René Lacoste is one of the most iconic tennis players in the history of the sport. His tenacity on the court earned him the nickname “The Crocodile” and that image became the logo of the brand that still bears his name. He was one of the French “Four Musketeers” that dominated international tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Lacoste was also a prolific inventor of tennis related technology.
The book René Lacoste was written and compiled by Laurence Benaim, a French journalist. Technically it is a biography, but it more closely resembles a scrap book. Photos, handwritten notes, and drawings are interspersed with essays about Lacoste at various stages of his life. In a larger form factor, I would categorize it as a coffee table book, but with more writing.
Reading isn’t exactly the word that describes the process of consuming the material presented on Lacoste in this work. The photos are stylish and visually appealing. Their presence increases the impact of the text. The result is an experience of “Wow” interspersed with genuinely illuminating information.
Until a copy of René Lacoste first hit my hands, I was unaware that he was a prolific note taker who produced extensive strategic and philosophic analysis on competing in tennis. His business correspondence included in this book reveals how technically oriented his involvement was in the creation of the iconic Lacoste Crocodile shirt.
As an inventor, Lacoste created a hand cranked ball machine that was described in “Rene Lacoste’s Ball Machine.” He also held the patent for the first tubular steel tennis racquet that was marketed in the United States by Wilson. He was an engineer at heart who also loved tennis.
René Lacoste is the kind of book that you own and leave out as a conversation piece. It would also make a terrific gift for any tennis enthusiast. It is eclectic, fun, and artistic. I absolutely loved it.
 | René Lacoste |
