Drama, Drinks and Double Faults is a humorous celebration of the personalities, rituals, and absurdities that occupy recreational tennis. This book was written by Mary Moses, a former junior player who returned to the sport as an adult. It was published in 2014 and is long out of print. I only became aware of it within the past week, when I spotted it as part of the decor at a local tennis club, where I was playing a match. I was immediately hooked by the title.
The structure is simple and functional. The left page of each spread includes a popular quote that illuminates or bears some relevance to the topic. The right-facing page contains a short essay or vignette that offers humorous and often sharp observations on recreational tennis culture. The format makes the book easy to pick up and browse, though it isn’t long at all, and I finished reading it in a single short sitting.
As evidence that this book hit its intended mark, I felt compelled to read several passages aloud to the Trophy Husband. The fact that he laughed out loud at each of these is a ringing endorsement.
This book can be thought of as a catalog of women’s recreational tennis personality types. Players will immediately recognize many of them in their own leagues and social circles. In fact, I found myself mentally associating categories with people in my orbit on every page. I should observe that I would have a few additional personality types to add if this book is ever revitalized for a second edition.
For the record, I am probably closest to “The Closet Addict,” although more on the addict side than the closet. I suspect that maintaining a public daily tennis blog for well over five years disqualifies me from operating under the radar, which was a defining element of that archetype.
An especially entertaining touch is that each tennis personality type is later paired with a cocktail recipe. I appreciated the creativity of that approach, even if it occasionally reinforced the stereotype that recreational tennis and post-match beverages are deeply intertwined activities. I suppose I am now obligated to try the cocktail associated with my category, even though I am pretty much a straight wine girl.
What makes the book work is its understanding of its audience, such as it is. Moses is clearly writing from within the culture rather than observing it from a distance. The humor lands because it is rooted in recognizable truths. League tennis is competitive, social, dramatic, occasionally ridiculous, and frequently entertaining. Most players will certainly have encountered some version of the personalities described here.
Ultimately, Drama, Drinks and Double Faults is not a book that will improve your serve, sharpen your tactics, or help you win your next match. It is simply a fun read about the culture that surrounds the sport that so many of us love.
Unfortunately, this book is not available on Kindle, and since it is long out of print, anyone who wants it will have to hit the second-hand book market. I was able to find a used copy at a very reasonable price, and I am happy to report that it was absolutely worth what I paid. If you happen to come across one at a reasonable used-book price, it is definitely worth picking up.
There are plenty of tennis books that teach us how to play. The market is flooded with titles that tell us about the history of our sport. This one reminds us why recreational tennis can be so much fun. We definitely need more books in that category.
Drama, Drinks and Double Faults (<- Sponsored Link)
Fiend At Court participates in the Amazon Associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article. Details on the disposition of proceeds are available on the “About Fiend at Court” page.
