Book Review: Faster than Lightning: My Autobiography by Usain Bolt

My rating - 4 of 5 stars
Published by - Harper Collins
Publishing year - 2013
Language - English
Genre - Autobiography
ISBN - 978-0007371419

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My Review -

Usain Bolt, I guess everyone heard his name once in their life. He is a living legend for many people and is also known as the fastest man on Earth. It's his autobiography in which he told how he wins races and smashes records one by one. The untold truth of his life and his journey from teenage sensation to international superstar was described in this book.

Usain's home was Coxeath, a small village in Jamaica. He was a mommy's boy and hated to see her upset. His father was a traditional and rigorous man. However, he believed in manners and respect all the time. Due to his father's teachings, Usain learns to respect everyone even if they disrespect you. There are so many incidents from his childhood in this book, which is well portrayed, and his first coach was his family dog, Brownie.

Since childhood Usain has wanted to become a cricket player but destiny brought him to track. However, he never took running seriously in school until he won a few championships and got a sports scholarship at William Knibb High School. Still, after that, he started bunking his class and sessions, which led him to low grades, and all the teachers and former Olympic sprinter Pablo McNeil tried to explain the importance of training to him. 

Every athlete needs motivation and a good coach. In Usain's case, money becomes his motivation, and Coach Mills is responsible for making him a legend on the track. The more he wins, the more he earns through advertisement. He was only 15 when he won CARIFTA games in Nassau, and the crowd suddenly started screaming, 'Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!' and he got his nickname from there. After winning World Junior Championship, he was flashing on everybody's radar, but there were distractions too.

Every athlete has up and down in his career and deals with injuries. He also faces this even there was a moment when people started hating him because he lost. But he works hard, and with determination or the proper guidance of his coach, he won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He set a new world record with 9.69 seconds in 100 meters and showed his signature pose. To know one's real aim is fundamental. 

Usain learns this after his accident in 2009. But life is tricky, and records are meant to be broken. Other sprinters give tough competition to him like Tyson, Asafa, and Blake, but Usain beat them and made it clear that no one can beat him. He also won a gold medal in 100 meters race at the 2012 London Olympics game.

He sounds arrogant or self-centered at some point, but I guess it's not entirely true because he is a global phenomenon and an undisputed superstar athlete. But media and other athletes, from time to time, question his ability to win. Usain proved them wrong by winning so many titles. There were so many people behind his success. 

There was some insight into a player's life and overcoming fear and proving themselves to the world. This is one of my favorite autobiographies to date. I know his fans will definitely read this because it's perfect to know a living legend's life story, and I would recommend this to everyone. 

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