Aakash Chopra
If I have to pick the most ruthlessly honest book I have ever read, it has to be Andre Agassi’s controversial autobiography Open. It is an extremely truthful, bold, compelling and beautifully written story that informs you about Agassi’s love-hate relationship with tennis among many more fascinating things. It makes you laugh, cry, feel happy for Agassi’s triumphs and sad for his struggles.
In Open, Agassi brings out the horrifying demons of his internal struggles. It came as a shocker to me, but I loved what I read. In fact, my respect for him grew manifold after reading about his journey starting from an intense hate for the game, to his becoming one of the greatest tennis legends ever.
It talks of an abusive father, devastating boarding school experience, failed marriage to Brooke Shields, drug abuse and how he comes out of the abyss.
One doesn’t have to be a sports or a tennis fan to feel Andre’s pain and the highs and lows of his celebrated career. He was often unhappy and confused despite his great achievements in a sport he resented.
Very few have the guts to admit one’s follies and talk about them in the public domain. The biggest compliment I can give to a book is that it is unputdownable and Open is just that, a wonderfully written piece of work where brutal honesty steals the show. I suggested this book to my friends and family, telling them that it could actually change the way they live their lives.
Aakash is a former cricketer
As told to Nidhi Sethi