World Famous Comics: Tennis Shorts: Great Writing on Tennis and Life
Tennis Shorts: Great Writing on Tennis and Life
From: Citadel Publisher: Citadel Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Citadel Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 288 Publication Date: June 07, 2005
A Game of Life "Tennis Shorts" is not only for lovers of the game. Adam Sexton, an avid tennis fan himself, has compiled a book with twenty-two stories about tennis. Who knew that so many well known authors (including Sexton) had written about tennis? The thing is, "Tennis Shorts" is not just about tennis. It's about life. And tennis. And how the game has so many metaphors for what life has in store for people. The stories are peopled with characters of all ages- men and women, girls and boys. Humor, tragedy, family relationships, sex, marriage, divorce, power struggles, cultural influences. The variety of life experiences as told via these tennis stories makes the book unique. In "Crooked Little Heart" Anne Lamott shows her reader the meanness that lies in the heart of a fiercely competitive teenage tennis star who is threatened with defeat by a no name. Emmeline Chang's "Forty Love" is narrated by a 30 year old son who comes to see his ailing father for the first time in ten years. The dialogue between father and son is convincing enough to bring the reader to tears at the tragedy of this hurtful relationship. In "The Man from Mars" Margaret Atwood regales her reader with the quirky interactions between a bizarre "foreign" man and the woman he stalks. The only reference to tennis is a racquet and and a white tennis outfit. But when the story is over those are details that the reader will recall. There are stories where tennis IS the story in all its technical detail (Sarah Totton's "Match Point") and others where tennis is a prop or a background as in John Updike's brilliant "Separating" about the dissolution of a marriage. One of my personal favorites is Sexton's "Strokes". Details of people- their mannerisms and gestures, and vivid descriptions of places and objects abound. The story is about tennis; and so much more. "Tennis Shorts" is a must read for anyone who fancies the game and for everybody else who enjoys great short stories.
Love all I would have mixed views on this collection of Tennis stories.The Book is cleverly divided into 5 sections and the Mixed/Doubles is excellent but the Sudden Death stories are weak .Paul Theroux is good on a Japanese player described as a freeloader.Sarah Totton andMartin Amis also excel but the whole collection could have done with some pruning before the final set.
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