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Days of Grace: A Memoir
"Touching and courageous...All of it--the man, the life, the book--is rare and beautiful."
COSMOPOLITAN
DAYS OF GRACE is an inspiring memoir of a remarkable man who was the true embodiment of courage, elegance, and the spirit to Arthur Ashe--tennis champion, social activist, and person with AIDS. Frank, revealing, touching--DAYS OF GRACE is the story of a man felled to soon. It remains as his legacy to us all....
AN ALTERNATE SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB
COSMOPOLITAN
DAYS OF GRACE is an inspiring memoir of a remarkable man who was the true embodiment of courage, elegance, and the spirit to Arthur Ashe--tennis champion, social activist, and person with AIDS. Frank, revealing, touching--DAYS OF GRACE is the story of a man felled to soon. It remains as his legacy to us all....
AN ALTERNATE SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
100 people are currently reading
2169 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Ashe
36 books26 followersAfrican American tennis player Arthur Robert Ashe, Junior, first won the singles championship of open of United States in 1968 and the title of Wimbledon in 1975.
This professional thrice attained Grand Slam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...
This professional thrice attained Grand Slam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
April 18, 2025
What is grace? I know until you ask me; when you ask me, I do not know.
St. Augustine
This memoir is, without question, the most moving, candid, and soul-baring memoir by a sports figure I’ve ever read. Arthur Ashe was not only a towering legend of my youth—he was a groundbreaker in a sport long reserved for the privileged few. I first discovered him when I started playing competitive tennis around 1975–76, at the age of 10 or 11, during the peak of his career when he was ranked #2 in the world. Coming from humble beginnings myself, I naturally gravitated toward underdogs—the ones who shatter ceilings while rising from the ground up. Ashe embodied that spirit.
In 1963, Ashe made history as the first African-American selected for the U.S. Davis Cup team. To this day, he remains the only Black man to have claimed singles titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. That stat alone speaks volumes about the enduring lack of diversity in men’s tennis—a sport still struggling with full integration.
Ashe contracted HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in the early 1980s, but didn’t go public with his diagnosis until 1992. He later expressed regret over the delay, but in the brief time between his announcement and his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in February 1993—just shy of turning 50—he used his final year with remarkable purpose. Through Days of Grace, and through tireless advocacy, Ashe elevated public awareness, shifted the national conversation about AIDS, and helped open the door to greater compassion for those affected by the disease.
St. Augustine
This memoir is, without question, the most moving, candid, and soul-baring memoir by a sports figure I’ve ever read. Arthur Ashe was not only a towering legend of my youth—he was a groundbreaker in a sport long reserved for the privileged few. I first discovered him when I started playing competitive tennis around 1975–76, at the age of 10 or 11, during the peak of his career when he was ranked #2 in the world. Coming from humble beginnings myself, I naturally gravitated toward underdogs—the ones who shatter ceilings while rising from the ground up. Ashe embodied that spirit.
In 1963, Ashe made history as the first African-American selected for the U.S. Davis Cup team. To this day, he remains the only Black man to have claimed singles titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. That stat alone speaks volumes about the enduring lack of diversity in men’s tennis—a sport still struggling with full integration.
Ashe contracted HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in the early 1980s, but didn’t go public with his diagnosis until 1992. He later expressed regret over the delay, but in the brief time between his announcement and his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in February 1993—just shy of turning 50—he used his final year with remarkable purpose. Through Days of Grace, and through tireless advocacy, Ashe elevated public awareness, shifted the national conversation about AIDS, and helped open the door to greater compassion for those affected by the disease.
September 12, 2016
I thought this was, supposed to be, about tennis...
Instead, it was mostly long-winded and outdated views on issues that must have been important in the late 80s.
Instead, it was mostly long-winded and outdated views on issues that must have been important in the late 80s.
May 23, 2020
Questo libro non parla (quasi) di tennis.
È la storia di un grande tennista che si apre con la necessità per lui di dover indire una conferenza stampa per annunciare al mondo di aver contratto l’Aids, prima che siano i media stessi a farne un argomento di gossip.
A quel punto della sua vita Arthur Ashe è un ex tennista.
Un ex tennista nero.
Un nero che ha vinto dei tornei dello Slam.
Un attivista contro la segregazione razziale del Sudafrica.
Un cardiopatico che prende l’Aids durante una trasfusione mentre viene operato al cuore.
Arthur Ashe è anche un uomo che ha da poco adottato una bambina, Camera (lo so, il nome glielo hanno dato perché la madre è stata una famosa fotografa…).
Days of Grace è il libro che scrive nell’ultima parte della sua vita (già ne aveva scritti a proposito del tennis) e che verrà portato a termine solo 3 settimane prima della sua morte.
È, in definitiva, il testamento spirituale di una persona che ha avuto una vita singolare: da un lato tennista di successo, quindi ricco, colto (come gran parte degli sportivi di livello negli Usa, aveva una laurea), ex militare e amico di personaggi importanti.
