Product Description

Cricketer Paul Smith's life fell apart after he received a drugs ban in 1996, which effectively ended his career. He was made a scapegoat and still believes he was singled-out while several other, favoured players were allowed to continue their careers. Paul lost his house, his marriage, his children and, of course, his job. How does a man come back from that? In this extraordinary autobiography, Paul Smith tells the story of the rock star lifestyle of a top cricketer, who produced Man of the Match performances at Lord's to help Warwickshire to an unprecedented domestic treble of trophies, which set him on the slippery slope to oblivion. He then describes the torment of being an outcast, losing everything and facing the stark choice of how to go on. This is a modern morality tale with no holds barred and no quarters given as Paul reveals the incredible sexual attraction that goes with being a sports star, his descent into drug taking, the hero-worship that fans gave him after his match-winning performances made Warwickshire the 'Manchester United of Cricket' and how he struggled to cope with this heady and potent mix of adulation and demands on his time, body and emotional energy. And how, eventually his life fell apart. But Paul found redemption by using his own incredible experiences to inspire inner city kids in both the UK and the USA to reject modern temptations such as drugs, violence and guns. His work is testament to how he has turned his own remarkable life around. He now works for the Prince's Trust in Britain and with downtown youths in LA in tough, violent districts, where he is the only non-black allowed. And his methods of speaking to the kids about how he nearly ruined his life are working. Nearly 50 per cent fewer of those he spends time with in LA carry guns. This book affirms that it is possible for a bad apple to turn good again with mental strength, positivity and a hell of a lot of honesty.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #174815 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Review
The best sports book I have ever read. --John Richardson, BBC News 24

The only ordinary thing about Smith is his name and he has just written an outrageous autobiography, Wasted?, which is compelling reading. It is shocking, maddening, scatological and - no pun intended - disjointed. It is not so much kiss and tell as kiss, have casual sex, get stoned, drunk, divorced, unemployed, homeless, penniless and tell; and it would make Dorian Gray blush. But in recent years this most dissolute of sportsmen has proved that he is also a decent human being. Smith has found redemption by using cricket to transform the lives of homeless, hopeless youngsters in Los Angeles and working for the Prince's Trust in Birmingham. --Paul Weaver, The Guardian

This book is absolutely fascinating. I don't think I'll read another book like this all year. --Eleanor Oldroyd, BBC Radio FiveLive

Eleanor Oldroyd, BBC Radio FiveLive
This book is absolutely fascinating. I don't think I'll read
another book like this all year

Jamie Reid, BBC Radio Kent
A great read

Customer Reviews

When vices become habits
This is a long way from the standard cricket biogs I grew up with in the 50s/60s, or the instant-celeb stuff we get now. Its a very honest & direct account of Paul Smith's rise, fall & redemption. Even given the eccentricities of English selection at the time, its amazing that he never played for his country (apart from Hong Kong 6's!). Presumably he didn't appeal to the roundhead mentality in charge at the time.

The book has a written/spoken from the heart quality - quite often Paul's stories don't reflect that well on him, but he carries on anyway. Quite a large part of the story is in a similar vein to Graham Thorpe's recent book - it's raw, emotional stuff & nothing is left out, whether its his pain at not seeing his kids enough or his loathing of Keith Piper.

For those of us who've played the game but never got beyond the village green, its good to read abt the kind of dedication - from a very young age - thats required to make it to the top. It's interesting, too, to read an inside take on the Warwickshire side of the 90's & his views on Lara & Woolmer (totally positive).

A large part of the book is taken up with his work with cricket as a healing & organising force for disaffected youth, here & in the US. I found some of this very moving. Ultimately its what sport should be about - bringing people together.

The book isn't perfect. Personally I hated the BIG TYPEFACE, but that's a minor quibble. The narrative is a bit hard to follow at times, as PS tends to be rather freeform in his recollections - at times I thought he'd been using Wm Burroughs' "Cut Up" method! But rather this than the old sports biog template ("Schooldays", "My World XI", etc).

Paul Smith's account of how success led to arrogance, complacency & despair will shows similarities to Tony Adams' story in "Addicted", particularly in identifying the subtle transition from indulgence to addiction. Like Adams, PS has been able to turn his mistakes into a positive force.

Next time someone says cricket is boring, just give 'em this book!

So much more than a cricket book
Whilst the many laudotory press reviews I have seen of this book tend to focus (perhaps not surprisingly given that they are generally reviewed by sports writers) on the shocking elements of Paul's brutally honest story as it relates to drug use and the playboy lifestyles endemic within the domestic game, this book has so much more to offer; a man with the world at his feet who threw everything away only to find salvation helping kids on the other side of the world.
A fresh, honest and courageous book both moving and entertaining, and the closest book I have read to showing the world of club cricket as I suspect it really is.

A cracking read
As an average 'Saturday' cricketer for many years this book appealed to me for the cricketing content of life as a pro in the first class game.

However this was hardly your typical runs diary or results almanac, Smith was arguably the best player never to have played for England, his life on and off the field was turbulent to say the least.

At times when reading wasted I didn't know whether to laugh or cry for Paul, a totally compelling and riveting read.

The story when Paul joined the mile high club had me in stitches, I sincerley hope Paul has got rid of his demons and continues his great work with disadvantaged kids for the Princes trust and the Cricket without boundaries charity.