Book info

• Title All In
• Author Billie Jean King
• Year 2021
• Genres Memoir, Sports

An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. In this spirited account, Billie Jean King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career -- six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous 'Battle of the Sexes.' She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Thoughts

The wonderful Billie Jean King released her autobiography to much anticipation so I was keen to get in on the early wave and read it as quickly as possible. It’s wonderful, not only because of the exceptional things BJK has done and achieved in her life, the relentless pursuit of equality and the stand she takes against bullying and prejudice, but also because she doesn’t shy away from the fact she’s not done everything right. Facing headlong into the issues, addressing the facts, and understanding that nobody’s perfect, this is a wonderful read. Brilliant, tenacious, human.

Rating: 5 / 5