Unbreakable: Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023

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As a detective story, the account can be ponderous, comprising false starts and complaints about relatives reluctant to revisit the past. As a portrait of life in a changing Ukraine, though, the narrative sparkles with details of rural life and Soviet-inherited bureaucratic absurdity. The denouement will be no surprise to anyone familiar with the horrors of Stalinism. Belim describes her family as having “survived more tragedies than should be allotted by fate”, a characterisation just as applicable to Ukraine itself. The Rooster House is a moving account of a still much-misunderstood country, given extra poignancy by the disaster now unfolding. Monster pieces calling for multiple soloists, a lusty chorus and an orchestra almost toppling off the stage... ★★★★☆

Ronnie O’Sullivan to a Ukrainian family memoir: new From Ronnie O’Sullivan to a Ukrainian family memoir: new

At 47, he’s been at the top of his game for longer than many of his peers. Yet it wasn’t an easy start for the former ‘bad boy’ of snooker, given his family history (his father was jailed for murder when O’Sullivan was 16) and his battles with drugs, alcohol and depression. I said, ‘I feel guilty sometimes for just enjoying the game, because I know it takes something away from being a winner. But if I tried to be a winner, I think I just wouldn't want to play anymore because it's too stressful at my age.’ He went, ‘you're doing the right thing. If you can just enjoy it and have fun.’” Now it feels a lot better: everyone is just in a better place. I just want to see her and her daughter [Rouass has a teenage daughter from a previous relationship] and her family, who are like my family, happy.” Reading this is like watching an O'Sullivan break: hypnotic, dazzling and impossible to tear yourself away from.' - STEPHEN FRYThe Tom he’s referring to is sports journalist and co-writer Tom Fordyce, and Ronnie admitted their love of running helped to build the bond before sitting down to write. Unfortunately for Francisco Garcia, last year the BBC ran a documentary and a podcast series revisiting the case, and so there is little in We All Go into the Dark that feels truly new: reclaiming the stories of the victims; the 1996 exhumation of the suspect John McInnes for DNA testing (spoiler: it wasn’t him); the possibility that Bible John was actually the serial killer Peter Tobin (a theory here discredited by the detective who caught Tobin). Most interesting are Garcia’s interviews with those directly involved in the case over the decades – crime reporters, detectives, a pathologist – and the underlying social history of how bogeymen come to be. O’Sullivan has been described as “the most naturally gifted player ever”. He was potting balls from age seven and had scored his first century by 10, beating all in his wake before turning professional at 16. What is it with prisons on TV at the moment? If it’s not Time sending you to bed petrified... Banged Up

Unbreakable by Ronnie O’Sullivan review — all hail the god of

It was all going swimmingly for these two and then last weekend, to put it bluntly, Sale and Gloucester got slapped. Let’s start with Sale. The 2023 runners-up put in one of their worst performances in recent memory as they were battered by Exeter Chiefs 43-0 — the first time Sale have been left pointless since a defeat... Sale Sharks v Gloucester I went to AA and NA. I learned about addiction and struggled for about three or four years, because I just couldn’t accept that I was an addict,” he says today. Marc writes (main picture): I specifically focused on the South Africa captain Siya Kolisi, far left, as he sung the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, as he sings with so much passion and emotion.

The Washington-born, Baltimore-based pianist Lafayette Gilchrist treads a very personal path, combining the stride and blues styles of the old school with the hip-hop and go-go funk rhythms of his youth. It’s a powerful blend, especially on this densely arranged sextet album of originals. Solid... Lafayette Gilchrist

Ronnie O’Sullivan tells Chris Evans how new book Unbreakable Ronnie O’Sullivan tells Chris Evans how new book Unbreakable

I’ve not mellowed, in that I’ve changed my personality, but I’ve learned to just not take myself too seriously. I’m much more philosophical.”He said: “That was the deal breaker for me, like writing a book I just had to trust, he knew what he was doing. Reaching a new stage in his snooker career, Ronnie admitted his love of the game, and his incredible talent, is beginning to outweighing his need to win. Frank Adamson, my first coach, for not spending more time with him in his later years. I feel bad about that.

Ronnie O’Sullivan has found balance and is taking care of How Ronnie O’Sullivan has found balance and is taking care of

In the new tome, Ronnie writes about his 31-year career, from being a teenage snooker prodigy and winning titles within a year of turning professional to becoming the greatest snooker player of all time and breaking world records.

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In the book, he says his worst times were between 1994-2000 and that rehab and running saved him, while the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Steps programme and a good sports psychiatrist have also helped.