The Goddess and the American Girl: The Story of Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills

by Larry Engelmann | HC | VeryGood
US $9.62
ApproximatelyS$ 12.46
Condition:
Very Good
Missing dust jacket; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ... Read moreabout condition
Breathe easy. Free shipping and returns.
Shipping:
Free Economy Shipping.
Located in: Aurora, Illinois, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Thu, 23 Oct and Wed, 29 Oct to 94104
Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared paymentcleared payment - opens in a new window or tab. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods.
Returns:
30 days return. Seller pays for return shipping.
Coverage:
Read item description or contact seller for details. See all detailsSee all details on coverage
(Not eligible for eBay purchase protection programmes)
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:146644619448
Last updated on Aug 08, 2025 08:22:42 SGTView all revisionsView all revisions

Item specifics

Condition
Very Good
A book that has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
Seller Notes
“Missing dust jacket; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ...
Binding
Hardcover
Book Title
The Goddess and the American Girl
Weight
1 lbs
Product Group
Book
IsTextBook
No
ISBN
9780195043631
Category

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Oxford University Press, Incorporated
ISBN-10
0195043634
ISBN-13
9780195043631
eBay Product ID (ePID)
1533256

Product Key Features

Number of Pages
480 Pages
Language
English
Publication Name
Goddess and the American Girl : the Story of Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills
Subject
Tennis, Cultural Heritage, Linguistics / General, Sports
Publication Year
1988
Type
Textbook
Author
Not Available
Subject Area
Sports & Recreation, Language Arts & Disciplines, Biography & Autobiography
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
1.7 in
Item Weight
33.3 Oz
Item Length
9.5 in
Item Width
6.5 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
87-031556
Dewey Edition
19
TitleLeading
The
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
796.342/092/2 B
Synopsis
Better known and more admired in the 1920s and '30s than any politician, movie star, or royal family member, Suzanne Lenglen, lionized by Frenchmen as "The Goddess," and Helen Wills, called "Queen Helen" or simply "The American Girl," revolutionized tennis with their power and grace and beauty, and in the process virtually invented the concept of celebrity athlete. This superb dual biography--the first of either player to appear in English--follows their careers from the time they first set foot on a tennis court through their ascent and descent on the international circuit. Suzanne Lenglen was introduced to the game at age eleven by her father, an overzealous French businessman who is credited with adapting tennis to women's play. "Papa" Lenglen trained his daughter rigorously and throughout her career was her mentor and coach, providing sips of cognac at key moments and watching her every move with a stern parental eye. Lenglen, known by her trademark white ermine cape and diamond-studded headband, became the first non-English-speaking woman to win the Wimbledon singles championship--a title she held six times between 1919 and 1925. But to her fellow Frenchmen she was more than a great athlete: she was a symbol of resurgent French pride after the costly bloodshed of World War I, a national hero on the level of Joan of Arc. Helen Wills beat Lenglen's Wimbledon record although she lost the only match in which they came face to face. In 1938, Wills set a record of eight Wimbledon wins--unparalleled until Martina Navratilova tied it last year. Wills dominated women's tennis as few athletes in any sport have done, winning every singles match she entered from 1926 to 1933. Like Lenglen, Wills was introduced to tennis by her father and played a "man's game." But there the similarities end. Whereas Lenglen was homely and prone to nervous fits, Wills was a great American beauty whose coolness on the court earned her the name "Little Miss Poker face." She was America's heartthrob, a "California girl" whose health and good looks defined the American "New Woman." Engelmann brilliantly brings to life not only the women, their families, and friends, but the whole international sports world of the era. Filled with anecdotes about tennis clubs and the famous of the day--including Charlie Chaplin, Joseph Kennedy, and Bill Tilden--it is at once sports history, social history, and entertaining biography., Better known and more admired in the 1920s and '30s than any politician, movie star, or royal family member, Suzanne Lenglen, lionized by Frenchmen as "The Goddess," and Helen Wills, called "Queen Helen" or simply "The American Girl," revolutionized tennis with their power and grace and beauty, and in the process virtually invented the concept of celebrity athlete. This superb dual biography--the first of either player to appear in English--follows their careers from the time they first set foot on a tennis court through their ascent and descent on the international circuit. Engelmann brilliantly brings to life not only the women, their families, and friends, but the whole international sports world of the era. Filled with anecdotes about tennis clubs and the famous of the day--including Charlie Chaplin, Joseph Kennedy, and Bill Tilden--it is at once sports history, social history, and entertaining biography.
LC Classification Number
GV994.L4E54 1988

Item description from the seller

About this seller

ThriftBooks

99.1% positive feedback20.0M items sold

Joined Mar 2015
Just Voted on Newsweek - ThriftBooks ranks #1 America's Best Online Shops 2025 in Office, Electronics & Media sector, Media category!!ThriftBooks is a fully independent seller of used books, having ...
See more

Detailed Seller Ratings

Average for the last 12 months
Accurate description
4.9
Reasonable shipping cost
5.0
Shipping speed
5.0
Communication
4.9

Seller feedback (5,877,737)

All ratingsselected
Positive
Neutral
Negative
  • e***- (122)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past month
    Verified purchase
    Unfortunately I received a damaged book, the item and the package both were damaged and it was clearly evident its appearance that it happened during transit. The seller was very understanding and gave me a full refund for the damaged book, though it was no fault of their own. Other than the damage, the book was as described, the quality and condition aside from the damaged spot was like new. The cost of the book was reasonable. I would definitely purchase from the seller again.
  • v***v (2106)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past 6 months
    Verified purchase
    Although this book was not as described, with no picture of it in the listing, the seller communicated well and quickly gave me a full refund while letting me keep it. The minimal packaging left the book a bit vulnerable (typical for ThriftBooks), but it did arrive safely and timely. As usual, it’s hit or miss with this seller, but often times you can get great values, and their customer service is always very good. Many other sellers with millions of transactions don’t even communicate.
  • 7***j (856)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past 6 months
    Verified purchase
    I recently purchased an item from this eBay seller, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. From the prompt communication to the fast shipping, everything was handled with utmost professionalism. The item arrived exactly as described and was well-packaged to ensure its safety during transit. The seller was courteous and responsive, making the entire transaction smooth and hassle-free. I highly recommend this seller to anyone looking for quality products and excellent service.