Love game a history of tennis, from Victorian pastime to global phenomenon

Tennis is defined by its head games, its demands for physical prowess, and its plethora of outsized personalities. It mixes chess and dance, intellectual geometry and aesthetic joy. People who love tennis love it like few others love other sports. Some fans build their lives around the calendar of t...

Full description

Main Author: Wilson, Elizabeth, 1936- (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, [2014]
Subjects:
Summary: Tennis is defined by its head games, its demands for physical prowess, and its plethora of outsized personalities. It mixes chess and dance, intellectual geometry and aesthetic joy. People who love tennis love it like few others love other sports. Some fans build their lives around the calendar of tourneys, and events like Wimbledon and the U.S. Open remain, year after year, popular and well attended. Wilsons captivating cultural history embraces the rich and intertwining stories of the sport, and tells the story of its evolution from upper-middle-class hobby to global TV spectacle. Wilson marshals and conveys all the passion for a game known for its players grunting, growling, sweating, and pursuit of sweet spots. No wonder, as Wilson says, each match starts with love.
Physical Description: viii, 342 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 9780226371283 (hardcover)
022637128X (cloth : alk. paper)
Author Notes: Elizabeth Wilson is a professor of cultural studies at the University of North London. She has published several books, including The Sphinx in the City and Hallucinations: Life in the Post-Modern City.

(Bowker Author Biography)