Overview
The Last Word on David Beckham
There is only one David Beckham — and it's not always the one you read about in the newspapers and magazines or see in the movies. From humble East End London beginnings, the boy with prodigious soccer skills grew up to be one of the most gifted athletes of his generation as well as a sex symbol and fashion icon. Along the way he married Spice Girl Victoria "Posh" Adams, and together they inhabit a celebrity whirlwind of Diana-esque proportions. In Both Feet on the Ground, David talks candidly about the perils of fame (his wife and son were the targets of a notorious kidnapping plot and he is the subject of almost daily tabloid rumors); the struggle to balance his roles as a devoted husband and besotted father with his globetrotting existence as an international soccer star; the behind-the-scenes stories of his most memorable and heartbreaking (if only he could retake that infamous penalty kick against Portugal in Euro 2004) career moments; the controversy surrounding his first year at Real Madrid after his $41 million transfer from Manchester United, the storied English team he joined as a teenager and led for more than a decade; and, finally, his love of America, where he plans to start a soccer school and perhaps, one day, even play professionally.
Both Feet on the Ground is David Beckham's own extraordinary story, told by the man who knows him best — David Beckham.
Editorials
VOYA
Oh, soccer! The world loves you. But in the United States, the sport takes a lowly backseat to football, basketball, baseball, and, well, any other televised game. Despite David Beckham being the world's most popular soccer player-and having a sweeping pass so sweet it makes grown men weep-this reviewer doubts that many Americans could pick him out of a police lineup. But last year's sleeper film Bend it Like Beckham, his marriage to Spice Girl Posh Spice, and his $41 million trade to Spanish heavyweight Real Madrid might have increased his stateside profile somewhat. Beckham and coauthor Watt write with a conversational ease about his role in the beautiful game, chronicling his career from talented youngster to professional athlete on a global market. Each chapter drops a lot of names and references many games, which will delight fans but could be a bit off-putting to those unfamiliar with soccer history. The book's length might be prohibitive as well. Soccer-loving teens, however, will relish the first-person storytelling. The photos are top notch, showing the scrawny boy who became a father, husband, and world-renowned celebrity. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2003, HarperCollins, 386p.; Photos., Ages 15 to Adult.—Travis Fristoe