Seeing Serena

by Gerald Marzorati Narrated by Kaleo Griffith

Overview

A riveting, revealing portrait of tennis champion and global icon Serena Williams that combines biography, cultural criticism, and sports writing to offer “a deep, satisfying meditation” (The New York Times) on the most consequential athlete of her time.

There has never been an athlete like Serena Williams. She has dominated women's tennis for two decades, changed the way the game is played, and-by inspiring Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and others-changed, too, the racial makeup of the pro game. But Williams's influence has not been confined to the tennis court. As a powerful Black woman who struggled to achieve and sustain success, she has emerged as a cultural icon, figuring in conversations about body image, working mothers, and more.

Seeing Serena chronicles Williams's return to tennis after giving birth to her daughter-from her controversial 2018 US Open final against Naomi Osaka through a 2020 season that unfolded against a backdrop of a pandemic and protests over the killing of Black men and women by the police. Gerald Marzorati, who writes about tennis for The New Yorker, travels to Wimbledon and to Compton, California, where Serena and her sister Venus learned to play. He talks with former women's tennis greats, sports and cultural commentators-and Serena herself. He observes Williams from courtside, on the red carpet, in fashion magazines, on social media. He sees her and writes about her prismatically-reflecting on her many, many facets.

The result is an “enlightening...keen analysis” (The Washington Post) and energetic narrative that illuminates Serena's singular status as the greatest women's tennis player of all time and a Black woman with a global presence like no other.

Editorial Reviews

JULY 2021 - AudioFile

This biography of tennis great Serena Williams is written in a nonlinear format. Kaleo Griffith narrates with enthusiasm, reflecting the topics at hand and capturing Williams’s many facets. Marzorati covers Williams from multiple vantage points—assorted matches, comments on religion, criticism from officials, her personal life, and more. Griffith gives an especially delightful scene—the moment when Williams meets the man who is now her husband, Alexis Ohanian—the slightly flirty tone it merits. This is an audiobook for those who want to learn a bit more about one of tennis’s greatest players. Marzorati has done his research and keeps his personal opinion out of the way while Griffith’s narration responds with well-played volleys. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

06/29/2020

Marzorati (Late to the Ball) delivers a serviceable book that follows tennis star Serena Williams throughout the 2019 tennis season in her unsuccessful attempt at a 24th Grand Slam title. Marzorati had no special access to Williams or to those closest to her, and his collage-like book, while well written, offers little new about Williams. He does, however, enthusiastically break down each game Williams played in 2019 and peppers in information about her personal life, covering her humble roots in Compton, Calif.; her marriage to Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian; and the birth of their daughter, Olympia, in 2017. Williams’s 2019 season was marked by injuries and losses, including a crusher at the U.S. Open that dashed her hopes of tying the record for most Grand Slam wins by a female player. The book features an interview with tennis legend Chris Evert, who discusses Williams’s impact on the sport, and, in noting Williams’s development of clothing and jewelry lines, highlights her savvy as a businesswoman. Win or lose, Marzorati writes, Williams remains a paragon: “Serena would not, could not, be extinguished.” This is a solidly reported book, but Marzorati doesn’t do quite enough to show what makes his subject tick. (Aug.)

From the Publisher

Thoughtful. . . . Marzorati has written a deep, satisfying meditation on Serena’s path.” —The New York Times

“What would a year spent watching every Serena Williams tennis match yield? A portrait both on and off the court of one of the greatest athletes of all time. New Yorker tennis writer Gerald Marzorati’s Seeing Serena captures Williams’ return to tennis following the birth of her daughter and her influence and presence as a cultural icon.” —Parade, “Books We Love” column

"With just enough backstory and supportive interviews, [Marzorati] effectively incorporates relevant history of Williams' previous Grand Slam tournaments while also examining her roles in challenging cultural norms and fighting for gender equality. Marzorati has an easy-to-read style and reveals the complexity of Williams' life, not just as an athlete, but also as a celebrity." —Booklist

“Readers who know more about Williams than her tennis career will learn about the game's intricacies while those already familiar with the game will benefit from subtler details.” —Kirkus Reviews

"The level of this analysis is quite impressive.” —Library Journal

"Well written. . . . This is a solidly reported book." —Publishers Weekly

“Seeing Serena is a masterful, multifocal portrait of an icon at the height of her power. But it is more than that. It illuminates, and complicates, not only Williams, but also those who watch her.” —Louisa Thomas, author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams

Library Journal

04/16/2021

Marzorati's (Late to the Ball) newest book follows Serena Williams, arguably the top female athlete in the world, as she returned to competitive tennis after the birth of her daughter in September 2017. Marzorati, a tennis writer for the New Yorker and a contributing editor to Racquet, did not interview Williams for this book; instead, he focused on observing her and talking to the coaches and competitors around her. While it is helpful to get an outside perspective, it is obvious that Williams's voice is missing from the book, especially to counter Marzorati's often critical tone. This is particularly apparent in discussions her off-the-court pursuits or her use of social media. Tennis fans, especially, will be interested in the author's conversations with different professionals and coaches about the intricate details of Williams's game. The level of this analysis is quite impressive; the depth of detail may be too much for a casual observer of the sport. VERDICT At times, Mazorati's critical tone takes away from the reading experience. Readers might get a fuller picture of Williams's career by accompanying this book with the HBO series Being Serena, which is told in her own voice.—Pamela Calfo, Plum Borough Community Lib., PA

JULY 2021 - AudioFile

This biography of tennis great Serena Williams is written in a nonlinear format. Kaleo Griffith narrates with enthusiasm, reflecting the topics at hand and capturing Williams’s many facets. Marzorati covers Williams from multiple vantage points—assorted matches, comments on religion, criticism from officials, her personal life, and more. Griffith gives an especially delightful scene—the moment when Williams meets the man who is now her husband, Alexis Ohanian—the slightly flirty tone it merits. This is an audiobook for those who want to learn a bit more about one of tennis’s greatest players. Marzorati has done his research and keeps his personal opinion out of the way while Griffith’s narration responds with well-played volleys. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2020-05-30
A year spent watching Serena Williams play tennis yields some provocative insights.

In his previous book, Late to the Ball, Marzorati, a former editor for the New York Times Magazine and the New Yorker,detailed his own attempts to become a competitive tennis player at the age of 60. In 2019, he followed Williams, who was attempting to make a comeback at the age of 37, two years after the birth of her daughter, by winning at least one Grand Slam tournament, thereby tying or exceeding the number of Grand Slam titles held by Australian Margaret Court. Though this is not an authorized biography—Marzorati spoke to Williams only as a typical member of the sports press—the author takes advantage of his detached position to meditate, objectively but not without compassion, on Williams as not just a tennis player, but a cultural figure and human being as well. The narrative moves chronologically, from the Australian Open in January through the other three Grand Slam tournaments, with stops along the way in Miami, Rome, and Indian Wells in California. The author shifts smoothly among observations of Williams' often less-than-impressive performances during the year, stories of her earlier life, memories of other matches he had seen her play over the years, and nuanced reflections on his subject matter—e.g., because she started tennis so young, Williams was “a personality before she could reasonably be expected to be a person.” Marzorati doesn’t laser-focus on Williams; he also glances around to take in players like Coco Gauff, who began her career when she was even younger than Williams and whose changing style of play the author discusses. Readers who know more about Williams than her tennis career will learn about the game's intricacies while those already familiar with the game will benefit from subtler details.

A scrupulous examination of the career twilight of “the most consequential athlete of her time.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173276452
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos