A Handful Of Summers - Hardcover

Forbes, Gordon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 083174362X ISBN 13: 9780831743628

Publisher: Mayflower Books, 1978

Synopsis

The hilarious, classic memoir of the international tennis circuit."A Handful of Summers" is a delightfully uninhibited insider's account of tennis on the international circuit in the fifties and sixties -- both on and off court -- in the glory days of Fred Perry, Roy Emerson, and Virginia Wade.Forbes begins with his childhood on a farm in South Africa, where he learned to play tennis on a gravel court. His game takes him to Europe, as a South African Davis Cup player, and finally to Wimbledon. Along the way he cavorts with extraordinary characters among the world-class players, including a young Billy Jean King and Rod Laver -- and their tales, and his, shine throughout this irresistibly witty memoir. A cult classic among tennis aficionados when it was first published in the United States, it is a current bestseller in South Africa.

About this title

From the Back Cover

A classic memoir, 'A Handful of Summers' is the hilarious account of the tennis travels of South African doubles partnership George Forbes and Abe Segal, and of the riotous characters who populated the amateur tennis world in the 50s and 60s as it stumbled towards professionalism. Full of superb anecdotes, bursting with vitality and humour, and written with unflagging zest and panache, it is a unique dressing-room view of the tennis world.

'A riotously extroverted memoir. I can't get out of my mind some of the funny series that Mr Forbes paints'
CHRISTOPHER LEHMANN-HAUPT 'New York Times'

'Mesmerising, the most jingly-jangly hilarious sporting memoir that can ever have been written'
GUARDIAN

'If you want to know what it is like to play on the tour, read 'A Handful of Summers'‘
ROD LAVER

'Forbes spares few, least of all himself, in this honest, at times hilarious, at times almost whimsical, account of the weird and wonderful world of the tennis star'
SUNDAY TIMES

'Rollicking, outrageous, raucous and riveting – I laughed my head off'
SUNDAY EXPRESS

About the Author

Gordon Forbes played tennis for the South African Davis Cup team in the 50s and early 60s and returned to the circuit as a writer and observer.

Edition details

• Publisher: Mayflower Books
• Publication date: 1978
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 083174362X
• ISBN 13: 9780831743628
• Binding: Hardcover