I haven’t read the book yet, but I am going to.
I suspect this reviewer, Sam Tanenhaus in the New York Times, has trmendous respect for the book, Andre Agassi and the collaborator, J. R. Moehringer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/books/review/Tanenhaus-t.html?_r=0
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
There are many sports I love and tennis is one that I fell out of love with long ago. Notwithstanding that, Open is the best sports book I have read.
It is a warts and all look at the life of a child prodigy and carrying the hopes of his ambitious father and his consequent hate-hate-love relationship with the game. I gained enormous respect for Agassi in the latter years of his career and that only grew reading his insightful writings which present as searingly honest.
And not without its humour -the account of the meeting between his and Steffi’s fathers was equally hilarious and cringe-worthy.
It’s quite a while since I read the book – on the recommendation of the librarian at the school where I volunteer.
I endorse Steve’s comment unreservedly. Like him I don’t feel particularly engaged by tennis, but reading this exceptional book gave me a real insight into an interesting character, and revived my interest in the sport.
I’m another tennis denier but this is possibly the best sports autobiography I’ve read. Andre had an amazing story to tell and his serious writing ability doesn’t let him or the reader down.