If you have any doubt that this is a golden era in men’s ten­nis, watch this video. Next, watch what Rafa does at 2:35 in this other video. It’s worth it for two rea­sons. First, the dis­play of absurd ath­leti­cism; sec­ond, Kim Cli­jsters’ mini-swoon afterward.

Mean­while, here, left, is the Piper’s cover for Ladies and Gen­tle­men (very cool) along with a ter­rific UK review of the col­lec­tion in The List (it’s pub­lished by Cape there next month).

Some other stuff: my piece for the great Year in Read­ing Series for The Mil­lions as well as one in Tin House about Par­nas­sus, Nashville’s new inde­pen­dent book­store. Finally, a very flat­ter­ing arti­cle about Ladies & Gen­tle­men from Chapter16, which, I’m flat­tered to add, was a year-end, best-of pick by Three Guys One Book.

More soon.