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The Battle Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016
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There has never been a rugby player quite like Paul O'Connell. His name is synonymous with passion, heart and determination. But he is also the thinking man's rugby player, a legendary student of the game.
As the heartbeat of Munster, British and Irish Lions captain in 2009, and captain of the first Ireland team to retain the Six Nations championship, O'Connell became the most beloved and respected of the golden generation of Irish rugby players - and was widely regarded as one of the very best players in the world. There was nothing inevitable - or even likely - about any of this, and in an autobiography as intense and thoughtful as its author, O'Connell explores the forces and struggles that turned him into the player and leader that he became. The Battle is a book for everyone who wants to understand the roots of achievement and the inner world of an elite sportsman. It will take its place alongside the very finest sports books of recent years.
- Print length432 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin Ireland
- Publication date6 Oct. 2016
- Dimensions15.24 x 3.56 x 23.5 cm
- ISBN-101844882233
- ISBN-13978-1844882236
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Review
The intense physicality of his rugby upbringing is an abiding theme ... along with humour, the craic and an extensive knowledge of how teams work (Paul Hayward Daily Telegraph)
I found The Battle entrancing (Stephen Jones Sunday Times)
Excellent ... [an] eye-opening account of the never-ending battles he fought (Rugby World)
Fascinating ... the recollections of life with the British and Irish touring team leap out as highlights (Daily Mail)
A fascinating insight into what has driven him and how his approach to the game changed over time. The inner tensions of possibly the most intense competitor of his generation are laid bare in The Battle. (Shane Horgan Sunday Times)
Revelatory ... Unflinchingly charts his personal evolution ... He is not at all easy on himself (Keith Duggan Irish Times)
It is pure O'Connell ... Players and coaches from all sports will have the pencil out, finding nuggets (Kieran Shannon Irish Examiner)
Absorbing and compelling ... The O'Connell who dominates this book is the one who becomes fixated on the mentality of champions (Diarmaid Ferriter Irish Times)
O'Connell has emptied the tank here. ... What has come out ... is a psychological profile that is almost shocking at times in what it reveals about the bloody single-mindedness of the competitive gene (Irish Independent)
A fantastic book (Sean O'Rourke RTE Radio One)
He is a standard-bearer for the country and someone whose principles, moral compass, ideals and heroic virtue make us wish our children would aspire to be someone like him (Neil Francis Sunday Independent)
An exceptional book ... tremendously honest (Matt Cooper Today FM)
Engaging, honest and insightful. Terrific (Ryle Nugent)
Honest, fair and devoid of self-pity ... reflects on his life without a shred of hypocrisy or recrimination (Paul Rees Observer)
A stunning achievement (Irish Mail on Sunday)
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Provides many revealing insights into the mind of a born winner (Sunday Business Post)
Brilliant, bruising (Donal Ryan Sunday Independent)
From the Inside Flap
Paul O'Connell's name is synonymous with passion, heart and determination. But he was also the thinking man's rugby player, a legendary student of the game. Playing for fifteen years at the highest level, and captaining Munster, Ireland and the Lions, he maintained a remarkably high standard of performance and leadership.
Now, in his frank and vivid autobiography, O'Connell tells the unlikely story of how a kid who quit rugby in his teens became a talisman for club and country, and one of the most respected figures in the international game. This is a book about a career-long battle to be fitter, smarter, better. O'Connell writes about the dark times, when he struggled with injuries and self-doubt. He writes about the dramatic evolution in his approach to mental preparation and leadership. And he writes with wit and warmth about the best times: in the gym and on the road with teammates, and sharing the joy of big victories with family, friends and fans.
The Battle brings us inside the head of the most thoughtful player of his generation, and one of the great personalities of the game. It is a book for everyone who wants to understand a remarkable era in Irish rugby, and for everyone who wants to understand the roots of individual and collective achievement. Intense, honest, moving, funny and uplifting, it will take its place as a classic of sporting autobiography.
