BIOGRAPHY

41-Love

by Scarlett Thomas
Counterpoint. Dec. 2021. 384p. ISBN 9781640094765. $27. MEMOIR
COPY ISBN
Tennis, anyone? Thomas’s (Oligarchy; The Seed Collectors)) new work, a memoir about finding tennis again in mid-life and the accompanying rush of competitive spirit, may be a bit of a departure for fans of her fiction. However, her own coming-of-age story is written in the style of her novels, and the author’s characteristic acerbic wit shines through. The memoir will thus be a joy to Thomas’s fans but might be off-putting to those uninterested in her upper-middle-class lifestyle and her indulgence in jealousy, complaints, and criticism of self and others. But will this same string of negative thinking challenge the author to reconsider her priorities? Thomas’s writing is darkly funny at times, and she brings readers along as she navigates the death of her beloved dog and caring for her aging parents.
VERDICT Most readers will need to have a keen interest in playing tennis to appreciate this memoir’s focus but they might be rewarded with a meditation on the psychology behind a tennis obsession.
Reviewed by Kelly Karst, California Inst. of Integral Studies, San Francisco , Nov 19, 2021
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NONFICTION

Queen Victoria and Her Prime Ministers: Her Life, the Imperial Ideal, and the Politics and Turmoil That Shaped Her Extraordinary Reign
by Somerset, Anne
NONFICTION

Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings
by Chisholm, Shirley
NONFICTION

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England’s Greatest Warrior King
by Jones, Dan
NONFICTION

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music
by Sheffield, Rob
NONFICTION

Martin Van Buren: America’s First Politician
by Bradley, James M.
MEDIA

Prisoner of Lies: Jack Downey’s Cold War
by Werth, Barry
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?