Bookreviews
Biographies
Raymond van Barneveld: "Barney - The Eye of the Tiger".
Naarden: Strengholt United Media, 2009.
ISBN 978-90-4940-051-4
Raymond van Barneveld's Biography was first published in Holland 2007. Recently there appeared an English translation on the market.
The biography was written by the two sports journalists Arnout Verzijl and Hans Willink who are both befriended with
Raymond van Barneveld for many years.
The book is in brochure and contains a lot of photographies and a lot of text on 232 pages.
The book is narrated in first person and the story is frequently interrupted by comments and supplements by van Barneveld's wife,
family, friends, managers and rivals.
It starts with van Barneveld's not easy and sometimes lonely childhood and youth and narrates his development to a celebrated
PDC star. It includes crisis and the break with the BDO, especially the BDO´s MC, Martin Fitzmaurice, and the part he plays in
the BDO is viewn rather critically.
There is an attachment with van Barneveld's titles and awards.
My first thought was, that it is a really well-done book but a lot of text to read with information and details in
abundance - might be you will not read it in a piece and it could be you feel it's not really gripping because of this.
But I recommend you very much to let yourself in - you'll to be sure get an interesting and informative insight
in van Barneveld's personality which is not dressed up and doesn't pass over his weaknesses and problems.
It's a very intimate
and personal book that in the end did really convince me totally by it's qualities.
One can order it at several British online shops at the price of 19.99 pound(excl.VAT).
Trina Gulliver: Golden Girl - The Autobiography of the Greatest Ever Ladies'Darts Player.
London: John Blake Publishing, 2008.
ISBN 978-1-84454-500-1
When I first read about the book, I immediately preordered it, even before I stumbled over Dartoids book review.
I got it early this month, started to read it and can tell you now, I really can only recommend it even though it's in no way as
funny as Dartoids review.
It's a serious minded book by a probably not only serious minded dart player. She tells from time to time, that she loves it to
celebrate, to meet with friends and to drink with them.
But it's nevertheless serious minded and tells us a lot about all the problems Trina had till now to overcome in her life.
And there were enough! She didn't like school very much; it was a hard time for her. She did choose a male dominant profession,
sh's a joiner and carpenter, getting there was not easy either. Her boyfriend and later husband was very ill for some time,
that's were she started to play more darts.
She had to decide whether getting on with being a joiner and carpenter, earning a good living, or risking to get a full time
lady dart player. She decided for the darts, as we all know, but that was a hard decision and she had to struggle a lot to get
where she now is. And by doing so in the long run she ruined her marriage.
But she definitely does lead the live she wants and she is enjoying it in spite of all obstacles and problems and as there are
still a lot of things she has not yet achieve, we probably will see and hear much more of her.
I really can only recommend the book, the woman is definitely dart addict and we all can learn from her. She never gave in,
she doesn't waste her time and energy with whining, she just wants to play darts and that's what she does.
One can buy the book for 17.99 pound at amazon.uk.com.
Bobby George: Bobby Dazzler - My story.
London: Orion Books, 2008
ISBN 978-0-75288-226-0 (Taschenbuch)
Bobby George's biography which he wrote together with the sports journalist Lance Hardy appeared first on the market in 2006, till 2007
you can get it as paperback as well.
One hears all about Bobby George's tough childhood shape by the early dead of his mother and a rather complicated father. Money was scarce and the education sketchy.
George tells about his time before darts where he worked hard manual work among others in constructing the underground in London and of course he tells of his life with darts which started when he was thirty during a fishing trip to Ireland and which already three years later brought him the News of the World title.
Of course we hear a lot about rivals, friends and pals about his first unhappy marriage and the second one with his wife Marie and all his children.
Bobby George gives his personal view of the "big years" in darts before the PDC, of the split and why he stayed with the BDO till today.
An authentic book about one of the most enigmatic characters in darts and an interesting, entertaining and sometimes amusing book to read.
One can buy the paperback at amazon.co.uk for 6.39 Pound.