From the Back Cover
I remember sitting alongside him in the front seat of his car as we drove home, thinking: I'm someone who wins things. If Dad thinks I'm good, then I must be.
It's strange, the way things said decades ago stick in your head, the way a few words you hear as an impressionable child can stay with you for the rest of your life ...
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Penguin Ireland (6 Oct. 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 432 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1844882233
- ISBN-13 : 978-1844882236
- Dimensions : 15.24 x 3.56 x 23.5 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 522,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 78 in Rugby Union
- 336 in Rugby Player Biographies
- 390 in Rugby Union History & Biography
- Customer reviews:
About the author
![Paul O'Connell](http://web.archive.org./web/20240831040608im_/https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/01Kv-W2ysOL._SY600_.png)
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Customers find the content brilliant and honest, providing an insight into the life of a legend within the game. They also describe the reading experience as amazing. Opinions are mixed on readability, with some finding it quality and others saying it's a very poor read.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book an amazing and magnificent read.
"This is a fantastic read.I've been a huge Munster and Paul fan from the beginning and this book is a real treat for me...." Read more
"...Well worth reading, but not sure how much you learn about the man that you didn't already know if you followed his career closely." Read more
"...A truly inspiring read." Read more
"A great read from a very humble player - would have been 5 stars as could not put it down however felt that every time we were getting to a really..." Read more
Customers find the content brilliant, honest, and genuine. They also describe the psychology as gripping and the book as a genuine story from someone who's always appeared to wear his heart on. Readers also mention that the book is a constant page turner.
"...He's gives us great insight into his own personal physical and physiological state of mind as he goes through his own career, he reminds us of the..." Read more
"...O'Connell is very honest about his rugby career, and the highs and lows of being an elite level athlete. However, it is noticeable that he..." Read more
"The book gave an incredible insight into the mindset of Irish professional rugby, from licenced violence and brutality to deep self reflection and..." Read more
"This autobiography is a cracking and inspirational read, and I would recommend it to up-and-coming rugby players and anyone interested in rugby or..." Read more
Customers find the writing style brave, down to earth, warm, and witty.
"...He's very down to earth warm and witty.A great read for all fans of the rugby game." Read more
"...It is a very different autobiography, soul searching and bravely written by a great man striving for perfection." Read more
"...Written with humility a must read for fans of Munster,Ireland and rugby" Read more
"This is a fantastic read, well written and a great insight into the legend of Paul and the International game of Rugby. The Psychology is gripping !" Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book. Some find it a quality product, while others say it's a very poor read.
"...Raw an honest account of a fascinating career. Flawed but outstanding leader. Enjoy folks." Read more
"...the glass half-full but on this occasion, i have to say this was a very poor read...." Read more
"Quality product..." Read more
"...of world rugby and a hero of mine but the quality of the printing of photographs is terrible and takes away from the book." Read more
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I've been a huge Munster and Paul fan from the beginning and this book is a real treat for me.
Paul takes us through his career in rubgy in great detail. He recalls both highs and lows in his career and in doing so evokes both fantastic and horrible memories for Munster fans at the same time.
He's gives us great insight into his own personal physical and physiological state of mind as he goes through his own career, he reminds us of the fact that his emotions often got the better of him.
He's also very proud of his routes and goes to great lengths to let us know that he couldn't of done what he did without the support of his family friends and fellow Limerick people. He's very down to earth warm and witty.
A great read for all fans of the rugby game.
However, it is noticeable that he goes out of his way to not be critical of anyone, and certain issues are sidestepped. For example, O'Connell claims he got two concussions at the very start of his playing career, and none after that. Considering the punishment every other part of his body has taken, this is very hard to believe. As sporting autobiographies go, this is leagues above the usual, 'nice little earner,' but it wouldn't compare to the honesty of Rough Ride, or The Secret Life Of Tony Cascarino. Well worth reading, but not sure how much you learn about the man that you didn't already know if you followed his career closely.
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