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Nile Wilson: My Story
The down-to-earth Olympic medalist tells the story of the pressures and mental health struggles behind his successful gymnastic career.
Nile Wilson is known to many as the gymnast who won a bronze medal for Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and England’s most successful gymnast ever at a Commonwealth Games following his five medals in 2018. Yet, Nile is so much more than just an athlete. A YouTuber with over a million subscribers, a social media influencer, a successful businessman and entrepreneur, Nile is also an advocate for mental health awareness, and has been very open about his own personal struggles.
In this book, Nile gives an unprecedented look into his true battle to be fit and ready for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics—throughout the Games and the aftermath. The public perception of Nile Wilson is focused on his humor, openness, and how down-to-earth he is. This book reveals the struggles behind the smiles, from the brutal reality of performing at an elite sporting level, to the mental health battles Nile has had to fight—and continues to fight—every day.
Nile Wilson is known to many as the gymnast who won a bronze medal for Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and England’s most successful gymnast ever at a Commonwealth Games following his five medals in 2018. Yet, Nile is so much more than just an athlete. A YouTuber with over a million subscribers, a social media influencer, a successful businessman and entrepreneur, Nile is also an advocate for mental health awareness, and has been very open about his own personal struggles.
In this book, Nile gives an unprecedented look into his true battle to be fit and ready for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics—throughout the Games and the aftermath. The public perception of Nile Wilson is focused on his humor, openness, and how down-to-earth he is. This book reveals the struggles behind the smiles, from the brutal reality of performing at an elite sporting level, to the mental health battles Nile has had to fight—and continues to fight—every day.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2022
36 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 4, 2021
Sometime during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, my fiancee stumbled across Nile Wilson’s YouTube channel. Wilson, a British Olympic medalist, would gather his friends and family and shoot videos of them competing in various gymnastics-based challenges in a variety of environments. It was a bit of fun and comedy for us during some of the darkest days of 2020.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
With My Story, Nile takes the reader though his celebrated career as he shares his brutal training regimens, his battles with addiction as well as his struggles with mental health that unfortunately goes hand-in-hand with being an elite level athlete. Nile writes of the dangers that come with measuring your self-worth against your career accomplishments and your level of performance.
Despite experiencing those dark days, Nile comes across as an optimist with an overwhelmingly positive message about how crucial it is to ask for help when you need it so you can avoid the pitfalls of self-pity that comes with self-destructive behavior.
Maybe it is the first time they’re being revealed to the world, but I had no knowledge of Nile’s gambling addiction, his eating disorder or his entrenched battle with British Gymnastics as well as his legal fight with a prominent gymnastics club – something that would ultimately lead to him investing more in his YouTube channel and opening his own series of gymnastics clubs across Britain in an effort to change the culture surrounding the sport.
Overall, the book was more revealing than I expected but that might be more to do with not really knowing much about Nile other than him being a ridiculously talented athlete. It’s a short one – clocking in at just under one hundred and fifty pages – but it was an eye-opening look at the high-stress pressure imposed on amateur athletes and what it takes to not only reach the top, but the struggle to stay there.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
With My Story, Nile takes the reader though his celebrated career as he shares his brutal training regimens, his battles with addiction as well as his struggles with mental health that unfortunately goes hand-in-hand with being an elite level athlete. Nile writes of the dangers that come with measuring your self-worth against your career accomplishments and your level of performance.
Despite experiencing those dark days, Nile comes across as an optimist with an overwhelmingly positive message about how crucial it is to ask for help when you need it so you can avoid the pitfalls of self-pity that comes with self-destructive behavior.
Maybe it is the first time they’re being revealed to the world, but I had no knowledge of Nile’s gambling addiction, his eating disorder or his entrenched battle with British Gymnastics as well as his legal fight with a prominent gymnastics club – something that would ultimately lead to him investing more in his YouTube channel and opening his own series of gymnastics clubs across Britain in an effort to change the culture surrounding the sport.
