The Agassi Story

Theresa Paltzat is the Smart Search librarian at the Edmonton Public
Library.

With the help of Dominic Cobello, Mike Agassi offers readers a unique
perspective on the childhood and development of his son, tennis star
Andre Agassi. The elder Agassi begins his book by describing his early
life in Iran (where, fascinated by tennis at an early age, he would help
the America and British soldiers stationed in Tehran keep the tennis
courts clean), his own Olympic experiences as a boxer, and his
immigration to the United States. In the United States, Agassi was
determined to teach his children to become the best tennis players in
the world. His ambitions created difficult relationships with his
children, almost completely alienating his oldest daughter. Andre, the
fourth child, finally had the desire to realize the dream.

Mike Agassi portrays himself as a straightforward man who is not afraid
to be aggressive and challenge the system; he admits that his Middle
Eastern personality is out of place in the polite, country club world of
tennis. His book, which includes family photos among other gems, allows
fans to better understand Andre Agassi both on and off the court.