Open

An Autobiography

By: Andre Agassi

Narrated by: Erik Davies

Length: 18 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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 13, 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 16, 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 21st 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 US 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 listened to and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate listeners who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi’s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.

©2009 Andre Agassi (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Insightful [and] exceedingly well-written . . . [Open] has the cadence and plotting of a good novel . . . The raw energy and emotion throughout are pure Agassi.” (Newsday, Top 10 Books of 2009)

“Surprisingly candid . . . The baseline bad boy serves up his harrowing anecdotes with the same force he put behind every on-court ace.” (Entertainment Weekly 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2009)

“Bracingly devoid of triumphalist homily, Agassi’s is one of the most passionately anti-sports books ever written by a superstar athlete.” (The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2009)

Moving!

Perhaps the best autobiography I've ever read...very enjoyable. I highly recommend it, even if you are not a tennis fan.

Pleasantly Surprised!

Had read the reviews of Agassi's book, and found the autobiography exceeded my expectations. Though there are loads of descriptions of tennis matches, the focus seems to be on Andre as a person. He's a much more complex and likable fellow than we knew from news commentaries during his tennis career. And, at the end of the day, he seems to have good perspective on what it all means. And he's made so many contributions to his community. Admirable athlete!

An eye opener, revelatory.

Gripping read and finely constructed - Agassi sets the bar high for an autobiography, brilliant.

Best Autobiography Ever

Many lessons to be learned from Agassi's ups and downs of his crazy, meaningful life. I'm happy to see that now he is doing so much for children in coming generations (and it has nothing to do with tennis).

Excellent reader as well.

Learn about the real Agassi

A journey into the mind and soul of AA. Emotional roller coaster. Learned things about the man that I didn't know, my opinion of him was wrong shaped the media at that time.

Amazing Book

Where does Open rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Open ranks within the top three audiobooks that I have listened to so far. It is probably the best audiobook I have listened to.

What did you like best about this story?

Andre Agassi is transparent about his life and the book feels honest, genuine, and overall riveting.

Read this!

I connected with this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that would have made it better is if Andre would have narrated himself. Erik Davies was very good and I have no complaints, but I found myself wondering what Andre would have sounded like. Great book. Really interesting even for non-tennis buffs.

much better than anticipated

not sure what I was expecting. I also don't know why I was expecting just a regular book. but this is a phenomenal book. I very much enjoyed it and it taught me a lot more about someone that I knew little about is well written, easy to follow, and extremely entertaining. I found myself googling old videos of tennis matches

I loved it. The inside story on Agassi's life.

I looked forward to listening to this story every chance I got until I finished it.

loved jt

Not a tennis guy....but this book was great. crazy to see how some people are raised so different than how you were raised.