Open: An Autobiography

This will go down as one of the all time great biographies. Andre Agassi’s brutally honest memoir of life as a child prodigy driven by an uncompromising father to make it to the top is compelling reading but mention needs to be made of J.R. Moehringer, the Pulitzer prize winning journalist who managed to craft hours of taped interviews with Agassi into a highly readable book. Andre says he wanted J.R to put his name on the book; Moehringer told him he couldn’t sign his name to another man’s life. He should have. The highs and lows of a professional tennis career might belong to Agassi but without the craftsmanship of a writer at the top of his game the book wouldn’t be the best seller it’s become. You can’t help feeling sorry for Agassi - trapped in a career playing a sport he hated, continually trying to please those around him. The biography made headlines when Agassi revealed he’d tried crystal meth to get him over his demons - when you read that his dad tried to give him speed to pep him up at a junior tournament, you’ll realise it’s a miracle Agassi didn’t end up on the scrap heap. This is not just a book for tennis fans - it’s for all those who love great writing and raw, brutally honest biographies. Brilliant.

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