3 Review(s)

Really inspirational stuff. I read his previous book 'The winning mind' and enjoyed that. Coe is so much more than the great athlete who successfully defended his Olympic 1500 metre title at LA 1984. He's never stood still really since he was a toddler by this account and has experienced the highs and lows of elite sport, politics and of course, the bidding and successful delivery of London 2012. There really IS something for everyone in this book and you don't have to be fan of track and field to fully appreciate it. It's refreshing to read a sports book that hasn't been 'ghost-written'. I'm sure I'm correct in saying this, which shouldn't have surprised me anyway as the guy is highly articulate in all his interviews and is a fine communicator. There are also little insights into some of the equally inspirational figures he's worked with along the way, some of them lesser known but talented people in their chosen fields. It's funny but the most amusing part of the book for me was the chapter about his involvement in the unsuccessful bid for the FIFA World Cup in 2018. You're left with the impression that Coe's undoubted talent was wasted by the footballing world and that particular chapter tells you so much about how soccer is run in the UK. He's far too talented to become involved with football anyway. In summary, the guy's an inspiration and I can't wait to see what he becomes involved with next.