Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

I think the hallmark of a good nonfiction book is that you get completely engrossed in something you previously had little to no interest in. Therefore you'll understand when I say this is a fantastic book about shoes, track athletes and international business relations.

Phil Knight comes off as the kind of guy you want to have a drink with, but probably don't want to marry or have as a boss. He was a driven entrepreneur who played fast and loose with a lot of money (and not all his own) in the early days, and he almost lost it all multiple times.

But he believed in what he was doing, and he built an amazing "family" of dedicated professionals who believed in the product, too. He talks about Nike's partnership with college and professional athletes without this turning into a name-dropping celebrity memoir, which it easily could have been.

It's probably a great guide for what-not-to-do in business; it's also a stunning example of success despite breaking all the rules. In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the book in every way. I laughed out loud at times, and I bit my fingers along with their strife (even though I knew it would come out).

Sports From Hell: My Search for the World's Dumbest Competition by Rick Reilly

Can't you just see the pitch meeting for this book? "OK, you give me an advance, and I'll travel the world looking for the most idiotic sports I can find. And I'll try them all!" Sure, Rick, sure.

It's a truly funny book - Reilly's got a flair for metaphor and simile. His florid descriptions alone are worth the time. And he does find some amazing competitions: the rock-paper-scissors championship, an illegal lawn dart tournament, a single take-your-life-in-your-hands golf hole.

I'm not much for sports, but this book was really, really good and I've recommended it a bunch already. Sauna-sitting, anyone?

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.