Customer Reviews

Being Gazza

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I am still unsure as to the value of this book and as to why it was actually written. Gazza, Englands most talented soccer player of his generation tells an honest account of the demons that he lives with on a daily basis. The extent of his addictions, the daily struggles and the complexities of being Gazza are all here in brutal honesty. The book reads like a series of letters both from Gazza and from his councellor to the reader and acts something like a diary. It's more coffee-table literature (that demands very little of the reader), than an autobiography. The benefit being that you can 'dip' in and out of the book at your leisure and the down-side being that it lacks consistency. I learned a little about Gazza here but not enough to recommend the book to anyone. Reading the book did not affect me positively or negatively, nor did it give me anything to occupy my mind. If you like Gazza, buy his autobiography 'Gazza.My Story'. If you are obsessed with Gazza, then you could consider buying this.

Being Gazza is an honest look back at his life by Gascoigne. Before this book I was just familiar with the media image of him as, basically, a clown who threw away his talent by too much partying. Now I understand the medical problems underlying his behavior. The book reveals just how much suffering he has gone through and demonstrates how celebrity helps worsen serious medical problems. Takes a lot of courage to be this frank and the book is an easy read for anyone interested in the person rather than just his football career.

I don't know anything about soccer players, but wanted to read about bipolar disorder. I love his conversational writing style and all his English-isms throughout the book. I was saddened at how much Paul Gascoigne had to deal with...besides bipolar disorder, as if that's not enough. Yet, it's really heart-warming to see how much he accomplished and continues to accomplish...a great deal more than many who don't have his afflictions.
I don't think anyone would be disappointed reading this book.