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David Foster Wallace
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On Tennis: Five Essays Kindle Edition

by David Foster Wallace (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 203 ratings
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From the author of Infinite Jest and Consider the Lobster: a collection of five brilliant essays on tennis, from the author's own experience as a junior player to his celebrated profile of Roger Federer at the peak of his powers. 

A "long-time rabid fan of tennis," and a regionally ranked tennis player in his youth, David Foster Wallace wrote about the game like no one else. On Tennis presents David Foster Wallace's five essays on the sport, published between 1990 and 2006, and hailed as some of the greatest and most innovative sports writing of our time.

This lively and entertaining collection begins with Wallace's own experience as a prodigious tennis player ("Derivative Sport in Tornado Alley"). He also challenges the sports memoir genre ("How Tracy Austen Broke My Heart"), takes us to the US Open ("Democracy and Commerce at the U.S. Open"), and profiles of two of the world's greatest tennis players ("Tennis Player Michael Joyce's Professional Artistry as a Paradigm of Certain Stuff About Choice, Freedom, Limitation, Joy, Grotesquerie, and Human Completeness" and "Federer Both Flesh and Not").

With infectious enthusiasm and enormous heart, Wallace's writing shows us the beauty, complexity, and brilliance of the game he loved best.
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  1. Print length
    99 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Little, Brown and Company
  5. Publication date
    June 24, 2014
  6. File size
    852 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00FPQA7BG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (June 24, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 24, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 852 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 99 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 203 ratings

About the author

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David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace

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David Foster Wallace wrote the acclaimed novels Infinite Jest and The Broom of the System and the story collections Oblivion, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, and Girl With Curious Hair. His nonfiction includes the essay collections Consider the Lobster and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, and the full-length work Everything and More.  He died in 2008.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
203 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style great and the content interesting. They also describe the book as a nice read.

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Writing styleContentEnjoyability
7 customers mention "Writing style"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style great, lyrical, and clever. They also say the acronyms are funny at times.

"...His sheer skill at writing, his keen observation and use of language make these essays riveting. I couldn't recommend them more highly...." Read more

"The writing is so good the subject doesn’t really matter. But the subject, that the writer clearly loves, comes alive in theses pages...." Read more

"I like his writing style. Very good wordsmith to convey his meaning" Read more

"Great writing. Very interesting material. Federer is a hero. Wallace is an admirer." Read more

4 customers mention "Content"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the content interesting, clever, and funny. They also appreciate the author's skill at writing, keen observation, and use of language.

"...His sheer skill at writing, his keen observation and use of language make these essays riveting. I couldn't recommend them more highly...." Read more

"...I loved his stories of Michael Joyce .Interesting takes on the top pros of tennis.Saddened to learn of the author’s passing in 2008." Read more

"Great writing. Very interesting material. Federer is a hero. Wallace is an admirer." Read more

"Lovely writing and interesting observations." Read more

3 customers mention "Enjoyability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a nice read and brilliant.

"...knew nothing about tennis would none the less be engaging and enjoyable to read...." Read more

