Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (Billie Jean King Library) [Hardcover]

Billie Jean King (Author), Christine Brennan (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Billie Jean King Library | Publication Date: August 12, 2008

Billie Jean King's victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" was a pivotal moment in gender relations for generations of American women and men. But her journey to the "Battle of the Sexes" was no accident. Now, for the first time ever, Billie Jean shares the life lessons that led to her success in that match, in sports, and in the world at large. Published in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of this monumental event, Pressure is a Privilege uses the Billie Jean King / Bobby Riggs match to illustrate what she learned in her early life that brought her to that event and the lessons that she learned from it.

Packed with the common-sense lessons by which Billie Jean has lived her remarkable life, as well as words of wisdom and inspirational advice for how you can use these lessons, Pressure is a Privilege is an invaluable tool for any person in any profession who wants to achieve a richer, more fulfilling life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tennis champion King uses her 1973 Battle of the Sexes match against Bobby Riggs as a foil to illuminate 13 life lessons in this self-help quasi-memoir. Part business advice, part personal advice and all motivation, King's insights aren't novel (seize opportunities whenever they arise, do your best and visualize success), and her advice (shared family meals with all cell phones turned off) is standard but sound. For a radical figure in sports and women's equality, King treads the safe and narrow throughout the brief book (her first since the 1982 autobiography Billie Jean), and coasts on repeated references to an important but particularly dated match. Tennis fans may want to give it a perusal, but those seeking fresh inspiration can pass.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Athlete, coach, leader, activist, and one of the most illustrious and celebrated tennis players in history, Billie Jean King is recognized for her life-long struggle for gender equality, both on and off the court. Her work led to the landmark Title IX law requiring that girls/women and boys/men be given the same opportunity in sports, and she empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes in 1973. Life magazine named King one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century," and she is ranked No. 5 on the Sports Illustrated "Top 40 Athletes" list for significantly altering or elevating sports the last four decades.

Christine Brennan is an award-winning USA Today sports columnist and the bestselling author of The Best Seat in the House: A Father, A Daughter, A Journey Through Sports, Champions on Ice, and Inside Edge: A Revealing Journey Into the Secret World of Figure Skating. She is also a commentator on ABC News, ESPN, and NPR's Morning Edition.

Award-winning actress Holly Hunter has been a friend and admirer of Billie Jean King's for many years. Hunter also starred as Billie Jean in the film dramatization of the Battle of the Sexes, When Billie Beat Bobby.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: LifeTime Media Inc. (August 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981636802
• ISBN-13: 978-0981636801
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Tennis
  • #51 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Racket Sports

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars thank you BJK, July 29, 2008

By 

Joan K. Norton - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (Billie Jean King Library) (Hardcover)

you already know these items in your heart, Billie just says it in a way you understand. thanks for being the role model to so many of us. after reading this book, just "play it forward" and dream your dreams....

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lesson from a Groundbreaking Life, August 12, 2008

By 

Patti - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (Billie Jean King Library) (Hardcover)

Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes is a combination autobiography/inspirational tome. Ms. King focuses on her historic tennis match with Bobby Riggs in 1973, the Battle of the Sexes, and shares the lessons she learned from this and other important points in her life.

Ms. King writes in a straightforward down-to-earth style, sharing her feelings and experiences that made her the number one female tennis player in the world, activist, successful businesswoman and mentor that she is. The book is divided into lessons ranging from relationships to leaving a legacy. In each lesson she shares insight into her family, her coaches, and especially, preparing for her match with Bobby Riggs which opened the door for equal treatment of women in sport. Each chapter ends with an "instant replay" of the important points of the lesson.

If you're looking for an in-depth autobiography of Billie Jean King, this isn't the book for you. While she talks about her life, tennis, her family, and her sexuality, she doesn't delve deeply. It's more like how Maria Sharapova describes it on the back of the book: a "personal conversation" where Ms. King shares some of what she's learned in her groundbreaking life. A positive, enthusiastic book perfect for a light summer read. I wish my outlook on life was this good.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Billie is the Best!, July 31, 2008

By 

Harry Lime (Leonardo, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (Billie Jean King Library) (Hardcover)

I had the privilege of meeting Ms. King this summer. She is truly wonderful and an inspiration to everyone--women and men. This book contains a lot of good stories about Billie's career along with good, common-sense advice. It's a great read and would make a great gift.