Book · 2009 · Biography & Autobiography
Open
An Autobiography
#132 of 15,593 books, ranked by how many different people bring it up on podcasts
- mentions
- 25
- people
- 16
- podcasts
- 13
- episodes
- 21
- critical mentions
- 0
Open by Andre Agassi, it's about a tennis player and I never really cared about tennis before, but he is such a good storyteller, I've just been hooked this summer reading his story.
What they say about it
- Reads it on vacation or currently“that's what I'm reading right now”3
- Hates tennis yet loves the book“if you hate tennis”3
- Calls it a favorite“favorite of all time”2
The best things said about it
I would put it up there with my favorite of all time, which is Andre Agassi's Open. If you haven't read that one, I highly recommend them.
Bill Burr Monday Morning Podcast · Mar 2026 If you read his book, it's it's one of the best books I've ever.
Bill Burr Monday Morning Podcast · Oct 2024 I didn't realize how good my friend Matt Ruby was like you got to read the Agy book it's hilarious he's so [ __ ] he's a good writer.
Right now I'm reading Andre Agassi's book Open, which I highly recommend, especially for somebody who's trying to accomplish something, or if you hate tennis, the way he describes what you go through mentally.
Bill Burr Monday Morning Podcast · Aug 2023 I've got a fascinating autobiography, it was actually by Andre Agassi, it's called Open. It really truly was open, I mean he laid bare just his soul there.
I think this job saved my life in the sense that like I remember, do you guys read the Agassy um autobiography? No, but I've heard I should. I heard that's about an athlete and and an athlete that hates the sport that he he hates tennis. Like the first line is I hate tennis.
Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
1
1
1
7
7
3
5
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
16 people who brought it up
- Bill Burr8 mentions · 6 recs
- Sam Morril2 mentions · 2 recs
- Ben Gilbert1 mention · 1 rec
- Brad Barrett1 mention · 1 rec
- Caitlin Jetelina1 mention · 1 rec
- Andrew Garfield1 mention
Andrew Huberman1 mention
Chris DiStefano1 mention- David Senra1 mention
- Dwight Garner1 mention
Ezra Klein1 mention- Lionel Page1 mention
Why people recommend it
Open by Andre Agassi is a candid and acclaimed memoir detailing the tennis legend's turbulent athletic career, complex relationship with his father, and internal psychological battles. Bill Burr frequently championed the book on the Monday Morning Podcast, describing it as one of his absolute favorite sports biographies and a tremendous read even for people who detest tennis or reading in general, noting how effectively it captures the intense mental pressure of trying to achieve greatness. Sam Morril recommended the autobiography on The Joe Rogan Experience after a friend suggested it, highlighting the brutal honesty regarding Agassi's struggles and upbringing. Caitlin Jetelina also endorsed the memoir on The Ezra Klein Show, praising Agassi as a remarkable storyteller who kept her completely hooked during a summer of reading despite her lack of prior interest in tennis. Across multiple recommendations, speakers emphasized the raw vulnerability of the writing, the fascinating psychological insights into elite competition, and the compelling narrative arc of a reluctant sports icon finding his voice.
Every mention
Bill Burr I would put it up there with my favorite of all time which is Andre Andre Agassi's Open. If you haven't rea… 8
Recommended
“I would put it up there with my favorite of all time which is Andre Andre Agassi's Open. If you haven't read that one, I highly recommend them.”