Overall, the book was more revealing than I expected but that might be more to do with not really knowing much about Nile other than him being a ridiculously talented athlete. It’s a short one – clocking in at just under one hundred and fifty pages – but it was an eye-opening look at the high-stress pressure imposed on amateur athletes and what it takes to not only reach the top, but the struggle to stay there.
December 3, 2021
When I first started reading this book, I thought I was going to get an idea of what it took to be a top class gymnast. I got that and a lot of "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to gymnastics", which started to get annoying. However, by the end of it, I had developed a lot of respect for a guy who is still so young but who is absolutely focussed on what he wants to achieve, and is not afraid to admit when he isn't doing so well.
I thought the love he had for his family was really touching and I ended up having a look on YouTube to see what he was all about. Nile certainly doesn't shy away from possibly looking foolish and he clearly gets his confidence to perform from his dad!
As far as the writing goes, it is clearly written by Nile himself. So many top stars get a professional writer in to write their stories and it is nice that these are his own words.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword.
I thought the love he had for his family was really touching and I ended up having a look on YouTube to see what he was all about. Nile certainly doesn't shy away from possibly looking foolish and he clearly gets his confidence to perform from his dad!
As far as the writing goes, it is clearly written by Nile himself. So many top stars get a professional writer in to write their stories and it is nice that these are his own words.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword.
September 24, 2024
It was an interesting autobiography and I learnt quite a bit which I didn’t know from watching his YouTube channel. You can tell he actually wrote it himself instead of a ghost writer which is nice.
Buttt loads of grammar mistakes, wasn’t chronological so was a bit choppy at times, I got vibes he has a massive ego, and if I read gymnastics is the greatest sport in the world one more time I’ll scream
Buttt loads of grammar mistakes, wasn’t chronological so was a bit choppy at times, I got vibes he has a massive ego, and if I read gymnastics is the greatest sport in the world one more time I’ll scream
January 23, 2025
Pietrūka mazliet dziļuma un detaļu, vairāk emociju gribējās. Autors ļoti cenšas būt iedvesmojošs, bet tas drusku tā mākslīgi izklausās. Grāmatu lasīt bija interesanti.
May 17, 2022
I started following the author, Nile Wilson, on YouTube sometime last year. I was curious to see what he had to write about, as the life of any gymnast, but an Olympic medalist is fascinating. To have lived in such a world since the age of 4 is just incredible and with all the injuries, gymnastics politics and highs and lows of depression and celebration makes for an interesting story. I liked that it wasn't "me" centered, like many autobiographies by young people (24 yrs when written) Wilson is very much a fan of not just gymnastics but is very humble to the help that he achieved in his career and wants to pay it back. That says a lot for his love of the sport and his wanting it to be even better for average people consumption. My one drawback is the editing. There was wonderful story telling, but a lot of repetition of sentences and concepts and this should have been edited down some...BUT the book reads much like a YouTube vlog and when you accept that it works quite well. But had I not known of his social media presence before I read this I would have been disappointed that it wasn't edited better. I hope the author continues to do great things in his life and with Gymnastics.
March 23, 2024
Two stars is probably a bit harsh, maybe 2.5. Nile Wilson was an elite gymnast, an Olympic medalist, is a popular social media personality and a successful businessman. A writer he is not. I’m sad that whomever published this wasn’t able to guide his writing voice with more finesse. An authentic authorial voice comes through I think, but it’s not enjoyable to read.
Good lord, the amount of exclamation points was headache-inducing to start. There were repetitive phrases such as “ drive forward” content this, content that, “mindset” it read a bit like a self-help guru crossed with a Millennial MLM. Given the things he’s endured his relentless positivity seems a stretch.
The story is presented as chronological. Later, the book skips around with chapters about his family, his business, his beefs with the Leeds Gymnastics Club and British National Gymnastics. It’s like he wanted to tell those pieces but didn’t have a way to integrate them into story in a way that flowed so it got tacked on at the end in a jumble.
