Wrestling books.

rovert · 26-03-2015 9:00pm

Holly's book is excellent one of the very best Wrestler Autobiographies since the big Wrestling book boom of 10 years ago or so now.

Spandex, Screw Jobs and Cheap Pops was good but I found all the Wrestler's stories a bit repetitious. Maybe best read on a staggered basis and between a couple of other books.

Whosthis · 26-03-2015 10:09pm

Was just scrolling through my Kindle and came across a book I'd forgotten about, "The Somebody Obsession" by Matt Murphy. Written by a former indie wrestler that never made it to the big stage, well worth a read for anybody looking for something a little different or that's running out of wrestling books.

Itssoeasy · 27-03-2015 9:17am

Just got jerichos book yesterday and I'm liking it a lot.

Sirsok · 27-03-2015 9:33am

Finished jerichos third book, very good read, maybe not as good as the first but better then the second.... I even enjoyed the Fozzy stories a lot more in this one as with dancing with the stars bit.

gerrybbadd · 27-03-2015 2:05pm

I wasn't a huge fan of Jericho's 3rd book at all, maybe my expectations were too high.

His first is in my top 3 of wrestling books, and I loved the second also.

The 10th Anniversary re-release of the Death of WCW by Bryan Alvarez and Ryan Reynolds is awesome. There is a lot of new material in there, as well as a chapter closing "Lessons not Learned" section, pointing out the stupid thinds WWE and TNA have done, that mirror the mistakes WCW made

Lord TSC · 27-03-2015 2:56pm

gerrybbadd wrote: »

The 10th Anniversary re-release of the Death of WCW by Bryan Alvarez and Ryan Reynolds is awesome. There is a lot of new material in there, as well as a chapter closing "Lessons not Learned" section, pointing out the stupid thinds WWE and TNA have done, that mirror the mistakes WCW made

rovert wrote: »

I hyped this on good faith so I feel like I have an obligation to warn people how bought the original book. The revised edition is a total cash in. Little of value is added, corrections weren't corrected and if anything they added more inaccuracies. Just more evidence that Alvarez is disengaged from Wrestling in 2014.

Well that's two differing opinions

veganrun · 27-03-2015 3:16pm

Looking for some new books myself. I've read these so far:

Kurt Angle
The Rock
Rick Flair
Bret Hart
Jericho's first book
Mick Foleys first, second and third book.

Might check out Bob Holly's too. Any other recommendations?

Omackeral · 04-04-2015 10:30am

I'm interested in getting Booker T's new one My Rise to Wrestling Royalty. Didn't realise he has already released one called 'From Prison to Promise'. Any body care to share their thoughts on it? Or, indeed, if anyone has gotten their hands on his new one.

thebostoncrab · 04-04-2015 1:19pm

I second that, really want to pick up Bookers book and would love to hear feedback about it

bigron2109 · 04-04-2015 6:42pm

Have been reading the Death of WCW, the revised edition. Finding it quiet enjoyable. Didn't read the one which was out about 10 years ago. Some of the stories in it are crazy, and you can see why the business went bust. Half way through it at moment, and i would recommend it.

gerrybbadd · 04-04-2015 6:54pm

Booker T's first book is only alright. Thin enough. He doesn't get into WcW stuff much at all. Very little of WWE in it too.

A book you'd only read the once, and wouldn't be bothered re-reading

Tugboats · 04-04-2015 6:56pm

bigron2109 wrote: »

Have been reading the Death of WCW, the revised edition. Finding it quiet enjoyable. Didn't read the one which was out about 10 years ago. Some of the stories in it are crazy, and you can see why the business went bust. Half way through it at moment, and i would recommend it.

Mental read:D

Ageyev · 07-04-2015 2:25am

veganrun wrote: »

Looking for some new books myself. I've read these so far:

Kurt Angle
The Rock
Rick Flair
Bret Hart
Jericho's first book
Mick Foleys first, second and third book.

Might check out Bob Holly's too. Any other recommendations?

If you want some history from the olden days try National Wrestling Alliance by Tim Hornbaker, Fall Guys The Barnums of Bounce by Marcus Griffin.

If you ever find Dynamite Kid's book second hand at a car boot sale or charity shop jump on it. It is bitter and miserable but kinda rare and afaik no digital edition exists.

I got Shawn Michaels' new one but haven't started it, any thoughts or reviews?

gerrybbadd · 07-04-2015 12:36pm

Ageyev wrote: »

If you ever find Dynamite Kid's book second hand at a car boot sale or charity shop jump on it. It is bitter and miserable but kinda rare and afaik no digital edition exists.

I've been dying to read Dynamite's book this long time - unfortunately, there's no digital edition

rovert · 10-05-2015 9:05pm

Forgot to plug this earlier so buy it right now before it goes up to full price:

https://twitter.com/Jtg1284/status/597466957110255616

supremenovice · 11-05-2015 2:31pm

Sex Lies and Headlocks was a gripping read. Basically gives an in-depth history of the McMahon family and the history of WWF up until 2000.
Also touches on WCW a small bit but the bulk of it is about WWF.

