Friday, May 7, 2010

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

I'm not a tennis fan - but much of my family is. And so, through osmosis, I've absorbed a bit about tennis: at least the big names and tournaments ring a bell for me. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have bothered with this book, except it made such headlines when it came out: drugs! toupees! rebellion! Brooke Shields!

I'm glad I picked it up. It's a very good story, and told honestly - that's the highest compliment I can make about an autobiography (and surprisingly, rare to find).

Actually, Agassi was so completely honest about his thoughts and internal dialog that I'm curious what his family, friends, and former competitors think now (especially Boris Becker, aka B.B. Socrates for his know-it-all manner) - it's one thing to think that a competitor doesn't like you, but it's another to know. For the record: Brooke's on record as "furious" ... and I wonder how many other people have X'ed him off their holiday card lists?

The tennis talk isn't too boring for the non-fan, but should still be satisfying for those who enjoy it. Agassi's always been a fascinating person, and that certainly helps him here. It's quickly clear that his early-career rebellion was simply a textbook example of common-place immaturity combined with the stress of an aggressive "stage-dad." Funny that we didn't recognize and view it that way, at the time.

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