I wanted more content (ha!) but more importantly, more depth. Everything he dealt with is presented in a superficial way. Eating disorder? Barely merits a few paragraphs. He talks a bit about what probably drove it but it just magically fixes itself, I guess by being expressed in other self-destructive behaviors like gambling and alcoholism? All this is apparently resolved by his amazing manager/guru Luke who counsels him and takes him to meditative retreats in Ibiza. While he never describes himself as a chronic gambler or an alcoholic, in the most insightful piece of the story he admits to having an addictive personality and that the very parts of his makeup that made him a successful gymnast, also fueled his demons . All I could think was, where the hell was his professional counseling?? Surely an athlete at the peak of his career could access some proper mental health and support. Your neck hurts because you have a herniated disc, great! We’ll line you up for surgery. You’re having suicidal thoughts and getting fucked up every evening? Good thing your manager can sort you out!
Even now, I question whether his successful business ventures and social media empire are simply more socially acceptable forms of self- destruction. His relentless positivity seems to ring just a bit false. It’s hard to take his claims to have gotten his life straightened out and finding a new path after retirement to be true? If it is, I applaud him and wish him Godspeed.
Aside from providing yet another revenue stream, it’s hard to decide who this book’s audience is meant to be? It’s inspiring to read about his success but…it wasn’t an huge or unusual struggle (I’m not knocking his work ethic or anything) just saying that he started from a very privileged position- a white male whose physiology was well suited to gymnastics, an unsparingly supportive two-parent family, a mentality that thrived on the training process and a genuine love for the spotlight. He didn’t have to fight off any major rivals to secure a spot in the Olympics or overcome a tragic injury…he wanted to be a gymnast, he became a gymnast. He wanted to be an Olympian, he was selected for the Olympics and won a freaking bronze medal. It was….boring. I only read this because I stumbled across his videos on FB. I enjoy he and his friends and family’s funny content but honestly, I was hoping for more about his supposedly close friends, Luke and Ash. They barely warrant more than a couple of mentions.
The gymnastics memoir I want to read is about Ash, a twin, the balding, husky, ex-elite gymnast who fucked up his knees and had major surgeries, quit gymnastics and ran off to work with Cirque du Soleil. He wanders back to Leeds and falls in love with his best friend’s sister. Now there’s a story I want to read!
Good lord, the amount of exclamation points was headache-inducing to start. There were repetitive phrases such as “ drive forward” content this, content that, “mindset” it read a bit like a self-help guru crossed with a Millennial MLM. Given the things he’s endured his relentless positivity seems a stretch.
The story is presented as chronological. Later, the book skips around with chapters about his family, his business, his beefs with the Leeds Gymnastics Club and British National Gymnastics. It’s like he wanted to tell those pieces but didn’t have a way to integrate them into story in a way that flowed so it got tacked on at the end in a jumble.
I wanted more content (ha!) but more importantly, more depth. Everything he dealt with is presented in a superficial way. Eating disorder? Barely merits a few paragraphs. He talks a bit about what probably drove it but it just magically fixes itself, I guess by being expressed in other self-destructive behaviors like gambling and alcoholism? All this is apparently resolved by his amazing manager/guru Luke who counsels him and takes him to meditative retreats in Ibiza. While he never describes himself as a chronic gambler or an alcoholic, in the most insightful piece of the story he admits to having an addictive personality and that the very parts of his makeup that made him a successful gymnast, also fueled his demons . All I could think was, where the hell was his professional counseling?? Surely an athlete at the peak of his career could access some proper mental health and support. Your neck hurts because you have a herniated disc, great! We’ll line you up for surgery. You’re having suicidal thoughts and getting fucked up every evening? Good thing your manager can sort you out!
Even now, I question whether his successful business ventures and social media empire are simply more socially acceptable forms of self- destruction. His relentless positivity seems to ring just a bit false. It’s hard to take his claims to have gotten his life straightened out and finding a new path after retirement to be true? If it is, I applaud him and wish him Godspeed.
