AGASSI COMPLETELY "OPEN" IN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I just finished reading Andre Agassi’s book, and my first impression is simply, WOW!

Andre sent me the book last week and I have been reading it in segments, partially because of time constraints, but more so because there is so much thought-provoking information that it needs to be absorbed gradually. I applaud Andre for his dedication to the process of documenting the complicated life he has lived. Some people are surprised and a bit shocked at the level of detail Andre gave to the project. I am not. When he commits to something, there is no hedging. It is completely parallel to the way Andre leads his life. If he is going to do something, he is going to go all the way. After all he is from Vegas, the home of the “all-in” mentality.

There has been a tremendous amount of controversy surrounding the book. I can understand how startling it is for fans of tennis, sports, and Andre to read and see a side of Andre they never knew. That being said, I am still a bit shocked at how emotionally people have reacted to some of the salacious revelations in the book. It demonstrates how people tend to idealize the lives of people in the public eye. Getting caught up with the scandals does the book a tremendous disservice. The book is so far beyond sensational anecdotes. I am by no means condoning drug use, tanking matches, and other emotionally unstable behavior. I just see those revelations as symptoms of a much more complicated journey.

“OPEN” is a story that delves into a tortured sole, a gifted genius searching for the unconditional love he wasn’t given at an early age. Andre is an extremely talented person, bestowed with tremendous gifts, and the book describes his process in trying to come to grips with everything, good and bad, that those gifts created. Andre made mistakes in his life, as have we all, but the amount of good he has bestowed upon society outweighs the flaws and missteps by an astronomical margin.

“OPEN” is also very well written. Set in the present tense, it does an excellent job of making you feel connected to the ever-winding journey Andre is going through. Having lived through many of the scenes Andre depicted, it is interesting to observe his reality; and, it is also important to realize just that, these are “his realities.”

While it is painful to read about his relationship with his father, the unsettling revelations about his 1st marriage, and his internal angst with the sport of tennis, above all I feel compassion for a sensitive soul that is constantly searching for answers. I’ve been fortunate enough to know Andre for 15 years and his generosity and thoughtfulness is unmatched. No doubt “OPEN” reveals information that is disappointing but there is nothing that could be revealed that doesn’t further demonstrate that no matter what anyone has accomplished professionally or how great their life may seem from the outside, that life presents harsh challenges. We are all flawed and we all have demons, but Andre’s journey demonstrates the power of the human spirit. In “OPEN” Andre Agassi illustrates how with enough dedication you can learn about yourself and thus unleash your greatest abilities in a positive way.