The Agassi Story

by Kate Shoup, Mike Agassi, Dominic Cobello, et al.

Book Overview

Begins on the streets of Iran, where Mike Agassi was born. After participating in two Olympic Games as a boxer and getting a taste for a better quality of life, Mike set his eyes on America. It was in Chicago that he decided to focus on tennis - and he moved to Las Vegas so he could play year-round. Knowing that it was too late for him to turn pro, he focused on his children. But his teaching came with a high price and tensions between Mike and his...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1550226568
• ISBN13: 9781550226560
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: ECW Press
• Length: 177 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Sincere Reflection, insights into parenthood and family.

This is a book about Mike Agassi and his family. Mike looks back at his past and how he produced a star tennis player. Mike, is apologetic at times, and proud in others, revealing his true nature. I enjoyed Mike's character in the Agassi story and highly recommend this book for anyone interested in raising a family, as this book is more than just a book about raising tennis stars. The book offers many good insights into parenthood and family.

Authentic and insightful

This is a great book for Agassi fans who want an inside scoop on Andre's life. Mike is a very tough guy and tells it the way he sees it. They have been through a lot. For me, this book provides justification for the admiration I have developed for Andre over the years of watching him play and following his story. The book is a beautiful tale of determination, character, soul, and ultimately, family. It is a quick read, thoroughly enjoyable, and I appreciate Mike's efforts in making it available.

More than a good biography . . .

Being a fan of Andre Agassi, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's a bag of mixed candies - Mike's biography, real life drama of an immigrant family, story behind Andre's "rise, fall and rise" .. and more. If you're a tennis fan, buy this book. Thanks to Dominic Cobello, Kate Welsh, and Mr. Agassi.

Nice Biography, Warts and all

Let's face it, this book doesn't get written if he's not Andre Agassi's Dad. But that is not the overall theme of this book. Mike is an interesting story in and of himself. Most people know the short biography, emigrates from Iran after being an Olympic boxer, works at a Las Vegas casino, and becomes a typical stressful tennis Dad who raises a world champion. This book takes that sketch and fills in the blanks starting with the massive change in lifestyles from Iran to America as well as a touch into the political environment of Iran. After a very successful marriage while in Chicago, Mike moves his young family to the new frontier in Las Vegas. Mike makes no excuses for the tyrannical tennis coaching of his four kids that he acknowledges alienated two of his kids, particularly Rita to whom he did not talk to for years. Eventually the book does drift to Andre and his relationship with Nick Bolliteri, his career and his two marriages. But more than anything this book is about an American family headed by a driven immigrant from Iran and how it puts itself back together after volatile relationships caused by his tennis obsession. After following Agassi's career somewhat put off by his early grandstanding, I must admit, this book does give me far greater appreciation for the struggles in his life. If you're a tennis fan, I strongly recommend this book.

A Star In the Family, At a Hell of a Price

The stories of stage mothers is well known, this is the story of a tennis dad. Mike Agassi is Andre's father. Mike knew that he would never play at Wimbledon. With a lot of work he might have developed into a decent player, but not world class. He decided that he would work to have someone in his family reach those heights. It took forty-four years, but in 1992 his son Andre got the golden ring. It was not a peaceful four years as the father tried to instill his dream onto his children. It makes you wonder if the price that Mike and the kids payed was worth the reward.