The two recent books by Madeline Miller, "Circe" and "The Song of Achilles"
"Crossroads" Jonathan Franzen
"Agassi" Andre Agassi - I don't normally read sports memoirs, but this one came highly recommended by a woman author that I have read recently so I gave it a try. As a tennis fan who pretty much alway routed for the other player when he played (except when he played Pete Sampras), I found the book totally engaging. Highly recommended.
Sampras was a great player, but I never really liked his style of play. As a baseliner, I far preferred Courier and Agassi. As a serve and volley player, I far preferred Edberg and Rafter. Maybe it's unfair to compare him to the best of given styles since he was competent all around.
Agassi, though he's careful to give Sampras his due as an opponent, has some very interesting observations about him as a person in the book.
Cool. Good points that I never really realized. I was young and pretty newly minted tennis fan at the time so I think his style just stood out to me as different and seemed dominant. I didn't get much of the nuance you mention, but I remember thinking of him as a "power player" compared to others who tended to be more quick and nimble.
"Crossroads" Jonathan Franzen
"Agassi" Andre Agassi - I don't normally read sports memoirs, but this one came highly recommended by a woman author that I have read recently so I gave it a try. As a tennis fan who pretty much alway routed for the other player when he played (except when he played Pete Sampras), I found the book totally engaging. Highly recommended.