While reading John McEnroe's book, "You Cannot Be Serious," I had the feeling I was eavesdropping on a private session between McEnroe and his therapist. I was surprised at McEnroe's candor throughout this memoir, in which he revealed some painfully honest aspects of his life.

	McEnroe does discuss his failed marriage to actress Tatum O'Neal, but this is not a kiss-and-tell book.

What intrigued me about this book is that, both on and off the court, McEnroe is an enigma. I've always been fascinated by and curious about what makes him tick. I wasn't disappointed. Throughout the book, McEnroe takes you into the deep recesses of his mind while addressing a multitude of topics, from his tennis career to his personal life.

He touches upon drug and steroid use on the tour, admitting that in the past there has been steroid use. But he doesn't think it's as prevalent now. He talked about how mood swings affected his game, and he admitted that he panicked less about the big matches than at the thought of losing to someone ranked 150th or blowing a match when he was up by two sets, wondering if he could finish them off.

McEnroe does discuss his failed marriage to actress Tatum O'Neal, but this is not a kiss-and-tell book. When I interviewed him Wednesday, he said that's not what he wanted or what he's about. But he does take you through a time and era when men's tennis was the best it has ever been -- with McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and even the early stages of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

McEnroe takes you in and allows you to relive many marquee moments in his life. He talks at great length about his high regard for Bjorn Borg. While other opponents were fair game for his temper tantrums and erratic behavior, McEnroe was always respectful when facing Borg. McEnroe may not have been the better player, but this rivalry brought out the best in his game. He told me that he even contemplated asking Borg for permission to hire his coach, Lennart Bergelin, but decided not to. When Borg retired, McEnroe felt a void that obviously affected his game.

An extremely complex and conflicted individual, McEnroe was never quite sure who he was. I'm still not sure if he loves to be hated or hates to be loved. But when reading about his childhood, I gained some understanding of how a small kid with fighter instincts transformed into a spirited, outspoken and often tyrannical personality. He also talked about the loneliness of the tour and about his family and kids, and how they've lived through this with him.

With no shortage of opportunities, it's surprising this is the first book McEnroe has written. He told me there's a part of him that doesn't want to be forgotten. He wants his children to be able to read it and understand who he was then and who he is now.

McEnroe is a New Yorker who doesn't edit his thoughts. I like him because what you see is what you get. He speaks frankly and from the heart. His book is just a good read.

Even if you're not a tennis fan, you'll enjoy this book if you're the least bit curious about McEnroe the person.