The Showman

by Glenn Maxwell

‘You won’t get a better account than Maxwell’s own. It’s like having Phar Lap talk you through the 1930 Melbourne Cup. I heartily commend the book.’ Gideon Haigh

'It’s easy captaining Maxi. You just need to get out of the way.' Pat Cummins

Discover the exhilarating story of Glenn Maxwell, the daring batsman and all-round Australian cricket maestro.

During the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, Glenn Maxwell played the most audacious, improbable innings in the history of one-day cricket. Yet less than a year earlier he had been in hospital with a shattered leg, unsure whether he would ever be able to play again.
 
This is the story of that year, from devastation to triumph; twelve months of frustration on the road to recovery, as well as jubilation when Glenn became a father. It’s also an exploration of his life before – the moments and decisions that informed this defining year.

For over a decade, Maxwell has batted with a style that is deeply creative and at times crazy-brave, while bearing the criticism of those who find his style more exasperating than exciting. At the same time, he has become a vital bowler and one of the world’s best fielders. However, his career has also been dogged by depression and self-doubt.
 
Now, one of cricket’s great entertainers tells his story in his own words. The Showman offers a captivating exploration of an enigmatic talent, whose name is synonymous with the thrill of the game.

'Maxi is about genuine care and connection. There’s so much more than meets the eye.' Virat Kohli

 

Genres: Autobiography, Sports, Nonfiction

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2024

Reviews

[Megan Maurice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read a lot of sport autobiographies, I can say with confidence that the truly great ones are few and far between. But this is one of them - a fascinating snapshot into a complex character in Australian sport. The approach taken is a deep examination of a year of Maxwell's life, but going back and forward in time, we learn a lot about his past and how he got to where he is now. It's beautifully written and perfectly structured - I loved it.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Glenn Maxwell (and cricket) so was keen to receive this book as my Christmas gift much to my husband’s amusement. Normally I find sportspersons autobiography’s somewhat annoying - full of arrogance and narcissism. In typical Maxi manner this was not and was a great recall of his challenges, triumphs and everything inbetween. It also is an excellent recount of the tournaments and games he played in a statistical manner - another love of mine!

Really enjoyed this read. Having watched Sam Konstas debut boxing day test match - I wish Maxi had been given the same opportunity with similar style risk taking play - but he was before his time.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a cricket fan I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. A great behind the scenes look at Maxi’s life as well as cricket career focusing on both the good and bad.

[Andrew Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest, at times overly raw, of the genuine emotions from a player who spends an inordinate amount of time playing with a unique method to please so many people outside the ones who have judged him at times the harshest.
High quality insight of a point in time.

[Anthony Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interwoven timelines and good humour made this a refreshing take on the often formulaic sports memoir. Maxwell and Collins nail the storytelling of big-time moments, but also the smaller nuggets of gold we seldom see or hear about. Maxwell’s insight into his mental health journey was particularly pertinent.

One of the better athlete memoirs I’ve read.

[Maddie Irwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ lacked some editing if I’m honest, a few typos and grammatical things but enjoyed it

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good sport's autobiography and I'm very glad I was reading during a time when Maxi was doing some pretty outrageous things on the field during the BBL. There's moments of laughter, surprise and intrigue through the numerous anecdotes he shares. The objective of the book - to tell the story of his return from broken leg to World Champion in just under a year - is fantastically told. The determination he recounts is inspiring with the candid manner he talks about the way he was suddenly in total doubt of what his body could do providing clear insight into the pressure athletes like him are under.

Nevertheless, I did think that for a man who has challenged convention throughout his career I was left thinking that the book failed to grasp the opportunity of a more self-reflective autobiography; one where the focus could be more on what it's like to be a trailblazer and the emotional baggage of such a journey. It was this that I was craving when picking the book up but I think it was only touched on in areas - such as his conflict with JL and the initial response of the media to his style of play. By going in deeper on what it was like to be like him (rather than spending time settling differences with selectors, players and coaches which get a lot of air time) I think the reader could have felt even closer to being in his shoes. Despite this, I loved the book and was incredibly drawn to how open he is about his mental health battles and the conflict he felt when leaving his two-week-old son for the 2023 World Cup. He is, no doubt, a generational cricketer, but I'm not sure this is a generational book.

[Karen York · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am both a cricket and Glenn Maxwell fan; I have always appreciated the passion, skill, dexterity, intelligence and fun he brings to his game. Cricket, and some cricketers, can be staid so I really enjoy not knowing what might happen when he is at the crease, bowling and fielding. He is proudly his own person, and his autobiography provides an honest insight into the highs and lows of an elite athlete breaking the mold as a huge change agent in an international professional sport. His love of the game, his family and team mates runs through the story.

It is an easy, interesting read presented in a positive, humble and authentic way, centered around the year he shattered his leg and his recovery. I’ve read a lot of sports autobiographies and this is one of the best.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glenn Maxwell has been one of the most enigmatic figures of the Australian short form teams. A great read about his tough year coming back from a severely broken leg.

[harshali · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a great book, this aussie team will always have a soft spot in my heart <3

[Eliza McCullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on audible

[Tori Gonsalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good, i didn't love the way it jumped around a bit, but otherwise it was very interesting, good chat on men's mental health in sport