Ma dall’altro lato, uno che ha dovuto convivere problemi di discriminazione per il fare parte di una minoranza razziale - e non è che tutti dimenticassero solo perché era un bravo tennista il colore della sua pelle - e per l’essere un malato di Aids, che a fine anni ’80 era uno stigma sociale, anche per il venire generalmente correlato all’idea sieropositivo=omosessuale.
Il memoir è un ripasso di tutte le cose che per Ashe nella vita hanno avuto importanza: la famiglia, l’essere un esempio come sportivo ma anche come uomo o padre, la lotta alle discriminazioni, l’accettazione.
E se magari nelle prime pagine potrebbe partire come un pippone moralista e moraleggiante, mano a mano che si capisce la natura e il momento in cui la riflessione viene fatta, la lettura diventa sempre più interessante, aprendoci la mente di un uomo straordinariamente avanti e fuori dagli schemi su alcune questioni (per esempio, quando racconta della sua parentesi come insegnante in un college di alunni di colore).
Per quanto alla fine della storia diventi un po’ troppo lo spazio dedicato al rapporto con Dio e alle dissertazioni spirituali più o meno condivisibili, sicuramente è una lettura interessante per conoscere un personaggio che pur non essendo stato il più grande tennista della storia americana, sicuramente ha avuto un impatto molto grande sulla cultura (e non è un caso se il campo centrale degli US Open sia stato dedicato alla sua memoria).
Si segnala anche un cameo al secondo capitolo di un immunologo che è uno dei maggiori esperti di Aids, tale Anthony Fauci - ricorda qualcosa il nome? Ecco.
È la storia di un grande tennista che si apre con la necessità per lui di dover indire una conferenza stampa per annunciare al mondo di aver contratto l’Aids, prima che siano i media stessi a farne un argomento di gossip.
A quel punto della sua vita Arthur Ashe è un ex tennista.
Un ex tennista nero.
Un nero che ha vinto dei tornei dello Slam.
Un attivista contro la segregazione razziale del Sudafrica.
Un cardiopatico che prende l’Aids durante una trasfusione mentre viene operato al cuore.
Arthur Ashe è anche un uomo che ha da poco adottato una bambina, Camera (lo so, il nome glielo hanno dato perché la madre è stata una famosa fotografa…).
Days of Grace è il libro che scrive nell’ultima parte della sua vita (già ne aveva scritti a proposito del tennis) e che verrà portato a termine solo 3 settimane prima della sua morte.
È, in definitiva, il testamento spirituale di una persona che ha avuto una vita singolare: da un lato tennista di successo, quindi ricco, colto (come gran parte degli sportivi di livello negli Usa, aveva una laurea), ex militare e amico di personaggi importanti.
Ma dall’altro lato, uno che ha dovuto convivere problemi di discriminazione per il fare parte di una minoranza razziale - e non è che tutti dimenticassero solo perché era un bravo tennista il colore della sua pelle - e per l’essere un malato di Aids, che a fine anni ’80 era uno stigma sociale, anche per il venire generalmente correlato all’idea sieropositivo=omosessuale.
Il memoir è un ripasso di tutte le cose che per Ashe nella vita hanno avuto importanza: la famiglia, l’essere un esempio come sportivo ma anche come uomo o padre, la lotta alle discriminazioni, l’accettazione.
E se magari nelle prime pagine potrebbe partire come un pippone moralista e moraleggiante, mano a mano che si capisce la natura e il momento in cui la riflessione viene fatta, la lettura diventa sempre più interessante, aprendoci la mente di un uomo straordinariamente avanti e fuori dagli schemi su alcune questioni (per esempio, quando racconta della sua parentesi come insegnante in un college di alunni di colore).
Per quanto alla fine della storia diventi un po’ troppo lo spazio dedicato al rapporto con Dio e alle dissertazioni spirituali più o meno condivisibili, sicuramente è una lettura interessante per conoscere un personaggio che pur non essendo stato il più grande tennista della storia americana, sicuramente ha avuto un impatto molto grande sulla cultura (e non è un caso se il campo centrale degli US Open sia stato dedicato alla sua memoria).
Si segnala anche un cameo al secondo capitolo di un immunologo che è uno dei maggiori esperti di Aids, tale Anthony Fauci - ricorda qualcosa il nome? Ecco.
April 22, 2013
I was vaguely familiar with Arthus Ashe after reading, Kaffir Boy, and Open. I was primarily familiar with him in regards to being a fantastic tennis player, and being the first black tennis player to win wimbleton. I was unprepared for the fascinating view into his life. He speaks little of his tennis achievements and accomplishments, little time reviewing his rise to glory, or the accompanying praise. He spends much of the book talking about the conflict of racism that has such a huge impact on blacks and other people of color. His outlook on life is really interesting. He addresses growing up in segregated Richmond, politely going to the white people's tennis courts which were much better cared for, and asking for permission to play on those courts, or permission granted to play in white's only clubs and tournaments, and being politely denied due to laws that existed that insisted that it wasn't possible. And yet, he ponders that he never became involved as an advocate for blacks rights during the civil rights movement. His first involvement came as an advocate to terminate apartheid in South Africa, many years after the civil rights fight. After he became an advocate, he continued for the rest of his life.
