Andre Agassi: Hero or Drug Addict

I am pretty sure that the whole world was shocked when Andre Agassi released his book Open which revealed many secrets about his, then hidden, life. One of the biggest shocks was the confession about Andre Agassi using crystal meth for a period in his life while playing tennis. Andre had been going through a tough time in his life between his marriage that was falling apart, his tennis game was falling apart and it seemed to Andre as though his life was falling to pieces in a matter of weeks. Before he knew it, Andre was using a drug called crystal meth which got him on a high. In his highly descriptive book he explains his "on top of the world" feeling and how even though it didn't last, that high he got was an oasis from the troubles in his world around him. After some time of using the drug, Andre quit the usage and started getting his life back on track. He got a new team of people surrounding him, including a new coach, conditioning coach, and new friends he traveled with. He also divorced his wife which made for a fresh start and a new Andre. Andre eventually got caught with crystal meth in his blood after being tested and was going to be suspended from tennis. Andre wrote a letter making an excuse for the drug being in his blood and that excuse got accepted and the whole matter was dropped. For this reason many people have given Andre harsh criticism over this matter. Some of those people include Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova. The harshest of critics was Martina who put Andre Agassi "up there with Roger Clemens." -(http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog/busted_racquet/post/Agassi-deserves-criticism-for-actions-but-not-f?urn=ten,200491) I understand how many people can be surprised and upset by Andre opening up but to be this harsh! Andre was very brave and honest to open up about his entire life for the public to read about him. He is a hero in my opinion and the fact that he is being harshly criticized blows my mind. Andre has surpassed my evaluation of a hero and I am sure he has done this to many others. I don't like that tennis players, past or present, are judging him for this. He is and always will be a hero in my mind no matter what else he comes out about. Check in to my future blogs to hear about Andre's historic comeback.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane shows the reader a very odd but suspense filled story. The book leaves you feeling shocked, angry, upset and anxious to read more. In the beginning of the novel Marshal Teddy Daniels journeys to an island with his newly appointed partner Chick Aule to investigate a missing patient, Rachel Solando,at Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Both US Marshals find it difficult to find the patient with no help from anyone on Shutter Island. There seems to be more and more problems with the story the security is giving, and it seems as though the patients have been brain washed into telling the marshals a story that doesn't seem true. The marshals soon uncover secrets the hospital has been hiding. The hospital isn't the only one hiding secrets as Teddy is hiding the true reason he asked to get this case. Chuck soon find out that Teddy's wife was murdered by one of the patients in this hospital and Teddy is there for revenge. (Without spoiling the end of the book) Teddy and Chuck soon figure out that getting off the island may be close to impossible. Teddy soon realizes what the hospital has been planning ever since Chuck and him got to the island. Time is running out for Teddy to find his wife's killer and get off the island. Will Teddy and Chuck ever get off the island or were they doomed from the second they stepped foot on the island? For the answers to this thriller of a book, tune in soon for the second blog about Shutter Island.

Open by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi has kept many of his mistakes and secrets very safe with him. This autobiography, written by Andre himself, reveals details about his tennis crazed father, his short lived first marriage that feel to pieces, his drug usage and many more surprising details that are told from Andre's perspective. The book starts out with one of the best played matches Andre had ever played in his life. He begins in telling us that he can't stand tennis and yearns for the day where tennis doesn't drive his life at all. He explains the pains he has as a veteran tennis player far from his prime. Everything seems to be wrong with him but he still plays tennis. He eventually wins the match in a grueling four hours and feels the pain immediately after he finishes the match. As a tennis player myself, this book is very astonishing to read because the problems Andre faces while on and off the court are tremendous. I can't see myself dealing with the problems he faced all while playing incredible tennis. This book is very hard to put down and I found myself finishing this 400 page book in a matter of a couple of days. It is hard to put down because Andre is blatantly honest about every aspect of his life. As I was growing up, I watched Andre Agassi play tennis all the time on TV. I respected him and wanted to be like him. Now that this book has came out, many people's opinions have changed about Andre. They feel it is wrong for him to get away with drug usage and be so open about his life in a book. Those people can say that all they want but my opinion of Andre will never changed and I only gained respect for him after reading this book.