Justice John Paul Stevens Talks History, His New Book, And Pingpong

When you interview a 99-year-old Supreme Court justice, one who has written some of the landmark opinions of modern times, you don't imagine in advance that the subplot of the interview is going to be pingpong.

But when I talked with retired Justice John Paul Stevens, his racket skills came up almost immediately.

During Stevens' 35 years on the nation's highest court, I had seen him several times in his chambers. Usually, without his jacket. But always wearing his signature bow tie. This time, though, he was wearing a red and white polo shirt and blue plaid Bermuda shorts. He had just finished a pingpong game at his condominium in Naples, Fla. His eyebrows were wild — and he was wearing what appeared to be two watches, one a traditional time piece, the other some sort of a Fitbit-type contraption.

Stevens has always been very physically active — and competitive. He used to arrive at the Supreme Court some days still dressed Apparently, none of that was enough for the justice, who retired in 2010 at age 90. So he has written a book, his third. This one is called (the book ends on his 94th birthday).