He speaks of his morality a lot. He advocated fidelity in marriage, maintaining that he stayed true to his wife the entire 15-20 year so of their marriage, which he acknowledged is not often the case in his profile sports stars. His reasoning he states, is that he considers having an affair as an act of violence against oneself and ones best interests. He is a huge advocate of families, his logic and reasoning taking in the affect that slavery had on families as one of the most devastating factors of the most devastating practice. He talks extensively on many different levels about the role of family.
Most interesting to me is the way he found peace and satisfaction in his life when he was diagnosed with AIDS, transmitted by a blood transfusion, at a time when AIDS was considered so reprehensible a disease.
I enjoyed that his autobiography talked about what he believed and why based on his life, and that he didn't relive his glory days. It was as if it was his last great effort at trying to educate and inspire people to live a better life. The last chapter, his last letter to his daughter, who was six when he died, is very thoughtful and admirable.
I really enjoyed reading about his important life.
He speaks of his morality a lot. He advocated fidelity in marriage, maintaining that he stayed true to his wife the entire 15-20 year so of their marriage, which he acknowledged is not often the case in his profile sports stars. His reasoning he states, is that he considers having an affair as an act of violence against oneself and ones best interests. He is a huge advocate of families, his logic and reasoning taking in the affect that slavery had on families as one of the most devastating factors of the most devastating practice. He talks extensively on many different levels about the role of family.
Most interesting to me is the way he found peace and satisfaction in his life when he was diagnosed with AIDS, transmitted by a blood transfusion, at a time when AIDS was considered so reprehensible a disease.
I enjoyed that his autobiography talked about what he believed and why based on his life, and that he didn't relive his glory days. It was as if it was his last great effort at trying to educate and inspire people to live a better life. The last chapter, his last letter to his daughter, who was six when he died, is very thoughtful and admirable.
I really enjoyed reading about his important life.
February 6, 2017
This was a dry - sometimes even boring -memoir: it's tone reserved and reflective as you might expect from a writer whose life would soon end. It was not funny, nor exciting,nor inspiring, but it was quite profound, and comforting.
Days of Grace is the title, and 'grace' refers to the way Ashe played tennis, and more importantly, how he lived. A man of firm faith in God, though not one to satisfy the requirements of fundamentalists, Arthur Ashe demonstrates great wisdom and an understanding of the grace of God.
The chapters on racism, and sexism and sex are particularly honest and insightful. The final chapter is a letter to his daughter, and it's quite beautiful and moving.
Sports fans, in particular tennis fans will enjoy the behind the scenes revelations of the tennis champions of his era.
I did't like Ashe's writing style, finding it clunky and unimaginative, but I did appreciate the honest and humility with which he wrote.
Days of Grace is the title, and 'grace' refers to the way Ashe played tennis, and more importantly, how he lived. A man of firm faith in God, though not one to satisfy the requirements of fundamentalists, Arthur Ashe demonstrates great wisdom and an understanding of the grace of God.
The chapters on racism, and sexism and sex are particularly honest and insightful. The final chapter is a letter to his daughter, and it's quite beautiful and moving.
Sports fans, in particular tennis fans will enjoy the behind the scenes revelations of the tennis champions of his era.
I did't like Ashe's writing style, finding it clunky and unimaginative, but I did appreciate the honest and humility with which he wrote.
April 27, 2019
I think we would all agree that time is precious, and for me, why reading books of excellence is so important. If I don't finish a book feeling challenged and changed, I often ask myself "should I have been doing something else with my time?" Arthur Ashe was an extraordinary man of integrity and resilience in his fight against AIDS. This book, published in 1993 right after his death, is likely not even on shelves anymore (I couldn't even find it at my library), but it is powerful. I pray I will live my life with purpose and grace, as he did.
#arthurashe
#daysofgrace
#arthurashe
#daysofgrace
August 26, 2010
Few sports autobiographies have the credibility of Days of Grace. The elegant and eloquent Arthur Ashe guides us along his journey to the top of the tennis world, with the help Arnold Rampersad, a celebrated biographer and master of the genre. I read this book after having dinner with Mr. Rampersad in Princeton in 1996 with my then-wife. Both the meeting and book were humbling, and changed my perspectives forever.
February 2, 2011
I am not a huge fan of memoirs, as they generally seem a little self-serving. I read this on a whim as I knew a bit about Arthur Ashe from my years in Richmond, VA. The portrait of the South and his life as a black Southerner was especially touching. Whenever I am asked about my favorite books, this one always ends up very close to the top. Wonderful reading, amazing life story.