Aside from providing yet another revenue stream, it’s hard to decide who this book’s audience is meant to be? It’s inspiring to read about his success but…it wasn’t an huge or unusual struggle (I’m not knocking his work ethic or anything) just saying that he started from a very privileged position- a white male whose physiology was well suited to gymnastics, an unsparingly supportive two-parent family, a mentality that thrived on the training process and a genuine love for the spotlight. He didn’t have to fight off any major rivals to secure a spot in the Olympics or overcome a tragic injury…he wanted to be a gymnast, he became a gymnast. He wanted to be an Olympian, he was selected for the Olympics and won a freaking bronze medal. It was….boring. I only read this because I stumbled across his videos on FB. I enjoy he and his friends and family’s funny content but honestly, I was hoping for more about his supposedly close friends, Luke and Ash. They barely warrant more than a couple of mentions.
The gymnastics memoir I want to read is about Ash, a twin, the balding, husky, ex-elite gymnast who fucked up his knees and had major surgeries, quit gymnastics and ran off to work with Cirque du Soleil. He wanders back to Leeds and falls in love with his best friend’s sister. Now there’s a story I want to read!
February 5, 2025
Nile Wilson… Olympic bronze medalist gymnastic, GBs most successful ever commonwealth and European athlete, social media influencer with the fastest growing you tube channel, successful businessman, dancing on ice winner and no doubt much more.
Nile Wilson… recovering alcoholic, gambling addict, repeat cheater, victim of severe depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Nile tells us about his journey into and through gymnastics including the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. He gets the reader to question elements of their own lives to address ways to overcome our own insecurities and anxieties. He accepts despite being well currently, he is, and always will be extremely vulnerable to his mental health.
I have been a huge fan of Nile since I stumbled across his TedTalk a couple of years ago. The relationship he has with his 2 best mates and sister are enviable, I rarely read autobiographies, but I was intrigued to get an insight behind the man on my social media reels. I’m not entirely sure how I felt about the book 😬 for how short it was I feel Nile only just touched the surface of his true feelings, experiences, and the true impact his health had had on him over the years. And while I completely respect his desire for privacy, I felt it was a slightly imbalanced book on not really fully telling us about his awful times while also getting us to consider how to make our bad bits better. That said I did really enjoy pondering the questions he asked and thinking a bit about my life. Will it make me change anything I do - not right now, but when I’ve had times of feeling really miserable it may well have done!
I’d recommend his TedTalk, then his social media then this book, in that order.
Nile Wilson… recovering alcoholic, gambling addict, repeat cheater, victim of severe depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Nile tells us about his journey into and through gymnastics including the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. He gets the reader to question elements of their own lives to address ways to overcome our own insecurities and anxieties. He accepts despite being well currently, he is, and always will be extremely vulnerable to his mental health.
I have been a huge fan of Nile since I stumbled across his TedTalk a couple of years ago. The relationship he has with his 2 best mates and sister are enviable, I rarely read autobiographies, but I was intrigued to get an insight behind the man on my social media reels. I’m not entirely sure how I felt about the book 😬 for how short it was I feel Nile only just touched the surface of his true feelings, experiences, and the true impact his health had had on him over the years. And while I completely respect his desire for privacy, I felt it was a slightly imbalanced book on not really fully telling us about his awful times while also getting us to consider how to make our bad bits better. That said I did really enjoy pondering the questions he asked and thinking a bit about my life. Will it make me change anything I do - not right now, but when I’ve had times of feeling really miserable it may well have done!
I’d recommend his TedTalk, then his social media then this book, in that order.
January 25, 2025
Non Fiction / Sports / Memoir / Biography / Olympics / Gymnastics
⭐⭐⭐ / 5
I am torn on this book.
I started watching Nile's content during COVID along with many other gymnasts and athletes. I love watching him, Luke, Ash, and Jo so I have a sense of who he is in front of the camera and thought this book might give a sense of who he is behind it. I knew parts of his story about addiction and injury cause he talks about it. I didn't know how deep addiction behavior went. When you hear addiction you automatically think of drugs and alcohol when in truth there is so much more. I feel the importance or impact of some of the behaviors he talks about varied from chapter to chapter and while he has appeared to deal with them in his own ways, the results of the behaviors were understated. As a person who has had a mental health diagnosis, this is where I became torn in his story or maybe just in the way he wrote it down. I can't speak on his personal experiences.
