Product Description

At the age of eleven Frank Bruno was sent to reform school. At thirty-three he was crowned heavyweight champion of the world. At forty-one he was committed to a psychiatric hospital. Now, he's back - with his real story...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #128522 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
'Frank Bruno has a special place in the hearts of the British public...This cannot have been an easy book to write, but the result is just right: always entertaining, uplifting and touching. It leaves the reader hoping that life has no more uppercuts to deliver to Big Frank.', Daily Telegraph .'Outstanding ... The story of Bruno's ongoing battle to rejoin those of us fortunate enough to have escaped mental health problems is sheerly inspirational', Ian Wooldridge, Daily Mail .'The old Frank is back, talking about his experience with humour and wry insight', Richard Madeley, Daily Express .'Nice one, Frank', Sunday Times .'Frank Bruno's journey through mental breakdown to recovery has inspired many who before now have been afraid to face their mental illness and accept they need help. By writing about it so powerfully, Frank has shown that he is not only a courageous boxer but also a heroic fighter.', Marjorie Wallace, chief executive for the mental health charity SANE,

From the Publisher
The autobiography of a great athlete, and the story of a man who has been right to the top and right to the very bottom

About the Author
Kevin Mitchell has written for the Observer for many years, and was Sports Journalist of the Year 2000.

Customer Reviews

What a legend!
This book is incredibly brave, and shows just what a tough time Frank has had, not just since his mental illness but really through his whole life - he's a true fighter. It's also a really positive book showing that although it's still a struggle, he's taking each day as it comes and keeping himself happy. And the best thing of all, is that the book is such a good read! I found myself going to bed at about 3 in the morning as I just couldn't put it down. It grips you from page one as he tells about how it felt to be sectioned under the mental health act, and then keeps your attention as you read about his childhood, his experiences with drugs and also his marriage. The stuff on boxing is really good as well - really exciting to read. Highly recommended!

A challenge to prejudiced perceptions about mental illness
Frank Bruno was the acceptable face of boxing for a whole generation: a lovable, huggable bear of a man who was as known for his sharp suits, witty one-liners and general charm as much as for his incredible career in the boxing ring. When in 2003 he was detained, or 'sectioned', under the Mental Health Act the popular press reacted with typical lack of understanding, the Sun calling him 'Bonkers Bruno'.

At the beginning of 'Fighting Back' Bruno describes candidly what it was like to be sectioned and to be held against his will for 28 days and how he came to accept that he can get help with his bipolar affective disorder though therapy and medication. For this chapter alone, the book is worth reading. Not only is he extremely brave to talk about his condition - by his own admission braver than any boxing match - he also uses his celebrity to challenge prejudiced perceptions of mental illness as something to be hidden away, not understood or made fun of.

His account of his ascent though the world of amateur and professional boxing to become heavyweight champion of the world describes the athleticism, skill and brutality of what if takes to be a fighter. Despite the blow-by-blow accounts of his fights, the overwhelming impression you are left with is of a gentle, well-mannered man; we only get a hint of the fire that drove him in the boxing ring. Bruno struggles to describe the drive that boxers have to fight in circumstances that would end almost anyone else in hospital! I was left wondering whether coming to terms with this mostly hidden fighting instinct after retiring as a boxer was partly behind Bruno's struggle with mental illness.

A thoroughly recommended and enjoyable read and a brave counter to prejudice and lack of understanding about mental illness.

Frank:Fighting Back
I found this a frank and honest insight,(sorry for the pun.) If your a boxing fan or just a fan of Frank Bruno, it's an excellent read. He takes you on his journey from childhood to boxing hero to ridicule through his darkest days, to his life today and happiness with his children!!