November 6, 2017
This memoir completely changed my perspective on memoirs, specifically sports memoirs. As other reviews have said, I expected it to be about Arthur Ashe's rise to fame, his great sports accomplishments. To some extent, those themes are discussed. However, it also discusses his life outside of tennis, his perspectives on life, and how AIDS changed his life.
As someone who's leery of sports memoirs, and some normal memoirs, this book was a fantastic contradiction to my expectations. However, it did feel quite long. Unfortunately I haven't read many memoirs, specifically sports memoirs, so I can't compare it similar books.
As someone who's leery of sports memoirs, and some normal memoirs, this book was a fantastic contradiction to my expectations. However, it did feel quite long. Unfortunately I haven't read many memoirs, specifically sports memoirs, so I can't compare it similar books.
June 29, 2024
This was an amazing story because Arthur Ashe was such an incredibly important and talented tennis player. It is an important book for all of us bc it tells the story of someone’s life, someone who was athletically talented, a gay man, who is a gay-black man. He set records personally and professionally with grace, and for that I am grateful.
June 12, 2020
Reading this while the streets are once again filled with anti-racist protesters emphasizes how little has changed in the 27 years since this was published posthumously. Ashe lost his mother at age seven; had a heart attack in his late thirties, forcing his retirement from professional tennis; was the only Black tennis pro for decades; and then acquired AIDS from a transfusion during one of many life-saving surgeries. Yet I was shocked to read that despite all these losses, he confesses, "...I see race as a burden, a grave burden, one that outweighs all the others in my life." Ashe refers here not to his skin color but to the systemic racism in this country.
Despite these daunting challenges, Ashe writes frankly about sexism, being a "race man," homophobia, income disparity, discriminatory immigration policies, the lack of coherent health care, his ongoing activism, and of course, racism. Ashe makes common cause with Black people around the world: he was one of the first public figures to condemn and work actively against South African apartheid, and he was jailed after a demonstration defending Haitian boat people. Throughout, his empathy and far-sightedness prevail. His condemnation of the US's lack of universal health care could have been written today. When he loses a coaching job largely due to his principled protests, he refuses to sensationalize the decision in an interview. When a relative hints that he thought Ashe was gay, he muses that it should not matter (and remember, this was in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis). Yet because of Ashe's high-minded generosity, he reflects on his life with gratitude and love. Still, he writes, "If I had one last wish, I would ask that all Americans could see themselves ... past the barbed-wire fences of race and color. We are the weaker for these divisions, and the stronger when we transcend them."
Despite these daunting challenges, Ashe writes frankly about sexism, being a "race man," homophobia, income disparity, discriminatory immigration policies, the lack of coherent health care, his ongoing activism, and of course, racism. Ashe makes common cause with Black people around the world: he was one of the first public figures to condemn and work actively against South African apartheid, and he was jailed after a demonstration defending Haitian boat people. Throughout, his empathy and far-sightedness prevail. His condemnation of the US's lack of universal health care could have been written today. When he loses a coaching job largely due to his principled protests, he refuses to sensationalize the decision in an interview. When a relative hints that he thought Ashe was gay, he muses that it should not matter (and remember, this was in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis). Yet because of Ashe's high-minded generosity, he reflects on his life with gratitude and love. Still, he writes, "If I had one last wish, I would ask that all Americans could see themselves ... past the barbed-wire fences of race and color. We are the weaker for these divisions, and the stronger when we transcend them."
August 29, 2007
From my experience, there are very few sports autobiographies that lend any credibility to the genre. Days of Grace belongs in the same category as Bill Russell's Go Up For Glory, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Giant Steps, and Jim Bouton's Ball Four, as books that by their brilliance make the existence of Boz: Confessions of a Modern-Day Antihero a little less troubling.
Ashe's story, informed by his unconventional role in the civil rights struggle, a long career of political activism of behalf of oppressed people in South Africa and Haiti, and the looming specter of AIDS, is told by a well-rounded, self-aware author who happens to have been a world-class athlete. Ashe the husband, father, and citizen of the world is the main character here, not Ashe the Wimbledon champion and Davis Cup captain. This book has been a favorite of mine since the first time I read it in college, and it never fails to challenge and inspire me. His is a lesson both in living and dying with integrity and dignity.
Ashe's story, informed by his unconventional role in the civil rights struggle, a long career of political activism of behalf of oppressed people in South Africa and Haiti, and the looming specter of AIDS, is told by a well-rounded, self-aware author who happens to have been a world-class athlete. Ashe the husband, father, and citizen of the world is the main character here, not Ashe the Wimbledon champion and Davis Cup captain. This book has been a favorite of mine since the first time I read it in college, and it never fails to challenge and inspire me. His is a lesson both in living and dying with integrity and dignity.
July 12, 2017
Being a fan of tennis I had heard a lot about Arthur Ashe, but I really did not know too much about him. He was a really outstanding man: a black boy who lived in times when there was still segregation between blacks and whites, he had to play tennis in black-only courts; he was the first black man to win some of the most important tennis tournaments; he got a college degree which he used to promote the situation of black people; he was afflicted by severe heart problems, and in one of the surgeries he received a blood transfusion with tainted blood, being infected with AIDS. This is a very insightful book because I was able to understand the point of view of an educated black man who suffered of discrimination, how there were times that he felt resentful, how it was to live with AIDS and how to cope with journalists, how to announce it publicly and what it meant to his family. He is very articulate in his thoughts and I could feel myself walking in his shoes.
