Categola

As open as it can be?(Rating: 5)
Read the book and come to your own conclusion, I enjoyed it very much and found Andre's story sincere. Great book for all tennis fans.

my parents liked this book(Rating: 5)
Bought as an anniversary gift for my parents 58th anniversary...they met, fell in love, and have played tennis together for over 60 years, it turned out really well. They loved the book on audio, and they also got it in hard copy from my sister, who had the same brilliant idea. A great gift for those who love tennis, and those who have followed the career of this dynamic tennis champion.

Pete IS boring...(Rating: 5)
I am an avid tennis player and fan (much more so when Agassi and Sampras were playing), and have to say this book is a very good read. A must for any fan.

Ever since I first saw him on the court with the long hair (that I now find was a hair-piece) and grey denim shorts with dayglo-green spandex underneath, Andre has been my favorite player. I remember watching his first Wimbledon win against Ivonesevic, his first French win, his last final with Pete in New York, everything in between, to his farewell speach at the US Open. There's always been something about him that made you think that he was one of the few "real" people in the sport. That there was more going on there than just competition. He just had the aura of a much more dynamic person.

This books proves those hunches right. It's a great story of a young prodigy who was basically forced into a tennis career by his father, who he grew to resent, and eventually grew to embrace. It's about his rebellions, triumphs and losses, both in tennis and in life.

You have to actually absorb the story. If you take it at face value, the fact that Andre claims "hate" the thing that made him rich, famous and enabled him to travel the world, an opportunity that most of us would die for, then you may look at this book, and Andre, in a less favorable light like a few of the critics have. If you take in the full story from top to bottom, you'll realize why he "hated" it, and realize that he didn't really hate it at all. It's a bittersweet thing. The final paragraph, with him hitting casually with Stephanie and wanting just a few more balls sums it up perfectly.

The book also throws in some dirt, some jabs at fellow players like Connors, Sampras and Courier. Apparently Pete was irritated that he was portrayed the way he was in this book. Pete was a great player, even more decorated than Andre. I do have to question whether the same would have been written the same if Andre were the one with 14 Grand Slam titles, that maybe there is just a slight tinge of jealousy on Andre's part.

Then again, Pete does strike me as a bad tipper...

Who(Rating: 1)
Who the heck is this guy? What an ugly cover. No smile or anything, just staring out at us. Ug. Not a book that I would want to buy.

Open(Rating: 1)
I've already reported once that this book was in poor shape and was awaiting a response from someone. I won't rate it.

It was intended to be a gift and wouldn't even consider giving it to anyone. Went to the bookstore and bought another.

In all the years dealing with Amazon, this is the FIRST disappointment

Cassie Register