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Head On

By: Sir Ian Botham
Narrated by: John Telfer
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Summary

Voted the greatest English cricketer of the 20th century by the fans, Sir Ian Botham is the English game’s one true living legend, and his story, both on and off the pitch, reads like a Boy’s Own rollercoaster ride.

Born with a natural genius for the game, Botham began breaking records with bat and ball from a young age and soon became the man English cricket expected most from. After a troubled period as captain, Botham rose once again to become a national hero with his display in the Miracle Ashes of 1981. But, with his confrontational nature and wild streak, he began regularly making the wrong kind of headlines. With accusations of drink and drugs, affairs and ball-tampering, he became hounded by the tabloid pack, never sure whether they wanted him to triumph or implode.

Now a Knight and just as famous for his tireless charity work, Beefy gives us the definitive story of his never-dull life and times in his own no-nonsense words.

©2007 Ian Botham (P)2010 Random House AUDIO GO
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What listeners say about Head On

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent listen

Well narrated and well written. Boys own hero. One in a lifetime. Very honest read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Typical Botham! Honest and no fence sitting!

Sir Ian is not one to hold back and if often forthright with his opinions. This breaks down some of the background into what shaped him into the man he is today and gives the reader a real sense of the legendary cricketer both at home and in life - neither of which have any flies on him! I particularly enjoyed his chapters on what drives him to do so much charity work and the openness about his private life.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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great read

l really enjoyed this audio book.a good insight to his career .brought back great memories

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beefy rules OK!

Would you consider the audio edition of Head On to be better than the print version?

Yes

What was one of the most memorable moments of Head On?

1981 series against the Aussies...boys own stuff...you could not make it up?

What does John Telfer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Sounds very good

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

England's greatest all-round cricketer

Any additional comments?

All though he does brag a bit he has good reason to, he had tremendousSelf belief as a cricketer and as he said 80% is played in the brain, as indeed is a lot of sport!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A BATTLING SUCCESS

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it is filled with mixed emotions, some very frustrating, some very exciting, but overall it made a great read.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully narrated, capturing the essence of the man himself.

A little too statistical on occasions.
Nevertheless an honest and open account of cricketing life behind the scenes. Beefy tells it like it is which is refreshing, and I’m somewhat disappointed his tales have come to an end.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Dull and poorly read

Very disappointing. Dull with no real insight and poorly read. There even seemed to be interruptions from another narrator interspersed through the book at random places

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

big headed

i am a big cricket follower and as i was at his 1st test plus many of his others, both in the UK and abroad. but i found his story hard to take with many blowhard story lines. not one of my better reads. so i will leave it at that

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