.
Two things make it stand out: the first is the writing itself. Moore has a slightly odd prose style which is influenced by his the legal training, and this gives it a quirky, almost clumsy feel at times. I really liked this because it is so obviously Moore himself talking to you, and really brings his sincere, sometimes painfully honest account to life.
More important is the account itself. There is, pretty obviously, a good deal about rugby which I enjoyed very much and found very interesting. However, it is Moore's relatively brief accounts of the psychological effects of his being adopted and of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child which are the really powerful parts of the book. I think he deals with them brilliantly, trying to be as honest and insightful as possible about how these things have affected him, but doesn't dwell needlessly and there is no hint of that loathsome celebrity "My Agony" stuff. It is straightforward, un-self-pitying, courageous and insightful.
This book is well worth reading even if you only have a passing interest in rugby. It is far more than just the account of a distinguished sporting career and I recommend it warmly.
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