reading: Nabokov, Stein, France, tennis, babies….

IMG_5337

Baby Meets World: Suck, Smile, Touch, Toddle, Nicholas Day – Babies are fascinating, and this provides much evidence to support that. Myth debunking, history of oft misguided babycare, multicultural perspective, weird/cool data.

Strokes of Genius:Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, L. Jon Wertheim – Outlines in elaborate detail, with superb orientation, the 2008 men’s Wimbledon final. I haven’t read that much sports writing, admittedly, but I think this is great sports writing. I was already into tennis when I read this…and it got me more into tennis.

Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle, Nabokov – Nabokov improves your vocabulary and forces you into new cerebral flexibility. I think he is phenomenal.

Paris France, Gertrude Stein – Lately I will give just about any book on France a go. This is good (many of them are not good), sort of slippery and fluid and fast-reading, though her style gets in your head. Weirdly I am reading a lot about France and babies. And babies in France.

On Lies, Secrets, and Silence, Adrienne Rich – This is a collection of searching and riveting essays, all to do somehow or another with women and feminism. So many beautiful and true moments in this. Recommend.

acquisitions: Adidas Duramo tennis watch

Wanted a watch suitable for exercising–really, for tennis– and opted for this one: the Duramo from the Adidas Performance line.

IMG_3200

 

I may also run in it, theoretically (most of the running I do doesn’t get beyond the theoretical stage), but it will be basically devoted to tennis. There are a number of variations on this design, different colors, with a round face instead of a square face…but this was the one I liked best: bright, quick and simple to read, relatively clean design (for a sporty watch). I often find a like Adidas designs, they have some great tenniswear, too. Imagine this watch with a white wristband and this Wilson dress I got recently:

WWFSSD-BL-1

 

Will definitely have to do some posts on tenniswear when it warms up. It’s probably 70% of why I play tennis.