Im looking forward to Fin Martins e-book due soon about PS mag through the years

Reganio 2 · 11-05-2015 4:00pm

Don't read too many wrestling books only Foley's first back in the day and Bret Harts one. Wasn't a fan of Brets he came across too bitter, read Hardcore Hollys one though and have to say it's very good he doesn't hold back at all. Nothing to bad in it really but it's stuff we kind of guessed just never confirmed as well as an in depth look into the locker rooms. I'd recommend it.

Pentecost · 11-05-2015 7:53pm

rovert wrote: »

Forgot to plug this earlier so buy it right now before it goes up to full price:

https://twitter.com/Jtg1284/status/597466957110255616

Splashed out €1.50 on this bad boy it better be worth it.

rovert · 11-05-2015 8:00pm

Pentecost wrote: »

Splashed out €1.50 on this bad boy it better be worth it.

A lot of it has been spoiled online but it is really good stuff. Shad is an absolute legend. William Regal sounds like the soundest person ever while Cena comes across as a psycho.

Stereomaniac · 12-05-2015 1:57am

Ando's Saggy Bottom wrote: »

You used be able to pick up Talk Radio (as it was known then) on Medium Wave Radio back in the day. Pretty sh*t reception at times. 1053 and 1089 MW I think it used be.

Does anyone know what became of this user? Just been rereading the thread here. I started Countdown To Lockdown. I'll only read it at a snail's pace though.

adr_sullivan · 14-05-2015 7:55am

The Death of WCW: 10th Anniversary is now on amazon \ kindle for £4.99.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-WCW-Anniversary-Bestselling-Expanded-ebook/dp/B00O0UKN94/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1431586338&sr=1-1&keywords=death+of+wcw+10th+anniversary

Ageyev · 14-05-2015 8:24pm

Pentecost wrote: »

Splashed out €1.50 on this bad boy it better be worth it.

PDF? Damn! Bad news if you have an ereader.

Raven Runner · 28-05-2015 10:31pm

Don't buy the Shawn Michaels book

Loughc · 29-05-2015 7:37am

Raven Runner wrote: »

Don't buy the Shawn Michaels book

Why not?

diusmr8a504cvk · 31-05-2015 11:50pm

Loughc wrote: »

Why not?

I think his latest one was all about his faith apparently.

diusmr8a504cvk · 31-05-2015 11:59pm

So I've read:
Jericho's 3,
Bret Hart,
Mick Foley's 1st one and Countdown to Lockdown,
Bischoff,
Shawn Michaels' 1st one,
Hulk Hogan: My life outside the ring.

I wouldn't mind getting 10th anniversary edition of the death of WCW is it any good? Also any opinions on Booker T: From Prison to Promise, Titan Sinking and Sex, lies and headlocks? Any other recommendations are appreciated.

gerrybbadd · 01-06-2015 12:39am

10tj Anniversary book of Death of WCW is class, especially if you didn't read the original.

Booker T's book was free on Amazon a while back. I thought it to be a fair price at that cost! It's only just alright...

Stereomaniac · 02-06-2015 4:10am

Countdown To Lockdown is definitely going to be read over a few months for me anyway, as I can't really tolerate Mick's weird comments about women he meets for too long at a time.

rovert · 02-06-2015 4:21am

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Countdown To Lockdown is definitely going to be read over a few months for me anyway, as I can't really tolerate Mick's weird comments about women he meets for too long at a time.

That book was a lot more restrained than Hardcore Diaries. Mick's wife wasn't impressed with all the Melina stuff in that.

Stereomaniac · 02-06-2015 5:13am

Hardcore Diaries was really awkward. I wouldn't mind only Colette (is that her name?) is gorgeous.

gerrybbadd · 02-06-2015 4:17pm

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Hardcore Diaries was really awkward. I wouldn't mind only Colette (is that her name?) is gorgeous.

Time hasn't been too kind - have you seen his special on the Network?

Noelle on the other hand...:D

diusmr8a504cvk · 05-06-2015 10:13pm

Ordered the hardback of The Death of WCW - 10th Anniversary Edition, in the words of Borat "I am very excite!"

Stereomaniac · 05-06-2015 10:53pm

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Time hasn't been too kind - have you seen his special on the Network?

Noelle on the other hand...:D

No.

gerrybbadd · 05-06-2015 11:05pm

Stereomaniac wrote: »

No.

Ok

Chain Smoker · 23-06-2015 3:42am

Currently reading The Squared Circle by David Shoemaker, he's a fairly good writer but it's trailed off as he's approached the present by being way too general and not really covering anything I don't already know. The format is a bit iffy too, might be a collection of articles rather than a book.

Has anyone here read any of the following, would like to hear some opinions on them, they've all grabbed my interest but could be total duds.