Overall, I think his story is interesting. I am grateful that he like many other athletes are looking to make changes to better their sports and I will continue to watch him on social media, but I don't think I will read another one of his books.
⭐⭐⭐ / 5
I am torn on this book.
I started watching Nile's content during COVID along with many other gymnasts and athletes. I love watching him, Luke, Ash, and Jo so I have a sense of who he is in front of the camera and thought this book might give a sense of who he is behind it. I knew parts of his story about addiction and injury cause he talks about it. I didn't know how deep addiction behavior went. When you hear addiction you automatically think of drugs and alcohol when in truth there is so much more. I feel the importance or impact of some of the behaviors he talks about varied from chapter to chapter and while he has appeared to deal with them in his own ways, the results of the behaviors were understated. As a person who has had a mental health diagnosis, this is where I became torn in his story or maybe just in the way he wrote it down. I can't speak on his personal experiences.
Overall, I think his story is interesting. I am grateful that he like many other athletes are looking to make changes to better their sports and I will continue to watch him on social media, but I don't think I will read another one of his books.
March 29, 2024
This book was written just after Nile's final competitions and I remember watching him and the new young gymnastics squad with my children at the Olympics in 2012.
Nile was one of the stars - here he provides an honest and sometimes brutal account of his life, career in gymnastics and social media. I also watch his videos which are great and he is also honest about how his addictive personality hyper-focusses him on some things, but has also made him a successful businessman in his early '20's.
I love the refreshing way he writes - it's how he speaks -and his family sounds great!
There are more than one or two spelling and grammatical errors in this book, which is perhaps to be expected as it's only 146 pages long and from a relatively small publishing house. I would also liked to have seen a few more pictures of him during his career, but overall, I really enjoyed this book and I looked forward to reading it each evening until I'd finished.
I hope Nile writes a follow-up!
Nile was one of the stars - here he provides an honest and sometimes brutal account of his life, career in gymnastics and social media. I also watch his videos which are great and he is also honest about how his addictive personality hyper-focusses him on some things, but has also made him a successful businessman in his early '20's.
I love the refreshing way he writes - it's how he speaks -and his family sounds great!
There are more than one or two spelling and grammatical errors in this book, which is perhaps to be expected as it's only 146 pages long and from a relatively small publishing house. I would also liked to have seen a few more pictures of him during his career, but overall, I really enjoyed this book and I looked forward to reading it each evening until I'd finished.
I hope Nile writes a follow-up!
September 30, 2024
I must admit that I had only heard of Nile through his YouTube videos (and it seems that many of the reviewers of this book are in the same position).
There are many references to his superstar status in the gymnastics sphere and his many successes and medals etc. but perhaps this is a bit niche for my sports viewing and he had completely passed me by. I have never been particularly keen on gymnastics probably due to my (not entirely incorrect) perception that it is all about a brutal system and coaches abusing young, vulnerable children trying to achieve their dreams.
Regardless of that, it was an interesting read and revealed the darker side of his life (professional and personal) although none if came as a suprise.
For myself, I think I will just stick with the funny videos in future.
There are many references to his superstar status in the gymnastics sphere and his many successes and medals etc. but perhaps this is a bit niche for my sports viewing and he had completely passed me by. I have never been particularly keen on gymnastics probably due to my (not entirely incorrect) perception that it is all about a brutal system and coaches abusing young, vulnerable children trying to achieve their dreams.
Regardless of that, it was an interesting read and revealed the darker side of his life (professional and personal) although none if came as a suprise.
For myself, I think I will just stick with the funny videos in future.
January 1, 2026
I’ll start with I am a Nile Wilson fan, I love watching him and his friends on YouTube starting chaos and performing challenges. The writing was a little all over the place which made it hard to keep reading. I really enjoyed reading about his struggle and how he overcame it through the help of friends and his manager and one huge moment of clarity.