June 3, 2018
My library book club chose to read this book, and I was really excited because of its high GR rating and my admiration for Arthur Ashe. I was disappointed. While I am maintaining my respect for the principaled man, I thought this memoir, written another writer, was wordy and apologetic. I would have liked to have learned more about his childhood and family and I believe that his daughter was adopted, an important bit of information I'd think. The bulk of the book was laborious explanations why he held one opinion or another. While I agree with most of its points of view, I found the explanations either needless or tedious.
October 29, 2015
Arthur Ashe had a reputation as being a very composed, very cerebral tennis player. That trait carries over to this memoir; it's interesting material (his dealings with the bad boys of his sport (McEnroe and Connors); his work to abolish apartheid in South Africa; and of course his AIDS diagnosis), but his approach is so aloof and detached that it's hard to feel a connection. He comes off as just this side of arrogant.
Still, an interesting read. His connection to the world of AIDS is quite fascinating, and also his exploration of religion.
Still, an interesting read. His connection to the world of AIDS is quite fascinating, and also his exploration of religion.
October 2, 2023
He was a great, history making tennis player. But far greater than that, Ashe was an extraordinary human being with keen insight into social issues who left a wonderful legacy for future generations to hopefully emulate.
June 8, 2023
“I was struck by Mandela’s courage and wisdom. He faces as difficult a road as any political leader in the world, but I have every confidence in him. […] I am sure I will never know with full understanding why I held back from the fray when I did and why I plunged into the fray, in my own fashion, when I did. All I know is that I have tried at all times to do what I thought was right and appropriate, and that sometimes the effort to do right, and above all not to do wrong, led me into inaction. My only true regret, however, is that now that I see more clearly than ever, as I believe I do, I don’t seem to have the time left to try to translate my vision into action as I would like.”
I finished this book over a month ago but still wanted to review it as I found it a fascinating read. I’ve been enjoying sports memoirs recently and the diversity of experience and stories they give you. Seeing what it takes to get to the top, and what’s going on in people’s life that you don’t see when they’re on the court/pitch/field/track/…
Tennis is my favourite sport to watch and follow at the moment. I loved Billie Jean King’s autobiography and this was similar in terms of variety of topic and social significance. Arthur Ashe is an important figure in tennis history. If you’re only interested in tennis and hearing Ashe’s tales on the court, this isn’t the book for you. He does mention tennis tales a little but the book is broader than that. Ashe died before this book was published and he’s aware he doesn’t have long left while writing it. It’s a lot about his HIV/ AIDS diagnosis. The narrative voice is often directed at Arthur’s daughter Camera, reflecting and giving life advice. Parts of the book show its age but reading it from a non-judgemental place and seeing it as a time capsule and one dying man’s musings, such a good read.
In particular I found the parts on homophobia fascinating. Both as it relates to HIV reactions and coverage and also just in general as the public awareness of LGBT people and rights increases. A glimpse into attitudes back in the 80s and 90s. Ashe is not gay, but he was not defensive or disgusted when people made that assumption (because of the stigma around HIV, or even before that because of his behaviour or career) and he says outright in this book he believes “strongly that homosexuals should enjoy equal protection under the law.” He talks quite a bit about various aspects of homosexuality and lesbianism in society and on the tennis tours. Also how he, and others, interprets the bible's words on same-sex love. He also talks about sex education and discusses promoting protection and safe sex over abstinence.
I’m very much not religious, but found Ashe’s musings on the importance of a faith in God (regardless of the specific religion) and how that manifests in actions very intriguing, and humbling in a way. Maybe I don’t agree with him or even understand his perspective at times but he is well-spoken and obviously thoughtful. Ashe is quite disparaging about what he perceives as the lowering of standards and expectations in his community, “Something fundamental has changed in African-American culture, and for the worse.” “The decline is real.” Which read as quite harsh to me!
Talking about Jimmy Connors " …he was the greatest male tennis player, bar none, in the two and a half decades since the Open era began in 1968. No top player lasted longer as a major attraction or so thoroughly captured the admiration and sympathy of the public for the same length of time. Only Billie Jean King, with her mixture of dedicated feminism, general gifts of leadership, and athletic brilliance, has been more important among all tennis players since World War II."
I liked this part: “If I don’t ask ‘Why me?’ after my victories, I cannot ask ‘Why me?’ after my setbacks and tragedies. I also do not waste time pleading with God to make me well. I was brought up to believe that prayer is not to be invoked to ask God for things for oneself, or even for others. Rather, prayer is a medium through which I ask God to show me God’s will, and to give me the strength to carry out that will.”
