The Black Widow: A Memoir

by Jeanette Lee, Dana Benbow

A candid and moving autobiography by the 'Black Widow' of billiards

Jeanette Lee was 18 years old when she walked into a New York City pool hall and became enamored by the elegant geometry of the game. Before long, she was an unmistakable figure on the international competition circuit, dressed head-to-toe in black, stalking the billiards table and gazing down her cue as if tracking her prey.

In this new memoir, the woman nicknamed 'The Black Widow' opens up about her legendary career and the rich, unpredictable life she's woven around it. Lee details her upbringing in a Korean-American household in the Bronx, her single-minded drive to reach the pinnacle of her sport, and her unlikely entry into the realm of mainstream celebrity in an era where female athletes rarely got their share of the limelight.

Lee also reflects on her lifelong struggle with scoliosis, which necessitated over twenty operations during her playing career; her public battle with Stage 4 ovarian cancer; the communities that gave her strength throughout.

Written with warmth and candor, this the definitive story of a true icon.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Sports, Autobiography

256 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I walked by the New Release section of my local library & saw this book on the shelves. It looked interesting so I checked it out & read it. It did not disappoint. This is the best autobiography of an Asian woman athlete I ever read. The billiard player, Jeanette Lee, has an incredibly interesting personal & professional life. Jeanette spoke in depth on her physical/health challenges that include debilitating scoliosis & her ovarian cancer diagnosis. There were many stories on how she became “The Black Widow” & how she became the No. 1 pool player in the world. I felt the writing style of this memoir was raw, very straightforward, & intimate. No unnecessary fluff or embellishment on her stories. This would be one of my top three autobiographies I read in the past years.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the early 1990’s, Jeannette Lee was a massive celebrity who participated in a sport that many may play but few had actually followed closely, pool. Thanks to a popular movie (The Color of Money) and a new all-sports network (ESPN launched ESPN2 during this time) more people became aware of the sport, but the “Black Widow” of the game. In this candid memoir, the person behind the Black Widow persona, Jeanette Lee, shares her life and career memories.

It should be noted early that this memoir will not follow the traditional time line and strictly move from early years to the present. While there is much information about Lee’s childhood and family early in the book, there are parts early about how she got interested in the game and about her cancer diagnosis. While that may be confusing at first, it makes sense as the reader continues and puts Lee’s entire story together.

And what a story it is! It is part sad, part inspiring but completely interesting as I had a hard time putting this book down. Her story of hanging out at Chelsea Billiards and learning the game is quite amazing. She had no training, no coaching, or any previous experience. She just started watching players, learning their shots and the geometry of the game and started playing. Of course, she had many mentors along the way and when she won a prestigious tourney at age 19, she was on her way. It should also be noted that the “Black Widow” was not her idea at first, but she fully on board with it after her agent and marketing experts informed her of the potential.

The book is about equal parts her career in pool and her personal life as the latter also has many twists and turns. From her parents’ divorce to her sometimes-unsteady relationship with them and her sister to her 20-year marriage and later her cancer diagnosis, Lee reveals many secrets that she has kept for years. Although the best of them in my opinion was one in which she hustled a well-known male player in order to provide Rick Riley a great Sports Illustrated column.

If a reader remembers the height of the popularity of the “Black Widow” or just wants to read an excellent sports memoir, this is one to get. It had everything that I enjoy when reading this genre of books.

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[Chris Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides an incredible story of the rise of a sports legend in a niche sport! From the hardships of her upbringing (scoliosis, racism, and daddy issues) she enters the sport of pool (billards) whenever she becomes the #1 player in the world! She details how her Black Window persona takes over the world by storm. With a tough cancer diagnosis in 2021, she keeps fighting showcasing her strength, determination, and resilience in the face of adversity!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many others, I first became aware of Jeanette Lee, the Black Widow, when she was a fixture on ESPN. I also saw her a couple times at Tampa Bay Rays fan fest. There she demonstrated trick shots and took on all challengers—fans and Rays players alike. I was pleased that an advance copy of Jeanette’s book was available from Net Galley and Triumph Books.

This is one of the most inspirational books I have read. Jeanette tells of her life facing and overcoming so many obstacles especially health-related. This is a story of incredible perseverance and faith that drove Jeanette to become the world famous Black Widow and the #1 ranked pool player.

I can’t say enough about this book. I won’t list all the challenges and obstacles. That’s for the reader to discover. I hope this book is a bestseller upon release. And I hope that Jeanette enjoys many more years to celebrate her success.

Thanks to Net Galley and Triumph Books for providing an advance copy.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The personal story of one of the greatest pool players in history. I remember watching the Black Widow shoot pool live in her early days and even had the opportunity to watch her on ESPN, which was groundbreaking at the time. Her life at the table was extraordinary, but being away from the table has been challenging, and this book addresses many of those stories. It is well worth the time investment to read.

[Chris Merrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing story of perseverance in the face of adversity. Lots of good inspirations and morals. However I could only give the book 3 stars due to the poor writing. She repeats herself often, especially in the beginning. Worse than that was the fact that she jumps around in her life throughout the book- it becomes very confusing as when events happened.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very interesting. The one thing that was bothersome to me was how often it was mentioned that she was the best pool player in the world. It is true that she was at the top of the game, but it could have been stated less, or stated differently. She overcame a whole lot of adversity in her life, both physical and working to succeed in her sport.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and inspiring story! There was so much I didn’t know about her when I watched her play 20 years ago. I’m glad to have read it and know how much she fought be so good at pool. The book itself was not easy to follow, however, and I would’ve liked to have seen better organization of the chapters.

[Lucas Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting memoir. It was horrific the type of surgery she underwent for her back to get it fixed. And it was a beautiful story about falling in love with billiards and her finding success. The lesson I took away was perseverance and running with your passion.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story on the rise of Jeanette Lee and professional pool

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great memoir, I have new found respect for this pool giant…