A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played
Language: English
Published by Crown, 2009
- Hardcover
- Used

Seller: De Boeken van Wouter, Amsterdam, Nederland, NetherlandsDe Boeken van Wouter
AbeBooks seller since March 26, 2025
Condition: Used - Good
£ 29.99
Quantity: 1 available
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Please note: below is a general description of how we classify our condition types. If you would like a closer look or have any specific questions, please feel free to send us a message, and we will gladly check it for you. Condition descriptions: UsedlikeNew: Barely any signs of use, almost like new. UsedGood: May show some light signs of use, such as slight discoloration or a name written on the front endpaper, but generally no markings or notes in the text. UsedAcceptable: Book in acceptable condition. May show signs of use, such as some discoloration, reading creases in the spine, underlining, notes, slight dirt on edges, dog-eared pages, or a bent spine. New: Book is new. Z 3-6 210319.
Seller Inventory # 9780307393944
- Title
- A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played
- Author
- Fisher, Marshall Jon
- Publisher
- Crown
- Publication year
- 2009
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0307393941
- ISBN 13
- 9780307393944
But the match’s significance extended well beyond the immaculate grass courts of Wimbledon. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the brink of World War II, one man played for the pride of his country while the other played for his life. Budge, the humble hard-working American who would soon become the first man to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year, vied to keep the Davis Cup out of the hands of the Nazi regime. On the other side of the net, the immensely popular and elegant von Cramm fought Budge point for point knowing that a loss might precipitate his descent into the living hell being constructed behind barbed wire back home.
Born into an aristocratic family, von Cramm was admired for his devastating good looks as well as his unparalleled sportsmanship. But he harbored a dark secret, one that put him under increasing Gestapo surveillance. And his situation was made even more perilous by his refusal to join the Nazi Party or defend Hitler. Desperately relying on his athletic achievements and the global spotlight to keep him out of the Gestapo’s clutches, his strategy was to keep traveling and keep winning. A Davis Cup victory would make him the toast of Germany. A loss might be catastrophic.
Watching the mesmerizingly intense match from the stands was von Cramm’s mentor and all-time tennis superstar Bill Tilden–a consummate showman whose double life would run in ironic counterpoint to that of his German pupil.
Set at a time when sports and politics were inextricably linked, A Terrible Splendor gives readers a courtside seat on that fateful day, moving gracefully between the tennis match for the ages and the dramatic events leading Germany, Britain, and America into global war. A book like no other in its weaving of social significance and athletic spectacle, this soul-stirring account is ultimately a tribute to the strength of the human spirit.
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About the Author
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De Boeken van Wouter
Amsterdam, Nederland, Netherlands
AbeBooks seller since March 26, 2025
Shipping rates from Netherlands to U.S.A.
| Item | 7 to 45 business days | 5 to 25 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 38.59 | £ 54.88 |
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We are a professional second-hand bookstore from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We believe in the second-life of books. In our wide range we have both rare and less rare books. However, for us, every book is equally special.
Specialty
All kinds of second hand booksSeller's business information
Wolk Media en Entertainment
Maasstraat, 81A
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1078HG
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