There’s a part where Ashes talks about his “mid-life” transition (with regards to the book The Seasons of a Man’s Life) and how that relates to his retirement from tennis. According to this guy - Dr Levinson- there are four polarities (young/old, destruction/creation, masculine/feminine, attachment/separateness). Honestly it’s been so long I don’t remember the relevance of that but I remember it was an interesting way to think about ageing and purpose.
Another cool bit was when Ashe talked about his thirst for knowledge and how active, or not, he was with regards to politics and protest. “Athletes should be smart, but thinking too much can be a handicap on the court or on the field. So, too, with feeling too much. [...] Two close friends of mine, whose advice meant and still means a great deal to me, thought that my habit of reading and thinking, and the activities related to them, were bad for my career.”
I’d recommend this book for sure. Lots of different topics are covered with consideration, quite thought-provoking, I’m definitely going to pick up Ashe’s other works.
“As frenzied as is my world, yours will feel even more hurried and frantic. Technology is expanding as never before; the instruments of change are everywhere. You will often feel that you don’t have enough time to do what you want to do. Make time. Control time; do not let time control you any more than it must. Balance the activity of your life.”
I finished this book over a month ago but still wanted to review it as I found it a fascinating read. I’ve been enjoying sports memoirs recently and the diversity of experience and stories they give you. Seeing what it takes to get to the top, and what’s going on in people’s life that you don’t see when they’re on the court/pitch/field/track/…
Tennis is my favourite sport to watch and follow at the moment. I loved Billie Jean King’s autobiography and this was similar in terms of variety of topic and social significance. Arthur Ashe is an important figure in tennis history. If you’re only interested in tennis and hearing Ashe’s tales on the court, this isn’t the book for you. He does mention tennis tales a little but the book is broader than that. Ashe died before this book was published and he’s aware he doesn’t have long left while writing it. It’s a lot about his HIV/ AIDS diagnosis. The narrative voice is often directed at Arthur’s daughter Camera, reflecting and giving life advice. Parts of the book show its age but reading it from a non-judgemental place and seeing it as a time capsule and one dying man’s musings, such a good read.
In particular I found the parts on homophobia fascinating. Both as it relates to HIV reactions and coverage and also just in general as the public awareness of LGBT people and rights increases. A glimpse into attitudes back in the 80s and 90s. Ashe is not gay, but he was not defensive or disgusted when people made that assumption (because of the stigma around HIV, or even before that because of his behaviour or career) and he says outright in this book he believes “strongly that homosexuals should enjoy equal protection under the law.” He talks quite a bit about various aspects of homosexuality and lesbianism in society and on the tennis tours. Also how he, and others, interprets the bible's words on same-sex love. He also talks about sex education and discusses promoting protection and safe sex over abstinence.
I’m very much not religious, but found Ashe’s musings on the importance of a faith in God (regardless of the specific religion) and how that manifests in actions very intriguing, and humbling in a way. Maybe I don’t agree with him or even understand his perspective at times but he is well-spoken and obviously thoughtful. Ashe is quite disparaging about what he perceives as the lowering of standards and expectations in his community, “Something fundamental has changed in African-American culture, and for the worse.” “The decline is real.” Which read as quite harsh to me!
Talking about Jimmy Connors " …he was the greatest male tennis player, bar none, in the two and a half decades since the Open era began in 1968. No top player lasted longer as a major attraction or so thoroughly captured the admiration and sympathy of the public for the same length of time. Only Billie Jean King, with her mixture of dedicated feminism, general gifts of leadership, and athletic brilliance, has been more important among all tennis players since World War II."
I liked this part: “If I don’t ask ‘Why me?’ after my victories, I cannot ask ‘Why me?’ after my setbacks and tragedies. I also do not waste time pleading with God to make me well. I was brought up to believe that prayer is not to be invoked to ask God for things for oneself, or even for others. Rather, prayer is a medium through which I ask God to show me God’s will, and to give me the strength to carry out that will.”
There’s a part where Ashes talks about his “mid-life” transition (with regards to the book The Seasons of a Man’s Life) and how that relates to his retirement from tennis. According to this guy - Dr Levinson- there are four polarities (young/old, destruction/creation, masculine/feminine, attachment/separateness). Honestly it’s been so long I don’t remember the relevance of that but I remember it was an interesting way to think about ageing and purpose.
Another cool bit was when Ashe talked about his thirst for knowledge and how active, or not, he was with regards to politics and protest. “Athletes should be smart, but thinking too much can be a handicap on the court or on the field. So, too, with feeling too much. [...] Two close friends of mine, whose advice meant and still means a great deal to me, thought that my habit of reading and thinking, and the activities related to them, were bad for my career.”
I’d recommend this book for sure. Lots of different topics are covered with consideration, quite thought-provoking, I’m definitely going to pick up Ashe’s other works.
“As frenzied as is my world, yours will feel even more hurried and frantic. Technology is expanding as never before; the instruments of change are everywhere. You will often feel that you don’t have enough time to do what you want to do. Make time. Control time; do not let time control you any more than it must. Balance the activity of your life.”