I definitely rushed through the last few chapters as I was starting to feel bogged down by all of it and just eager to finish the read. It’s his story, so of course he has to tell all of it, but I wasn’t as keen on the minute details of gymnastics as others might be.
I probably wouldn’t pick this book up to read a second time through, but I would still consider reading his newest book on maintaining his mental health as that is the part of this book that really spoke to me.
I definitely rushed through the last few chapters as I was starting to feel bogged down by all of it and just eager to finish the read. It’s his story, so of course he has to tell all of it, but I wasn’t as keen on the minute details of gymnastics as others might be.
I probably wouldn’t pick this book up to read a second time through, but I would still consider reading his newest book on maintaining his mental health as that is the part of this book that really spoke to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2023
I followed Nile’a YouTube channel and when he was competing. Admittedly I stopped watching his channel when he was partying a lot and I didn’t connect with his content. His book definitely helped me to realise why he did those things and created that content.
He is an inspiration for his sport and as a businessman. He did try writing but I am not sure it’s for him. It was nice to gain a greater insight into his life and how much he loves his family. At times he did come across as quite a cocky person, but through watching his channel I know it’s an aspect of his personality.
I would like to see what he does in the future. I am just not sure I would read about it, I think I would rather watch it.
He is an inspiration for his sport and as a businessman. He did try writing but I am not sure it’s for him. It was nice to gain a greater insight into his life and how much he loves his family. At times he did come across as quite a cocky person, but through watching his channel I know it’s an aspect of his personality.
I would like to see what he does in the future. I am just not sure I would read about it, I think I would rather watch it.
December 25, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book for review.
I stumbled upon Nile’s YouTube page randomly months ago and followed for a time. Then I saw this book and wanted to read.
When I was young I was in gymnastics and hated it. But I adored watching the sport.
Hearing about all his highs and lows was something I was able to connect with. It’s stressful and painful and exhausting. I did roll my eyes when he talks about how he didn’t believe in depression...until he experienced it. But still thinks you can just mentally say ‘I’m no longer depressed’ and just get over it. That was a souring point for me
I stumbled upon Nile’s YouTube page randomly months ago and followed for a time. Then I saw this book and wanted to read.
When I was young I was in gymnastics and hated it. But I adored watching the sport.
Hearing about all his highs and lows was something I was able to connect with. It’s stressful and painful and exhausting. I did roll my eyes when he talks about how he didn’t believe in depression...until he experienced it. But still thinks you can just mentally say ‘I’m no longer depressed’ and just get over it. That was a souring point for me
February 6, 2022
I'm a fan of Nile Wilson, although he has done a few things during the pandemic which angered me.
I knew quite a lot about gymnastics and Nile before reading this book as I am subscribed to his YouTube channel (I'm also subscribed to Joanna, Luke and Ash's channels too).
I enjoyed the book - there is a lot packed into the book (it's very short only 150ish pages.
My main criticism of the book was the writing style, the language was really clunky and I struggled to imagine Nile reading it aloud.
He could have also went into things in much more detail. I just think this story would have been better presented in a different medium.
I knew quite a lot about gymnastics and Nile before reading this book as I am subscribed to his YouTube channel (I'm also subscribed to Joanna, Luke and Ash's channels too).
I enjoyed the book - there is a lot packed into the book (it's very short only 150ish pages.
My main criticism of the book was the writing style, the language was really clunky and I struggled to imagine Nile reading it aloud.
He could have also went into things in much more detail. I just think this story would have been better presented in a different medium.
May 7, 2022
The Nile Wilson book, Nile Wilson - My Story is way more than I was expecting.
I know of Nile from his Olympic career, his You Tube channel, and his videos with Tom Daley. But, with this read, I was able to glimpse the deeper side of Nile.
His story isn't an easy one, as he has suffered from mental illness issues and addiction. It's definitely a tough read at times. And more than anything, Nile is strong in his encouragement of others to ask for help when they need it.
