Peter Bodo
Encyclopedia
Peter Bodo is an Austria
n born American
sportswriter and author
, currently Senior Editor/Blogger at Tennis Magazine. He is also an occasional columnist
for the "Outdoor" section of the New York Times and for the Atlantic Salmon Journal. He won the WTA Tour Award for "Best Writer of the Year" twice, in 1979 and 1981.
He is also noted for his enthusiasm in promoting the sport of tennis, but he sees this enthusiasm as "the logical outcome" of his writing rather than being a "guiding principle".
Early influences on Bodo's journalistic writing style include Frank Deford
, Curry Kirkpatrick, George Plimpton
, Norman Mailer
, Dave Anderson
and Hunter S. Thompson
.
He is married with one son.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportswriter and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, currently Senior Editor/Blogger at Tennis Magazine. He is also an occasional columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for the "Outdoor" section of the New York Times and for the Atlantic Salmon Journal. He won the WTA Tour Award for "Best Writer of the Year" twice, in 1979 and 1981.
Literary Style
Bodo claims that his writing style is based on the idea that absolute objectivity is impossible. He purports to feel that each of his opinions must be defended with "well-reasoned, if not provable or objective, 'truths.'" He also says that he has few "strong, personal" feelings about players and believes that most of his readers understand the "fun" present in his writing. However, some readers have noted that Bodo, despite his Austrian birth, has a strong and regularly repeated bias in favor of American tennis players, in favor of an American or "midwestern" lifestyle, and in favor of an American style of sports, as contrasted with European tennis players, European sports, and European mores.He is also noted for his enthusiasm in promoting the sport of tennis, but he sees this enthusiasm as "the logical outcome" of his writing rather than being a "guiding principle".
Early influences on Bodo's journalistic writing style include Frank Deford
Frank Deford
Benjamin "Frank" Deford, III is a senior contributing writer for Sports Illustrated, author, and commentator for National Public Radio and correspondent for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO....
, Curry Kirkpatrick, George Plimpton
George Plimpton
George Ames Plimpton was an American journalist, writer, editor, and actor. He is widely known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review.-Early life:...
, Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
, Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson (sportswriter)
Dave Anderson is an American sportswriter based in New York City. After graduating in 1947 from Xavier High School - an elite Jesuit preparatory school in New York City - Anderson attended the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, graduating in 1951.Anderson has written for a number of New...
and Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
.
Personal life
Bodo was born in Austria to Hungarian parents and emigrated to the United States in 1953. He grew up in New York and New Jersey.He is married with one son.
Non-fiction
- Soccer; 1978
- Pelé’s New World with David HirsheyDavid HirsheyDavid Hirshey is a book editor and sportswriter. He has been an editor at The New Yorker and Esquire where from 1985 to 1997, he was in charge of the magazine's Dubious Achievement Awards...
; 1976 - Inside Tennis: A Season on the Pro Tour; 1978
- Rashad: Mikes, Vikes and a Little Something on the Back Side with Ahmad RashadAhmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
; 1985 - The Courts of Babylon: Tales of Greed and Glory From the Harsh New World of Professional Tennis; 1995
- The Atlantic Salmon Handbook; 1997
- Tennis for Dummies with Patrick McEnroePatrick McEnroePatrick John McEnroe is a former professional tennis player and the former captain of the United States Davis Cup team.Born in Manhasset, New York, he is the younger brother of John McEnroe...
; 1998 - A Champion's Mind: Lessons From A Life In Tennis, with Pete SamprasPete SamprasPete Sampras is a retired American tennis player and former world no. 1. During his 15-year tour career, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles and became recognized as one of the greatest tennis players of all time....
(memoir); 2008