Customer Reviews
From subway-rider to seniors tennis player - By: Mr. S. Bailey, 03 Oct 2008 
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament & 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician & art dealer.
Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, restsin self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating & wearying or impressive & inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, & ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidencedin his contentious statement that his vision & reflexes are still sharp & quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".
Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes & circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive routein Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, & chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledonin 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing & curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.
The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt & weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive & arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" & "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise & remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".
That self-effacing mentality is reinforcedin his words of approval & admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on thisin his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe & Borg seemed "immediately to seein the other qualities & philosophies that they lackedin themselves, both as players & people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across,in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" & his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".
With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna & Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde & Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert & his revelation that the first time he & his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], & it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid & colourful exploration & contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.
Very interesting read - By: A. Ashton, 10 Aug 2008 I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting & entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly & honestly about himself & it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature & clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.
I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis & his achievementsin his career & writing about his personal life & his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known & the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today & the interest I havein the game of tennis.
Wonderful book. - By: J R Hartley, 21 Jul 2008 Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys & downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days & a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.
A "Seriously" good autobiography. - By: Zoltan Pepper, 15 Aug 2007 Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the bookin his journey from a young boy into number 1in the world.
John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels & owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a successin doubles. He was ranked number 1in the world for a record 257 weeks & 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.
The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings & mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners & Borg.
On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience & determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences & troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.
As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!
Seriously interesting - By: John Hopper, 13 Jul 2007 An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background & mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him & regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book isin places a bit overly defensive & self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.