I definitely enjoyed this book and the deeper look into Nile's serious side. He has definitely experienced a lot of obstacles along his way to success. I am impressed with this story.
I know of Nile from his Olympic career, his You Tube channel, and his videos with Tom Daley. But, with this read, I was able to glimpse the deeper side of Nile.
His story isn't an easy one, as he has suffered from mental illness issues and addiction. It's definitely a tough read at times. And more than anything, Nile is strong in his encouragement of others to ask for help when they need it.
I definitely enjoyed this book and the deeper look into Nile's serious side. He has definitely experienced a lot of obstacles along his way to success. I am impressed with this story.
January 27, 2024
Nile is an inspiring guy; not only is he skillful in many ways, but he also overcomes challenges that could crush him. He approaches these challenges with good grace and often joy. His story is one that deserves to be told, and he tells it with the same enthusiasm and energy that he used to tackle his life.
However, there’s a reason autobiographies are so often written in conjunction with a professional. The chronology and consistency of this little book are often garbled, likely because Nile is simply too close to the material. When you know the characters and the events so well, it’s easy to jump around. Because of this, some of his strongest points lose their impact.
However, there’s a reason autobiographies are so often written in conjunction with a professional. The chronology and consistency of this little book are often garbled, likely because Nile is simply too close to the material. When you know the characters and the events so well, it’s easy to jump around. Because of this, some of his strongest points lose their impact.
January 7, 2022
This book really tackles a lot of the issues that come with being an elite level athlete and the pressures it has and the tolls it takes.
I am a fan of the YouTube videos that Nile creates and have been for a while. Given I was once going up that sporting ladder before I quit, I thought this book would be something to open my eyes into what the top is really like, not just the stories you hear. Yes the fame and achievements might be amazing, but this book really highlights at what cost they come.
Plus it's always nice to have a signed book.
I am a fan of the YouTube videos that Nile creates and have been for a while. Given I was once going up that sporting ladder before I quit, I thought this book would be something to open my eyes into what the top is really like, not just the stories you hear. Yes the fame and achievements might be amazing, but this book really highlights at what cost they come.
Plus it's always nice to have a signed book.
October 27, 2021
The book is decent, a solid autobiography for someone who has clearly experienced a lot! The cycle of addiction is tough and Nile speaks well about some of them. Not all of them are given the same light but I assume they’re better described in the other books. The book is informative on the mental side for sport and what injury does to an athlete. If you’ve seen his YouTube video about similar topics alot of this is the same, and on a similar level.
April 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this book.
It wasn't the most gripping and, as with many memoirs/auto biographies, it wasn't written perfectly, but despite that it was thoroughly enjoyable.
I knew a bit of Wilson's story from following him on Youtube so I did find it interesting to learn more about things I had just heard a little bit about.
It wasn't the most gripping and, as with many memoirs/auto biographies, it wasn't written perfectly, but despite that it was thoroughly enjoyable.
I knew a bit of Wilson's story from following him on Youtube so I did find it interesting to learn more about things I had just heard a little bit about.
August 30, 2022
Inspirational and opens your eyes to the reality of being an elite gymnast and the mental health struggle it may come with. Also hoping to move forward the way gymnastics is viewed. Encourage most to read it
January 7, 2022
A real insight into Niles struggles as he learns how to exist without competitive gymnastics. Great book, great person, great family.
January 10, 2025
This was a really good sit-down book. I loved this book it kept me reading.
September 27, 2022
Lots of talk, not enough story
I am a fan of Nile Wilson and I believe he has things to say that should be heard but this book is not a good vehicle. Nile’s voice is authentic but that simply served to show how much could have been improved with more heavy editing to improve the lacklustre writing.
I will continue to watch Nile’s online content but yeah, you can give this book a skip.
I am a fan of Nile Wilson and I believe he has things to say that should be heard but this book is not a good vehicle. Nile’s voice is authentic but that simply served to show how much could have been improved with more heavy editing to improve the lacklustre writing.
I will continue to watch Nile’s online content but yeah, you can give this book a skip.
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