William Skidelsky

Thought-provoking, instructive and highly readable. Positively gripping

Skidelsky is excellent at deconstructing the appeal of Federer … This is the kind of book that sports fans will read over the summer, sitting in their gardens or in the stands of the All England Club, with a bowl of strawberries near at hand. It is gentle and wise, discursive but pointed

With clarity he illuminates the champion’s striking position as both a preserver and innovator of the sport

A splendid deconstruction of Federer’s technique

Compelling. Its excellent chapters on the technical changes in the game, the rivalry with Nadal and the relationship between sport and beauty are well worth the admission money

Skidelsky also knows that Federer’s tennis is more than just Federer’s tennis; but for him it is not a metaphor, rather something which has been absorbed into the texture and meaning of his own life

Examines the evolution of modern tennis, the role of beauty in sport and the psychology of fandom

It’s a dry comic look at devotion to sport

This is tennis’s answer to Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch… The book is particularly strong on Federer’s place in tennis history

Very enjoyable biography-cum-autobiography...this is a good book. Skidelsky has a feel for words, for the length of sentences and for tennis. The “sporty one” has finally proved himself

Thought-provoking and beautifully written, Federer and Me is a frank, funny and touching account of one fan’s life

Skidelsky explores the evolution of modern tennis, the role of beauty in sport and the psychology of fandom, weaving his own past into the story

A Story of Obsession

A story of tennis, obsession and Roger Federer for tennis fans and the general reader alike. 
 
For much of the past decade, William Skidelsky has not been able to stop thinking about Roger Federer, the greatest and most graceful tennis player of all time. A devotion has been all-consuming. 
 
 
In Federer and Me, Skidelsky asks what it is about the Swiss star that transfixes him, and countless others. He dissects the wonders of his forehand, reflects on his rivalry with Nadal, revels in his victories and relives his most crushing defeats. 
 
 
But this is more than just a book about Federer. In charting his obsession, Skidelsky explores the evolution of modern tennis, the role of beauty in sport and the psychology of fandom, weaving his own past into the story. 
 
 
Thought-provoking and beautifully written, Federer and Me is a frank, funny and touching account of one fan's life. 
 
‘A splendid deconstruction of Federer’s technique’ Sunday Times

William Skidelsky

Praise for Federer and Me

Hilarious... Thought-provoking

Thought-provoking, instructive and highly readable. Positively gripping

Skidelsky is excellent at deconstructing the appeal of Federer … This is the kind of book that sports fans will read over the summer, sitting in their gardens or in the stands of the All England Club, with a bowl of ...

Hilarious... Thought-provoking

Thought-provoking, instructive and highly readable. Positively gripping

Skidelsky is excellent at deconstructing the appeal of Federer … This is the kind of book that sports fans will read over the summer, sitting in their gardens or in the stands of the All England Club, with a bowl of ...

Hilarious... Thought-provoking

Thought-provoking, instructive and highly readable. Positively gripping

Skidelsky is excellent at deconstructing the appeal of Federer … This is the kind of book that sports fans will read over the summer, sitting in their gardens or in the stands of the All England Club, with a bowl of ...

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter