Pressure is a Privilege (book review)

Measuring Up
Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I’ve Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes
Billie Jean King
LifeTime Media, 190 pp., $19.95
REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH WILLSE for the Star-Ledger
188 Words
January 4, 2009

On Sept. 20, 1973, Billie Jean King competed against Bobby Riggs in a hard-fought Battle of the Sexes. Her victory not only made tennis history, but marked the beginning of a new era for women in sports and society.

King uses that historic match as a pivot point to impart the lessons that tennis has taught her about life. Her welcoming, conversational prose invites readers to share her memories and apply what she has learned to their own personal goals.

Because King writes with such immediacy, this book will appeal to more than tennis fans. She visualized success as she practiced, studied Bobby Riggs’ playing style so she wouldn’t underestimate him, kept herself calm during the challenging match.

King also shares memories of her childhood, writing warmly of her close bond with her family, who made it a point to have dinner together every night.

Glimpses of King’s sense of humor keep her advice grounded and accessible. Unafraid to poke fun at her image, she rode a sedan chair into the media circus of the Battle of the Sexes. One of her lessons is the importance of perspective and humor.