Open

I don’t read “business books”. I may read books which were classified as “Business”, “Leadership”, etc; but, if I do, I do so in spite of the category they’ve been deemed to belong to, not because of it.

I generally split books into three main categories. Here are the titles –sorry, but I simply can’t pick just one– that currently hold the top spots in each:

[...]

Biography/Memoir: Andre Agassi’s and J. R. Moehringer’s “Open“; Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love“; and Salman Rushdie’s “Joseph Anton“.

When written well, humor is blunt, but also refined and smart. I also love biographies and I really adored Open by Andre Agassi as it is a very honest and authentic summary of a successful career with all its ups and downs.

It's amazing how transparent he is about his life — about times he used crystal meth and when he reached the highest levels of his sport; his emotions along the way. It's a story about the mental fortitude you need when you play a lonely game. It leaves you feeling more self aware, attuned to your own emotions and self management. It's one of the best books I've read about handling pressure and stress.

It’s the autobiography of tennis champion Andre Agassi. The alert and human way, almost brutal, in which this book is written makes for a very entertaining reading. Although it’s full of insights from the tennis world, it’s a great and inspiring read, even if you’re not a fan of the sport.

I’d heard so many good things about the book that I had to give it a read, and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, I’m typing this in a haze because I was up until 4am last night finishing it. It’s really good.