All In: An Autobiography (Signed Book)

by Billie Jean King

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The tennis great has shown tenacity and determination in her career and a lot more of that in her personal life. King was among the best players in America but also an outspoken woman for gay and lesbian rights at a time when she encountered more hate than understanding. She continues her activism today and is seen as an important voice for equality.

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.

She describes the myriad challenges she's hurdled—entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed—on her path to publicly and unequivocally acknowledging her sexual identity at the age of fifty-one. She talks about how her life today remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality, and love. And she shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness.

Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, a world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sports.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593534533
Publisher:	Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/26/2021
Edition description:	Signed Edition
Pages:	496
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

BILLIE JEAN KING is the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is the founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, the Women's Tennis Association, and the Women's Sports Foundation; she co-founded World Team Tennis; and she is part of the ownership group of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2006, the National Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In 2020, the Fed Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup, making it the first global team sports competition named for a woman. She was one of Life magazine's "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century," and in 2018 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. She is an Adidas Global Ambassador, a past member of the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and a past member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She lives in New York.

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/14/2021

The tennis legend faces off against on-court rivalries and off-court battles for equality in her audacious memoir. King (Pressure Is a Privilege) looks back on her years as a tennis superstar and winner of multiple Grand Slam titles in the 1960s and 1970s; her exploits leading the movement to professionalize women’s tennis with the Virginia Slims tour and win equality with men in tournament prize money; her celebrated 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match, in which she beat chauvinist figure Bobby Rigg; and her traumatic outing after a former female lover filed a palimony lawsuit, which cost King endorsement contracts. Vivid throughout is King’s passion for the game—“I loved the drama of it... the universe of possibilities that opened up as I drew my racket back, then that split-second pause where everything hangs in the balance as you’re preparing to hit a return”—and her obsessive will to win. She also fervidly speaks on contemporary issues from trans rights—calling out the Women’s Tennis Association for its insensitive treatment of such players as Renée Richards—to gun control (“gun violence has become a human rights crisis”). The result is a lively and inspiring portrait of pressure-cooker play and political upheaval in tennis, from one of its most fascinating figures. Agent: David Black, David Black Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Vivid throughout is King’s passion for the game . . . and her obsessive will to win. She also fervidly speaks on contemporary issues from trans rights—calling out the Women’s Tennis Association for its insensitive treatment of such players as Renée Richards—to gun control. . . . The result is a lively and inspiring portrait of pressure-cooker play and political upheaval in tennis, from one of its most fascinating figures.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“All In is a must-read about an authentic American hero, and one of the twentieth century’s most consequential figures in the fight for gender equality and human rights.”—Brenda Barrera, Booklist (starred review)

“A tennis legend tells all. In a candid, vividly detailed memoir . . . King (b. 1943) recounts her dazzling 30-year career, from her discovery of tennis when she was 10 to her amazing fame as the top player in the U.S., winner of 39 Grand Slam and 20 Wimbledon titles.”—Kirkus Reviews

“What a glorious autobiography in every way. Inspiring, emotional, gripping, heartbreaking, brave and maybe most of all, authentic, Billie Jean King writes with verve, insight, and tremendous wit. This is the story of a remarkable athlete and how she has changed our nation for the better. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.”—Harlan Coben

“All In is the remarkable story of a true legend who came from humble beginnings, and went on to change the world. Billie Jean King is a champion in every sense, just as much a hero behind the scenes as she is before her massive crowds. Her powerful memoir is a compelling must read. Masterfully done, this book is for everyone.”—Patricia Cornwell

“A constant role model in my life, Billie Jean King is a leading example of integrity in the face of adversity. The book’s powerfully honest and unapologetic candor is a reflection of King’s brilliant mark on the world and the glass ceilings she shattered. It’s a story about the personal strength, immense growth, and undeniable greatness of one woman who fearlessly stood up to a culture trying to break her down.”—Serena Williams

“Billie Jean King’s grit and conviction burst off every page of this marvelously realized autobiography. Whether it was as a fierce tennis competitor or as a committed social activist, her story reminds us of what one person can do when she is honest and dedicated. Her authenticity was never in question. Her achievements were memorable and her impact long-lasting.”—Bill Bradley, author of Life on the Run