"Nice read." Read more

"Pretty good..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Elizabeth Naidoff
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
If I had to pick the best tennis book I have ever read, it would be this one. Wallace is an amazingly creative and inventive writer who can make the smallest details fascinating. His unique writing style with it's long sentences, unusual use of vocabulary and acronyms is both lyrical and clever and funny at times. These five essays stand alone and are linked through his particular interests which even if one knew nothing about tennis would none the less be engaging and enjoyable to read. His sheer skill at writing, his keen observation and use of language make these essays riveting. I couldn't recommend them more highly. Treat yourself and explore this genius if you don't know his works.
8 people found this helpful
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xhighbar
4.0 out of 5 stars insightful read
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2023
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I liked his stories of junior tennis. It took some time to get used to his heavy use of words that made me grateful for “ highlight and get instant dictionary “. I loved his stories of Michael Joyce .
Interesting takes on the top pros of tennis.
Saddened to learn of the author’s passing in 2008.
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mathete5
5.0 out of 5 stars Wallace's writing is the treat here. I read elsewhere ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2017
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Wallace's writing is the treat here. I read elsewhere a description of him as "the Federer of writing." It's appropriate. Gracefully reflecting on life itself, on the geometry of the midwestern land where he learned to play, and how that land and its winds enhanced his own "near-great" play. He aces each essay.
One person found this helpful
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A part time prof
5.0 out of 5 stars Great subject great writer.
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2019
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The writing is so good the subject doesn’t really matter. But the subject, that the writer clearly loves, comes alive in theses pages. A great talent.
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actress1
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015
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I liked this. I'm not an avid tennis player not do I play at all but the writing dragged me in and I learned a lot about the beauty and mathematics of the game.
2 people found this helpful
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Richard Bennett
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017
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I like his writing style. Very good wordsmith to convey his meaning
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Linda A. Pelc
5.0 out of 5 stars Great writing. Very interesting material
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2017
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Great writing. Very interesting material. Federer is a hero. Wallace is an admirer.
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Actionable Intentions
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic quick-reading essays
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2015
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Fantastic quick-reading essays. DFW had a command of the English language that was pretty well staggering. His insight into the world and play of tennis is great for players and non-players alike. A little footnote heavy, but the footnotes ended up being great reads, as well.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Shibashish
5.0 out of 5 stars If you love tennis
Reviewed in India on July 26, 2020
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Very few people have written so affectionately and with so much detail about this lovely game. If you have played it, you will get goose bumps and smiles throughout...
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Ninon Laforce
2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
Reviewed in Canada on February 8, 2017
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It is written in an interesting way but I miss the point of some of the essays.
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Peer Sylvester
5.0 out of 5 stars Tolles Buch über Tennis (Und Profisport)
Reviewed in Germany on July 29, 2016
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David Foster Wallace war nicht nur ein begnadeter Autor (Infinite Jest), sondern auch begabter Tennisspieler in seiner Jugend. In fünf Essays schrieb er über den Sport und diese fübf Essays sind hier zusammengefasst:
Im ersten geht es primär um seine Erfahrungen als Jugendspieler. Dieses Essay war auch schon in "A supposingly fun thing I never do again" zu lesen (nicht in der deutschen Ausgabe allerdings).
Im zweiten geht es vordergründig um eine Biographie eines Tennisstars (Tracy Austen), wobei er generell über Sportbiographien und den Lebenslauf von Sportlern und deren Fähigkeiten sinniert.
Im dritten geht es um die US. Open, wobei der Schwerpunkt weniger auf den Spielen selbst liegt, sondern um die Veranstaltung - Um die Logistik, um das Essensangebot usw.
Im vierten geht es wieder um die US Open, diesmal liegt der Scwherpunkt aber eher auf den Qualifikationsturnier davor.
Im fünften geht es um Roger Federer und warum dieser ein so starker Tennisspieler ist.
Insgesamt geht Wallace immer auch auf das Tennisspiel selbst ein und erklärt hervorragend, was das Spiel ausmacht und warum Topspieler so gut sind, wie sich das Spiel entwickelt hat und wo der Unterschied zwischen Profis und Nichtprofis liegen. Das alles sind unglaublich gut geschriebene Erklärungen, die ich mir durchaus auch mal von Sportkommentatoren gewünscht hätte.
Auch sonst bleibt Wallace sich treu: Es sit durchweg toll geschrieben und immer mit einem humorvollen Unterton. Drei der Essays habe ich bereits mal gelesen, aber ich habe sie erneut gelesen, weil sie einfach so gut sind!
Wer sich für Tennis interessiert -und sei es als Laie und/oder Fernsehzuschauer, dem seien diese Essays ans Herz gelegt! Wann kommen sie mal auf deutsch??
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