title: Tennis and the Meaning of Life: A Literary Anthology of the Game
author:  Jay Jennings 
description: The only book of its kind, Tennis and the Meaning of Life is a resplendent collection of the best fiction (and poetry!) written about this extraordinary sport/obsession. The stories are hilarious and sad, whimsical and philosophical, lyrical and profane - and thoroughly saturated with the art of the game. Fathers play against sons. Business partners attempt mutual destruction by tennis. An amateur challenges the local pro. Humbert Humbert rhapsodizes about Lolita's heartbreakingly beautiful game. Tennis is played by telegraph. Tennis saves a life or two. The metaphysics of tennis balls is debated. Lovers cavort in a commingling of tennis and desire.
zlib_text: A People’s History of Tennis
  ‘Great news – playing tennis is not inconsistent with radical politics. This 
  is just one of the fascinating facts in this amazing history of our sport.’ 
  – Lord Richard Layard, Emeritus Professor of Economics 
  at the London School of Economics and co-author of 
  Thrive: The Power of Psychological Therapy
  ‘This antidote to cream teas and privilege celebrates tennis and its 
  enthusiasts through the sport’s hitherto silenced stories. A great read.’ 
  – Kath Woodward, Professor of Sociology, Open University 
  and author of Social Sciences: The Big Issues
  ‘We might think of lawn tennis as a sport of the privileged, but this 
  fascinating, beautifully written book reveals that in its 150-year history it 
  has been played with passion by women, lesbians and gays, ethnic 
  minorities and socialists alike.’ 
  – Lucy Bland, Professor of Social and Cultural History, 
  Anglia Ruskin University and author of Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’: 
  The Stories of Children Born to Black GIs 