However, today I will be reviewing a book that is very different from what I usually read - an autobiography. Open is written by arguably one of the most talented players to ever step on the court (certainly one of the GOATs of tennis), and despite his extremely limited education, manages to tell a beautifully detailed story of tennis and his life.
Open opens (haha see what I did there) with a vivid account of one of Agassi's later matches versus a player named Baghdatis. Baghdatis is a newer player, fresh meat in comparison to Agassi's aging body and career. The scene is both fast-paced and painfully slow - Agassi takes the time to analyze each shot and the minds behind them, letting the reader watch as a stylistic display of strength from both players slowly devolves into a tooth and nail battle for a spot in the semifinals.
This scene captures the tone of the book perfectly - Agassi's brilliant prose captures the breathlessness of his life and his sport while leaving space to examine thoughts and ideas - how a boy scarred by a lifestyle continues to choose that lifestyle, despite all of its pains.
I'd recommend this book for anyone regardless of whether they have ever thought about tennis or not. It is a striking memoir, and despite the reputation autobiographies get, this one reads like a novel.
Happy reading!
In your review, you mention how you typically read works of fiction, and that the autobiography was something new for you. I think it's good to try something new, but I would've liked to hear a bit more about Agassi. Just from the opening scene, it sounds like an interesting and unique autobiography, so knowing more about Agassi would've been nice. However, this review did make me interested in trying a new kind of book myself, so I might look into reading an autobiography as well.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds interesting. Good job for trying something new (this is something we should all do). I like the way you describe the book, and the opening scene sounds like something I would be interested in reading. Is it bad that I never heard of Agassi before your review on his book, even though I've played tennis for a while? Anyway, good job!
ReplyDeleteOur reading habits are very similar (as you already know), so you probably also know that I am not really one to read autobiographies. This isn't really because I don't like autobiographies, rather out of years of habit. However, the way you phrased your review made this autobiography sound captivating. I really like how you phrase things poetically, and I think it's especially perfect for this book because it accentuates the "brilliant prose" that you mention and piques my interest and "want to read meter" concerning this book.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I also tend to avoid autobiographies, simply because I struggle to find ones that are interesting enough to hold my attention. Although I don't play tennis and I've never heard of Agassi, the way you've described the book makes me want to read it and find out how Agassi managed to overcome his obstacles and become such a great tennis player. Overall, fantastic review, and I'll be sure to read this book sometime soon.
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