One of the comments attached to my post on Andre Agassi’s book Open
On the publisher’s web page there is, nestled among accolades from sources such as the New York Times and Time Magazine this snippet from Entertainment Weekly:
“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.”
I get the impression that this reviewer somehow really believed that Agassi wrote this. But he is right: most professional writers can’t pull it off, and so Agassi turned to a Pulitzer Prize-winning professional writer. It is only fitting that the story of one of the best in one field should be written by one of the best in another.
There is a context in which ghostwriting can be a dishonest act (and it’s prevalence in Christian publishing is a dirty little secret). But this is not one of those cases. The ghost is not invisible. In his acknowledgements, after four paragraphs describing the extent of their collaboration, Agassi says this:
I asked J.R. many times to put his name on this book. He felt, however, that only one name belonged on the cover. Though proud of the work we did together, he said he couldn’t see signing his name to another man’s life. These are your stories, he said, your people, your battles. It was the kind of generosity I first saw on display in his memoir. I knew not to argue. Stubbornness is another quality we share. But I insisted on using this space to describe the extent of J.R.’s role and to publicly thank him.
Such humility and honesty I find refreshing. These qualities do not live in the acknowledgements alone, and this is what gives the book value and makes it a worthy and enjoyable read.
Even if there are no hills in Bradenton.
Geoff Henderson
I used to think (embarassingly not too long ago at all) that all books were actually written by their authors: those whose names are attached. And it was almost like a Santa Claus let down. I guess its better to probably view them as a biography written from an autobiographical point of view.
But I do appreciate, along with you, Agassi’s honesty. I really respect this joker. An interesting lad for sure. And I thoroughly enjoyed a book about Tennis, even though I don’t like Tennis. At all. And the parts about Bradenton brought back memories as I read them in the actual snow covered hills of West Va last year.
A great read, regardless who wrote it!
Randy Greenwald
What I appreciate is that Agassi made no attempt to hide that he had help.
I came away from this book the same way I came away from Zinger
: marveling that the line between being really good and being at the top of one’s game in professional athletics is often mental and not physical.
Interesting.