“The most important sports figure of our time has finally gotten the rich and readable biography she – and we – have long deserved. It's an ace.”—Robert Lipsyte, author of The Contender

“Billie Jean King is the most important woman to ever play sports. She has fought for opportunity, equality and inclusion every day of her adult life. She matters in a way very few athletes ever have. Her riveting autobiography is not only the honest portrayal of the life of a sports legend, it’s a piece of history. Every girl and woman – for that matter, every boy and man – owes Billie Jean King a debt of gratitude. Her impact on our culture has been enormous and, thankfully, continues to this day.”—Christine Brennan, USA Today

“Billie Jean King has come not just a long way, but incalculably far. And now we know the contours of her journey. She is a national treasure and, in this smartly written and compulsively engaging memoir, we grasp how and why. By turns informative, entertaining, and downright fun, All In traces the arc of an extraordinary woman and her extraordinary impact.”—Jon Wertheim, author of Glory Days

“I love this book. This is more than an autobiography—it’s a manual for how to love yourself for who you are. Brutally honest and vulnerable at every level, here’s the real Billie Jean King, champion of equality. When she was little, the world she wanted didn’t exist. So she built it—and best of all, she’s still building it. Athletes fight for trophies; legends fight for others. You’ll see. All In hits home.”—Brad Meltzer, author of I am Billie Jean King

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2021

In this engrossing memoir, tennis legend King writes that, from a young age, she knew that she loved sports, tennis especially, and she was both puzzled and infuriated by injustices. Why couldn't girls play sports with boys? Why did racial segregation exist? When she was older, she questioned why men playing tennis earned much more money than women players. King was frustrated by these facts and sought to do something about them by helping to start the women's professional tennis circuit and by supporting Title IX legislation. Her famous 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs in the so-called Battle of the Sexes not only solidified the relevance and importance of equality in the world of pro tennis, but also stirred people to reevaluate the treatment of women in the workplace. On top of all this, King discusses the difficulties she encountered as a lesbian in a less-than-tolerant society. As amazing as her on-court accomplishments are, her work for social justice is even more remarkable. VERDICT An absorbing story, richly told by one of the 20th century's pioneering sports figures and social activists. An essential memoir that will inspire and stay with readers of all ages.—Brian Renvall, New Mexico State Univ. Carlsbad

Library Journal

2021-06-10
A tennis legend tells all.

In a candid, vividly detailed memoir, co-authored by journalists Howard and Vollers, King (b. 1943) recounts her dazzling 30-year career, from her discovery of tennis when she was 10 to her amazing fame as the top player in the U.S., winner of 39 Grand Slam and 20 Wimbledon titles. Doing odd jobs to pay for her first racket, Billie Jean Moffitt was lucky to find encouraging coaches and sympathetic mentors who helped the determined, defiant, and ambitious young girl to hone her talents. She was frustrated, though, to find herself clearly at a disadvantage in a male-dominated sport where women were relegated to amateur status, denied endorsements and travel expenses, and awarded far less prize money than men. It was her husband, Larry King, she writes, who “made me a feminist.” As her visibility increased, she became an outspoken activist against gender inequality, supporting the Equal Rights Amendment and Title IX; lobbying to change the amateur tennis system; and founding the Women’s Tennis Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation. “People’s experience is rarely improved by sitting still in the face of injustice,” she writes. King recounts highlights of some of her most notable contests: against Australian champion Margaret Smith, for example, the young Chris Evert, and especially her tense, much-hyped match against Bobby Riggs in 1973, which was attended by more than 30,000 spectators and seen on TV by more than 90 million people. She won, coming away with $100,000 in prize money and slews of endorsements. King reveals health problems, repeated surgeries, an eating disorder, and an ongoing struggle to define her sexuality. She was horrified when she was outed by a former lover who threatened to blackmail her, which forced her to recognize her latent homophobia. Now retired from playing, she actively promotes LGBTQ+ rights.

A memoir bristling with energy and passion.

Kirkus Reviews