Interesting: My Autobiography

by Steve Davis

Steve Davis was just a rookie from Plumstead, south London, learning how to play from an old book his snooker-obsessed father had given him, when an encounter with Barry Hearn changed his life forever. With his backing, Steve began touring the country in a clapped-out car as an amateur. Challenging established professionals and winning titles, supported by his loyal following the Romford Roar, it wasn’t long before he progressed to the world’s stage. By the 1980s, Steve had helped transform a previously shady sport into a national obsession. He and a cast of legends such as Ray Reardon, Dennis Taylor, and Alex Higgins, with other young guns like Jimmy White, were doing silent battle in front of huge audiences. Tens of millions of viewers would witness the nail-biting conclusions of his world championship finals; this was snooker’s golden era. The man behind the "boring" tag has always been the sport’s smartest and sharpest man. With his cool, obsessive approach, Steve rewrote the rule book and became untouchably the best player in the world and the best paid sportsman in the country. Interesting lays it all what it was like to win in those pressure-cooker situations; how to cope at the top, when everyone wants you to lose; and how you deal with the moment when a man comes along who is finally better than you. This is a memoir that closely evokes the smoke-filled atmosphere of those arenas, the intrigue behind the scenes, and the personal psychology and sacrifice that is required to stay at the top of such an exacting sport.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Sports, Autobiography

408 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2015

About the author

There is more than one author by this name.

Reviews

[Ramona C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, the glorious moment of holding Steve Davis' autobiographic book in my hands, has arrived! I have been waiting for this day since I started the blogging about snooker almost five years ago.

Steve invites you for a walk down memory lane and exposes his feeling of vulnerability as well as those of superiority that made him have one of the most illustrious snooker careers in the history of this crazy and colourful cue sport.

From the moment that his father put Joe Davis' book in his hands, to the minute he met "The Governor" Barry Hearn, or from starring in the Pot Black series, to recording his first 147 in front of his father (who was also his coach), at Plumstead Common just a few days before his 20th birthday, Steve tells you the story in a way that you swear he's kidnap you in Dr Who's Tardis and you are back in time witnessing his every memory.

I did a short review on my snooker blog, so if you want to know more about this book, I invite you here: http://snookermylove.blogspot.ro/2015...

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for every snooker fan who grew up in the 80s and is a big fan of Steve's perfect play back then. I really enjoyed this book and can highly recommend it. You will many other great players too.

[Ben DT Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather interesting read from one of the sorts most boring characters. I didn’t grow up watching Davis in his prime. For me, it was all about the era of Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins at the start of the 2000. However, I’m no mug and I did my research when I first discovered snooker at a young age thanks to my Great Grandma, who would babysit me and plonk the snooker on at all times she could. I learned to respect the game as well as love it. Davis was a huge figure.

This book is a fantastic insight into what I find to be the most exciting era of snooker, the 1980’s. I’ve read Alex Higgins’ book as well as seen documentaries of that time and it fascinated me no end. I love history, and to read about snooker history is fantastic. I loved every chapter of this book. For me, I only mark it down a bit as it’s very stat oriented in the stories of matches and tournaments. That’s good to a degree, but becomes tiresome after a while.

This is still one of the better autobiographies I’ve come across as it covers his whole life and career in incredible details and truth. From personal experiences with other players to the winning and losing moments at World Finals. This book is a must for every single snooker fan out there.

[Toby Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me long enough to read, but now finally finished it.

Thoroughly enjoyable, all that you’d expect on the highs of the 1980s but also the tough experience of Hendry taking the crown in the 1990s.

[Morag Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book

I did enjoy it but not an Autobiography for me just a list of every match ever played nothing personal in the book apart from I was married by then then I had two sons by then no where he met his wife or dates of birth for his sudden 2 sons, I had just read the Jimmy White book so made this book more of a let down as Jimmy was so funny interesting was not all that interesting was far to serious a bit of humour wouldn't of gone a miss a bit of your life not scores for every match Evan mid interval scores it became very tedious indeed

[Daniel Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great insight to his life, his struggles and successes. I occasionally used to watch the matches he would talk about on YouTube, reading him confess how stressed or nerve shattered he was, and then looking at the footage and thinking I can't believe he never showed that much emotion. A great man, and very "interesting" indeed.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given it 3 stars but it's more like 2.5. Hes got an interesting story to tell but I'm afraid it didn't really come out in this book. Repeats himself way too often- even on the same page. Way too many stats, felt like wading through lists of them at times. Plus it could have done with a damn good editor! I like Steve but this book isnt doing much to shake off the 'boring' image I'm afraid.

[Alyeen1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes more interesting (e.g. how the sports changed and developed over the years) than others (found it especially boring when he recounts a game by each frame) but overall an easy read.

Sidenote for Germans: don't read the translated version, it's clearly been done by an artifical device and is therefore absolutely awful.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swietna autobiografia, bardzo dokładna, a mimo to nienużąca. Wyłącznie o snookerze, Steve totalnie pomija prywatną część swojego życia i to w sumie bardzo dobrze wyszło. Zaskakująco długa biografia, z fantadtycznym, angielskim humorem autora przebijającym z każdej strony

[Jude Ripin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed life story of one of the true snooker greats in the world. Steve Davis not only recounted about himself but also those around him. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

[Navdeep Rehill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth a read

An amazing insight of the life of a professional snooker player. Steve Davies has a provided a thorough and entertaining account of his sporting career.

[Paul McCormack · Rating 2 out of 5]

It isn't. Lovely guy though

[Anastassia Dyubkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Люблю Стива, но даже если бы я любила его меньше, книга мне бы всё равно наверняка понравилась: она хорошо написана, легко читается, и очень любопытно было узнать больше обо всей снукерной кухне, какова она изнутри. Подборка фотографий в приложении - приятный бонус.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but not that insightful.