July 17, 2022
Where to start? I can't say any more about the autobiography of Arthur Ashe than has already been said in the introductory blurb. I always admired Mr Ashe when he was alive - a man of principles, integrity and self-restraint. A loving husband and father, it was a shock to him when he found he'd contracted HIV/AIDS after a tainted blood transfusion after his second heart-related operation. Such a shame that his life was cut short - at that time there were no definitive treatments. It was only a matter of time before he succumbed to the final illness which tended to take AIDS sufferers in those days, PCP - a deadly form of pneumonia. But during that time he used his life for the advancement of the causes most dear to his heart, even if his pre-HOV tirelessness waned and all but went away. Still he pushed on. It was a shock to his fans as well as his family, friends, fellow tennis players and coaches.
He didn't shy away from his diagnosis - although he kept it private for a while - but in the end he could only bow to the inevitable: fully 'coming out' when his AIDS finally became public knowledge, and made it his life's mission to dispel the myths AND the facts surrounding what used to be known as 'the Gay Disease'.
So many heterosexual people were afflicted too, either, like him, due to 'bad blood' transfusions or through unprotected sex between bisexual people (spread by men usually who may not have been 'out' to their female partners), and then infected mothers unwittingly passed it on in utero to their children.
Fortunately, Arthur Ashe was careful to not put his wife and daughter at risk after his diagnosis. They remained disease free. An excellent biography which didn't pull any punches.
He didn't shy away from his diagnosis - although he kept it private for a while - but in the end he could only bow to the inevitable: fully 'coming out' when his AIDS finally became public knowledge, and made it his life's mission to dispel the myths AND the facts surrounding what used to be known as 'the Gay Disease'.
So many heterosexual people were afflicted too, either, like him, due to 'bad blood' transfusions or through unprotected sex between bisexual people (spread by men usually who may not have been 'out' to their female partners), and then infected mothers unwittingly passed it on in utero to their children.
Fortunately, Arthur Ashe was careful to not put his wife and daughter at risk after his diagnosis. They remained disease free. An excellent biography which didn't pull any punches.
November 6, 2021
A very well-written and honest memoir. 4.5 stars, but rounding up.
Here are a few things I didn't expect about this book: First, I thought Ashe would talk more about his career as a tennis player; instead, this non-linear autobiography traces his time immediately after retiring from tennis, through his coaching and philanthropic work, and ends with his AIDS diagnosis and subsequent health issues.
I also wasn't expecting Ashe to talk so much about religion. At one point in the book he admits he's a rather coldly logical person, yet he also holds a strong, strong belief of God.
This book came out in the early '90s, and there's a fair amount of "kids these days" Boomer-isms. Ashe seems to blame the victims (Black youth) rather than the system that causes the issues he raises. A lot of those passages came off sounding condescending and a little tone-deaf to me, a reader in 2021.
Finally, I didn't expect this book to hit me quite so hard on an emotional level. It was published in May 1993, shortly after his death in February, and one of the saddest, most moving aspects is reading about New Year's Eve, 1992 and how hopeful he is of the future. We all know what's going to happen to him and when, but he doesn't, and it's just heartbreaking.
Here are a few things I didn't expect about this book: First, I thought Ashe would talk more about his career as a tennis player; instead, this non-linear autobiography traces his time immediately after retiring from tennis, through his coaching and philanthropic work, and ends with his AIDS diagnosis and subsequent health issues.
I also wasn't expecting Ashe to talk so much about religion. At one point in the book he admits he's a rather coldly logical person, yet he also holds a strong, strong belief of God.
This book came out in the early '90s, and there's a fair amount of "kids these days" Boomer-isms. Ashe seems to blame the victims (Black youth) rather than the system that causes the issues he raises. A lot of those passages came off sounding condescending and a little tone-deaf to me, a reader in 2021.
Finally, I didn't expect this book to hit me quite so hard on an emotional level. It was published in May 1993, shortly after his death in February, and one of the saddest, most moving aspects is reading about New Year's Eve, 1992 and how hopeful he is of the future. We all know what's going to happen to him and when, but he doesn't, and it's just heartbreaking.
July 8, 2022
For a man who claimed to have led a life of rectitude based on the strict religious tenets of his father's faith, and one who managed to lead a tumultuous life as the first African-American tennis star without ever giving cause for a scandal, I could not understand why, writing this book on his deathbed, he could not acknowledge that his daughter was not his biological child. And what kind of pathetic, narcissistic parents name their child "Camera" after the instrument used by the wife to become famous in her own right. The possibilities for the omission are many; however, I know that in 1993 there was no stigma associated with the adoption of a child by a famous couple. So, his constant reassurances that the child had tested negative for HIV felt like an insult given the fact that he hadn't fathered her. This deception erased all the goodwill his other actions had created in me.
November 27, 2018
Wonderful autobiography by a courageous American.
