| Open: An Autobiography |  | Author: Andre Agassi
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $28.95
Buy New: $18.47
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Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  359 reviews
Sales Rank: 254
Format: Deckle Edge
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.6
ISBN: 0307268195
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.342092
EAN: 9780307268198
ASIN: 0307268195
Publication Date: November 9, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780307268198 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Product Description
From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography.
Agassi’s incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of thirteen, he is banished to a Florida tennis camp that feels like a prison camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. He dyes his hair, pierces his ears, dresses like a punk rocker. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning-fast return.
And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world’s best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.
Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals from several generations—Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer—Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals a shattering loss of confidence. And he recounts his spectacular resurrection, a comeback climaxing with his epic run at the 1999 French Open and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.
In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. Inspired by her quiet strength, he fights through crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the twenty-first and final year of his career. Entering his last tournament in 2006, he’s hailed for completing a stunning metamorphosis, from nonconformist to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate. And still he’s not done. At a U.S. Open for the ages, he makes a courageous last stand, then delivers one of the most stirring farewells ever heard in a sporting arena.
With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi’s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 359
 Andre Agassi, Open March 18, 2010
Rick Gaskins
Very possible the most readable biography I have ever read. Certainly of the few I read cover to cover in one sitting.
Brutally Honest March 17, 2010
T. Karr (MO USA)
"Open" is perhaps the most open, honest, and engaging autobiography I have ever read. Most so-called autobiographies seem to have an axe to grind, an image to shape, or are an attempt to re-package history.
With the help of ghostwriter, J.R. Moehringer, Mr. Agassi has crafted a book that appears to be brutally honest, showing Mr. Agassi with all his faults and insecurities.
Much of the early part of the book shows how the young Agassi revolted against his controlling father and all authority figures. The only thing preventing me from calling this a solid 5-star book is that Mr. Agassi's tone seems a little whiney after awhile when describing these situations. It wore me down after awhile (as it obviously wore him down when he had to live through it).
"Open" is a great ride that provides the reader with glimpses behind the scenes of the ATP and gives the reader a better idea of the real Andre Agassi rather than the image concocted by the American marketing machine.
Candid & Captivating March 15, 2010
Ingo Leung (Hong Kong)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although I grew up watching Agassi's match regularly on TV, I never paid much attention & didn't know or care much about his personal life. I'm not a fan of autobiography neither, as I find them tend to be one-dimensional & read like history textbook. 'Open' is such a nice surprise, & way beyond my expectation. It's well written, sincere, captivating & absolutely candid. I never want to put down the book once I start reading, and I haven't felt that way about a book for a while now. Now that I've finished it, I not merely learn more about Agassi as a person, but I also learn more about myself and has gained a more lucid perspective about life. Thank you Agassi for openly reveal your feelings with us...
 If you love the term "I hate" you'll love this book. March 14, 2010
J. Ward (OH)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I wanted to like this book very much. His story is interesting, his unappreciation of his mega career is not. Yes, I get it, he HATES most everything about his career. From his youth, he hated school, hated junior tournaments, hated his life, hated practice. As he gets older, he hates fame, continues to hate tennis. He conveniently leaves out mention of the wealth, power and fame tennis bestowes upon him. How is that? Yep, he hates being married to Brooke Shields, poor guy. He hates how tennis ruins his body. Whoa is the life of fame, popularity, and riches. If I had a dollar for everytime the word hate is used in this biography, I'd have a good bit toward retirement. Don't believe me? Count the times he uses "I hate" or "I hated" while you read this book. I do understand Andre has been unhappy, but a little perspective and a bit more appreciation for his money, fame, power and avid fans would have been appreciated.
Quite A Journey March 14, 2010
Huy Huynh (San Jose, CA)
This is an amazing book that brings you into a journey of one of the greatest tennis player that ever played. This is something people can really relate to and understand how tough and lonely it can be as an athlete and famous celebrity. A very interesting book that you can't stop reading. Highly recommended and nothing beats amazon.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 359
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