All In : An Autobiography

Icon-Icon Opinion : 

Autobiography of the first athlete and activist takes us into the history of tennis made of ups and downs – fast-paced and highly inspiring life of  Billie Jean King is shown on the pages of this book dedicated to Billie Jean King’s ambitions to make tennis a more equal and inclusive kind of sport.

Authors : Billie Jean King, Johnette Howard, Maryanne Vollers

Publishing House : Knopf

Publication Date : August 2021

An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the Equality Champion that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism and ongoing commitment to equity and social justice.

“A story about the personal strength, immense growth and undeniable greatness of a woman who courageously resisted a culture that was trying to destroy her.” — Serena Williams

In this fiery tale, Billie Jean King details the journey of her life to find her true self. She recounts her career as an avant-garde tennis player: six years as the world’s first woman, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand slam titles and her decisive defeat against Bobby Riggs in the famous «Battle of the Sexes». She recalls with emotion the cultural context of these years and the profound impact on her vision of the world of the women’s movement, the assassinations and demonstrations against the war of the 1960s, the civil rights movement and, and finally, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She describes the myriad of challenges she faced—a deep-rooted sexism, an eating disorder, an almost imminent financial risk after being denounced—to publicly and unequivocally acknowledge her gender identity at the age of 51. She says that her life today remains a tireless service. It offers ideas 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. Her story is one of a pioneering feminist, world-class athlete and indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sport.