A People's History of Tennis

A suffragette plot to burn down Wimbledon, Jewish quotas at your local tennis club, All England Married Couples Championships - you think you know tennis and then along comes this compelling little gem by David Berry, positing a progressive social history of the sport that surprises and delights. Hugely enjoyable and highly informative - David Cohen, Investigations Editor at the London Evening Standard David Berry's delightfully gossipy book delves into the personal histories of tennis players famous and unknown. He lovingly charts the progress of the game since its beginnings in the Victorian period and explains why so many people, players and spectators, love it - Elizabeth Wilson, author of 'Love Game: A History of Tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon' This antidote to cream teas and privilege celebrates tennis and its enthusiasts through the sport's hitherto silenced stories. A great read - Kath Woodward 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 'A suffragette plot to burn down Wimbledon, Jewish quotas at your local tennis club, All England Married Couples Championships - you think you know tennis and then along comes this compelling little gem by David Berry, positing a progressive social history of the sport that surprises and delights. Hugely enjoyable and highly informative.'--David Cohen, Investigations Editor at the London Evening Standard 'David Berry's delightfully gossipy book delves into the personal histories of tennis players famous and unknown. He lovingly charts the progress of the game since its beginnings in the Victorian period and explains why so many people, players and spectators, love it.'--Elizabeth Wilson author of 'Love Game: A History of Tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon'