2016
WISE Score
Amazon
Forget the physics—this is about the soul of tennis. Wallace writes about the court like it’s a cathedral and Roger Federer is the priest.
4.6
4.6View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
If your kid thinks reading is a chore, this won't change their mind—it's heavy lifting. But if they love tennis and have a brain that moves at a hundred miles an hour, this is their Bible.
Wallace doesn't talk down to his readers; he assumes you're as smart as he is, which is a rare thing in sports writing. It’s brilliant, it’s dryly funny, and it’ll make them better writers just by osmosis. It's the opposite of brain rot; it's a high-protein meal for the mind.
Best for ages 14 and up. This is for the high schooler who is starting to get 'serious' about their sport or their English lit class. It's too heavy for most middle schoolers.
It celebrates the discipline, grit, and near-spiritual focus required for elite athletics without the typical 'win-at-all-costs' toxicity.
Wallace finds beauty and complex geometry in a simple tennis match, describing physical movement with an almost surreal, inventive precision.
It is a collection of literary essays. While the vocabulary is sophisticated and there may be very occasional adult cynicism or mild language, there is zero graphic content.
This is a masterclass in observation and prose. It encourages readers to look deeper at things they take for granted, like the physics of a ball or the psychology of a pro athlete.
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