Open
by Andre Agassi
Agassi's memoir, ghostwritten by J.R. Moehringer, opens with the confession that he hated tennis, and goes on to describe a childhood drilled by a tyrannical father, fame, a wig, crystal meth, decline, and a late-career rebirth into purpose and a school. It is the best sports memoir written, and it is about how to make meaning of a life you did not choose.
Read it if…
you have succeeded at something you never chose and want to see how one man made peace with it.
Skip it if…
you expect a tennis book; the tennis is incidental.
Three things you will actually use
- You can find meaning in a path you did not pick.
- Perfectionism and self-hatred travel together; separate them.
- Purpose, not winning, ends the emptiness.
Do this first
Write whether you chose your current work or inherited it, and what you would keep either way.
Our verdict
Honest and brilliantly written.
Compare with other Character books
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Malcolm X with Alex Haley · Character
A great American autobiography.
CLICK TO SEE
Benjamin Franklin: An Autobiography
Benjamin Franklin · Character
The original, still practical.
CLICK TO SEEBrowse all Character book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.