Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi:

This week, we looked at Denis Waitley's first seed, in his famous book Seeds of Greatness – Self Esteem. Over the next nine weeks, we will focus on each of the other seeds, for a total of ten: Self Esteem, Creativity, Responsibility, Wisdom, Purpose, Communication, Faith, Adaptability, Perseverance, and Perspective.

My daughter gave me a copy of Andre Agassi's autobiography, 'Open' for a Christmas gift and it has now made it to the top of the reading pile. I can't put it down. Sports Illustrated said the same thing: "The writing here is exceptional. It is can't-put-down good." "Bracingly devoid of triumphalist homily, Aggassi's is one of the most pasionately anti-sports books ever written by a superstar athlete," says The New York Times. And Entertainment Weekly says, "Not only has Agassi bared his soul like few professional athletes ever have, he's done it with a flair and force that most professional writers can't even pull off."

The book is a fascinating insight into the psyche of one of the most unique individuals you will ever encounter. And it rings true to this weeks topic of self-esteem, as Agassi ("Image is Everything") explains how he battled self-esteem demons throughout his career. Self-esteem demons that we all battle, whether or not we have the best return in all of tennis. My wife and I remember sitting in a Nike Town in Atlanta, GA one Saturday morning in 1988 listening to Andre speak to a small group of fans. This was the long-haired, teen-age, rebel Andre and before he had won his first Grand Slam. We both walked away thinking, this guy has a heart as big as Atlanta, GA. There was something special about him that you couldn't quite put your finger on. Make this book a summer read!