Recommended
“and if You'read Andre August's book open which even if you're not into sports which I don't think anybody left listening to this podcast is not into sports after this [ __ ] [ __ ] um that's all I've been talking about this week um if you read his book it's it's one of the best books I've ever”
Recommended
“right now I'm reading Andre agassi's book uh open which I highly [ __ ] recommend especially for somebody who's trying to accomplish something or if you [ __ ] hate tennis the way he describes what you go through mentally”
Discussed
“actually reading Andre agassi's book where he was talking about I didn't know he wore a [ __ ] hair piece and one time he was in the shower before the French Open final”
Recommended
“oh by the way I'm reading this Andre Agassi uh autobiography that somebody gave me man it's [ __ ] unbelievable”
Recommended
“Yes I'm reading uh the Andre Agassi uh biography which I think is called open and uh it's tremendous and the reason why I also haven't been updating you on anything that I'm reading is because I don't read that much”
Recommended
“that's what I'm reading right now I'm reading uh the Andre Agassi uh open that's what I'm reading and uh it's tremendous”
Discussed
“I remember you mentioned you read open oh the you read open by Andre ausy so I picked it up and started reading it”
Sam Morril I didn't realize how good my friend Matt Ruby was like you got to read the Agy book it's hilarious 2
Recommended
“I didn't realize how good my friend Matt Ruby was like you got to read the Agy book it's hilarious he's so [ __ ] he's a good writer”
Recommended
“I didn't realize how good my friend Matt Ruby was like you got to read the Agy book it's hilarious”
Ben Gilbert my quick one is the second book that i read on vacation which is open by andre agassi his co-writer or ghos… 1
Recommended
“my quick one is the second book that i read on vacation which is open by andre agassi his co-writer or ghost writer i don't know the right term”
Brad Barrett so I've got a fascinating autobiography it was actually by Andre Agassi it's called open it really truly wa… 1
Recommended
“so I've got a fascinating autobiography it was actually by Andre Agassi it's called open it really truly was open I mean he laid bare just his soul there”
Caitlin Jetelina Beyond kovid is open by Andre Agassi it's about a tennis player and I never really cared about tennis befor… 1
Recommended
“Beyond kovid is open by Andre Agassi it's about a tennis player and I never really cared about tennis before but he is such a good Storyteller I've just been hooked this summer reading his story so highly recommend that autobiography”
Andrew Garfield I think this job saved my life in the sense that like I remember, do you guys read the Agassy um autobiogra… 1
Discussed
“I think this job saved my life in the sense that like I remember, do you guys read the Agassy um autobiography? No, but I've heard I should. I heard that's about an athlete and and an athlete that hates the sport that he he hates tennis. Like the first line is I hate tennis.”
Andrew Huberman I read Andre Agassi's book, "Open," - Yeah. - which is basically a story of his dad pushing him to play a g… 1
Discussed
“I read Andre Agassi's book, "Open," - Yeah. - which is basically a story of his dad pushing him to play a game he did not want to play.”
Chris DiStefano trust me the andre agassi book did you ever read that open i no i never read the andre agassi book no i've… 1
Discussed
“trust me the andre agassi book did you ever read that open i no i never read the andre agassi book no i've never read it”
David Senra I read um Andre Agassy's uh phenomenal um autobiography called Open and he uh goes out one night is hung over 1
Discussed
“I read um Andre Agassy's uh phenomenal um autobiography called Open and he uh goes out one night is hung over”
Dwight Garner well um Andre agy's Memoir open which is a pretty terrific book ghost written I mean by terrific writer JM… 1
Discussed
“well um Andre agy's Memoir open which is a pretty terrific book ghost written I mean by terrific writer JM minger who whose Memoir some people think should have been on this list as well the tender bar”
Ezra Klein years ago you wrote a book called open which is sort of more making the case for this kind of system 1
Discussed
“years ago you wrote a book called open which is sort of more making the case for this kind of system”
Lionel Page I have this quote in one of my substack about Andre Agassi it's in his book open and Andre gasi 1
Discussed
“I have this quote in one of my substack about Andre Agassi it's in his book open and Andre gasi”
Megyn Kelly over the summer I read uh Andre Agassy's Open and they were married if you may recall uh and she's featured… 1
Discussed
“over the summer I read uh Andre Agassy's Open and they were married if you may recall uh and she's featured quite a bit in his memoir”
Rich Roll And then there there's this part in that incredible memoir where Andre Agassi is, you know, losing all the… 1
Discussed
“And then there there's this part in that incredible memoir where Andre Agassi is, you know, losing all the time and he's miserable. He hates tennis. Uh but he brings Brad Gilbert into the equation to become his coach.”
Samantha Power somewhat surprisingly I think given what I was writing about and the kind of sometimes serious subject matt… 1
Discussed
“somewhat surprisingly I think given what I was writing about and the kind of sometimes serious subject matter was Andre agy's book open”
Shonda Rhimes And so what I did was is I started reading books about people, memoirs, autobiographies about people who ha… 1
Discussed
“And so what I did was is I started reading books about people, memoirs, autobiographies about people who had done extraordinary things and really decided that those were going to be my mentors. I was going to take my lessons from those books. And it was everything from Shoe Dog by Phil Knight to Bird by Bird by Ann Lamont”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
Discussed
“well Andre Memoir open which is a pretty terrific book ghost written I mean by terrific writer JM minger”
Speaker The Book Review The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone 2024-07-18 Listen at 34:02
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“Andre Agassi. That is correct. It's a good book.”
Passing
“she's the author of the book open the progressive case for free trade immigration and Global capital”
Passing
“I remember you mentioned you read open by Andre augusty so I picked it up and started reading it it truly is one of the books that's tough to put down”