Billing Geoff Boycott (as the inside cover of this biography does) as a "charismatic, single-minded and often exasperating personality" may be, to some, not unlike calling Attila the Hun somebody "who liked to pick an argument". Coupled with the claim that this account is "the true story", Leo McKinstry has certainly set himself a challenge in terms of convincing what can only be described (at the best of times) as a doubtful public.

McKinstry, to give him his credit, certainly goes for the holistic approach, tracing Boycott's life from his childhood as a miner's son in the West Yorkshire village of Fitzwilliam, through his professional career at Yorkshire and his international success to his time after retirement as commentator and media personality. (As for the "squalid" court case--make up your own mind!) Collecting testimony from friends, colleagues, relatives and "some enemies", McKinstry attempts a balanced picture of a difficult subject--known throughout the cricketing and media world for his acerbic, forthright and often downright rude manner, this portrait of a "charismatic" and "enigmatic" figure might be more "comprehensive and balanced" for some than others.

Whatever your view of Geoff Boycott, it is unlikely to be vastly changed by this fascinating and certainly well-researched biography. Love him or hate him, very few people are ambivalent about the professional Yorkshireman and he may very well be a figure who is misunderstood and misrepresented because of his refusal to play the PR game. For that reason alone, this is a book which probably deserves to be read as much, if not more, by those who hate him than those who remain forever devoted to one of the greatest cricketing talents of the last century. Read, enjoy, and draw your own conclusions. --Jane Smith