Arthur Ashe left the world a shining example of how life should be lived. He could have been a bitter man, his life cut short, by a tainted blood transfusion resulting in being infected by the HIV virus. But, instead chose to educate the world on what life is like when your day's are numbered and so little time to work on your legacy. He knew he represented people of color and he tried so hard to fight against racism in America. He was a special human being, a world class tennis player and a devoted husband and father. I highly recommend this book.
Arthur Ashe left the world a shining example of how life should be lived. He could have been a bitter man, his life cut short, by a tainted blood transfusion resulting in being infected by the HIV virus. But, instead chose to educate the world on what life is like when your day's are numbered and so little time to work on your legacy. He knew he represented people of color and he tried so hard to fight against racism in America. He was a special human being, a world class tennis player and a devoted husband and father. I highly recommend this book.
November 4, 2018
The life and times of Arthur Ashe from his humble beginnings in Richmond Virginia to his achievements as the number one player in the world of men's professional tennis. He tells of the challenges in his chosen profession, and the sudden impact of his lifestyle after being infected with HIV after receiving tainted blood during a heart operation. An activist for human rights, Apartheid, U.S Policy and a staunch advocate for AIDS and health care, this memoir reveals the man who used his sport after his forced retirement as a platform for the betterment of mankind.
January 17, 2020
This is a great book about the later stages of Arthur Ashe’s life. While he touches on his past, most of it covers the time leading up to his diagnosis with AIDS. This was a tragic situation, resulting from a blood transfusion he received while struggling to recover from heart surgery. I thoroughly enjoyed his descriptions of his tenure as Davis Cup captain, trying to manager the personalities of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. I also enjoyed his approach to issues in tennis and life, which are similar. His quiet grace backed with fierce determination are a model for all.
June 5, 2018
A fabulous book for me to read.I have never had a black friend but wish I could have had Arthur as one.We shared a lot(literature,music,tennis,art,morals);
Very special appreciation to Arnold Rampersad who Arthur sought out and who helped Arthur to write such a marvelous book!
The whole book was great,but the last 2 chapters epitomized the books title wholly.
I wish I had befriended Arthur in life,but I am grateful that I got to share his life by this beautiful memoir!!
Very special appreciation to Arnold Rampersad who Arthur sought out and who helped Arthur to write such a marvelous book!
The whole book was great,but the last 2 chapters epitomized the books title wholly.
I wish I had befriended Arthur in life,but I am grateful that I got to share his life by this beautiful memoir!!
February 18, 2019
I would never have picked this up on my own but it was given to me by a friend. I found it fascinating, if at times a tiny bit tedious. Arthur Ashe does a tremendous job of putting you in his shoes as he navigates the world as a successful black athlete and then and early AIDS sufferer. And then you read the final chapter and understand that the whole book is an attempt to allow his daughter to know who he truly is when she is old enough. Heartbreaking and inspiring.
October 11, 2025
3.5. Very honest and raw in his telling of his story, the end of his career, the racism he faced, and ultimately, his AIDS diagnosis. He lived through a time of massive change socially. Him being “outed” by the media, or at least forced to reveal his diagnosis, goes to show how invasive the spotlight can be.
Reading it all over three decades later, some of his thoughts and opinions seem a bit dated, and there are times he seems a bit preachy.
Reading it all over three decades later, some of his thoughts and opinions seem a bit dated, and there are times he seems a bit preachy.
Want to read
May 18, 2018Must Read... Arther Ashe was a Black tennis player from the late 60's to late 70's. Ranked #1 in world for many years. He won 3 Triple Crowns. Advocate for heart health and AIDs understanding. Died of AIDs at 49 from a blood transfusion--survived by his wife and daughter. Exposed to Arther Ashe after reading Kaffir Boy.
This man is a bona-fide sports hero
This man is a bona-fide sports hero
June 20, 2018
Elizabeth, Central patron, June 2018, 2 stars:
While I greatly admire Arthur Ashe, I found this memoir, written in 1992 when he knew he had AIDS, to be self-justifying and preachy. However, as a fellow book club member pointed out, he knew that if he didn't make his opinions clear at that point he wouldn't have another chance. Overall, I was disappointed in the book.
While I greatly admire Arthur Ashe, I found this memoir, written in 1992 when he knew he had AIDS, to be self-justifying and preachy. However, as a fellow book club member pointed out, he knew that if he didn't make his opinions clear at that point he wouldn't have another chance. Overall, I was disappointed in the book.
September 29, 2020
I thought this was going to be a traditional memoir, but there was very little about his early life. Instead it was more of vessel for his thoughts and beliefs as he was nearing the too-early end of his life. Poignant in that sense (especially the last chapter addressed to his young daughter), just not what I was expecting.
December 12, 2020
The book provides an interesting look into the life of Ashe. I didn't realize how little I knew about his life and struggles. Don't read the book if you're looking for lots of details about tennis, but if the memoir of man using his platform to try to do good, all while being unsure how much time he would have left to make a difference in the world, give it a chance.
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