Drawing Heat by Jim Freedman
Steel Chair to the Head by... a bunch of academics (?)
My Life in Wrestling by Gary Hart

Stereomaniac · 23-06-2015 3:59am

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Ok

Is the special on the Network any good? I wasn't able to stay awake when it was airing, and watching these things as they come on first is often my best chance to see them as I'm usually up to other stuff during daylight hours, ha ha. Anyway, I'm about halfway through Countdown To Lockdown at the moment and Mick Foley has detailed his departure from WWE following his time as an announcer on SmackDown. It was one of the more interesting anecdotes he's told.

gerrybbadd · 23-06-2015 1:14pm

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Is the special on the Network any good? I wasn't able to stay awake when it was airing, and watching these things as they come on first is often my best chance to see them as I'm usually up to other stuff during daylight hours, ha ha. Anyway, I'm about halfway through Countdown To Lockdown at the moment and Mick Foley has detailed his departure from WWE following his time as an announcer on SmackDown. It was one of the more interesting anecdotes he's told.

I fell asleep watching it too, if i'm honest!

It really wasn't that good anyhow. I read Countdown to Lockdown too, and the Smackdown announcing bit is really well told. Gives a good insight into how Vince operates in those headsets.

eh i dunno · 23-06-2015 2:53pm

Has anyone ever questioned any of Bret harts book? As a massive fan back in the day I'd like to think the majority of the book is true due to the fact he kept a diary on tape. Any wrestlers dispute his stories

diusmr8a504cvk · 23-06-2015 3:09pm

To be fair, Bret shoots straight. He sounds very genuine.

brinty · 23-06-2015 3:19pm

eh i dunno wrote: »

Has anyone ever questioned any of Bret harts book? As a massive fan back in the day I'd like to think the majority of the book is true due to the fact he kept a diary on tape. Any wrestlers dispute his stories

I don't dispute his book but I think its vastly over rated. Full of self promotion and made me think of that saying, you should never meet your heroes..

Constant pink tinted glasses view on everything, I never did this I never did that I elevated guys... His matches were mostly routine after routine, once he went into his finishing set you knew it was match over..

I think the fact he never really seemed sorry for how he treated his wife shows the kind of human being he is. A self centred ego hound.

Loved having a cut off Vince/Shawn etc about everything but seems to forget he'd never have gotten to where he was without Vince or Shawn and the Montreal screw job.

I'm not saying he wasn't talented or that Vince is the bees knees but a little gratitude would've been nice. He showed very little of it in a lot of parts pof the book

I wonder what the book would've read like if it was released now post his HoF induction and appearances on various WWE shows and pay per views.

diusmr8a504cvk · 23-06-2015 3:24pm

brinty wrote: »

I wonder what the book would've read like if it was released now post his HoF induction and appearances on various WWE shows and pay per views.

Makes me wonder about what Russo's autobiography would have been like if he didn't find his faith. I haven't read the book but according to him he had it written but then he became born-again and got rid of all the bashing of people in the book and rewrote it, thus making it shít.

eh i dunno · 23-06-2015 9:14pm

brinty wrote: »

I don't dispute his book but I think its vastly over rated. Full of self promotion and made me think of that saying, you should never meet your heroes..

Constant pink tinted glasses view on everything, I never did this I never did that I elevated guys... His matches were mostly routine after routine, once he went into his finishing set you knew it was match over..

I think the fact he never really seemed sorry for how he treated his wife shows the kind of human being he is. A self centred ego hound.

Loved having a cut off Vince/Shawn etc about everything but seems to forget he'd never have gotten to where he was without Vince or Shawn and the Montreal screw job.

I'm not saying he wasn't talented or that Vince is the bees knees but a little gratitude would've been nice. He showed very little of it in a lot of parts pof the book

I wonder what the book would've read like if it was released now post his HoF induction and appearances on various WWE shows and pay per views.

I would have thought bret was at his peak pre Montreal so how can you say he never would have got where he was without it?

brinty · 24-06-2015 10:06am

eh i dunno wrote: »

I would have thought bret was at his peak pre Montreal so how can you say he never would have got where he was without it?

For me (and I was a hitman fan) I think without Montreal he'd have been remembered as a good working champion but he'd never have been remember in the echelons of a Hogan, Cena, Rock, Austin etc

I think there's a top level then guys that were talented and worked there asses off like Hart, HHH, Benoit and Angle.

If Montreal had never happened how often would he have been spoken off or how would he have been remembered

gerrybbadd · 24-06-2015 10:35am

I'd have to disagree. Bret was one of the very best ever. Sure, Montreal will ensure that his name lives forever. But, so will his ringwork. His feuds with the likes of Austin and HBK, Perfect etc.

eh i dunno · 24-06-2015 11:33am

brinty wrote: »

For me (and I was a hitman fan) I think without Montreal he'd have been remembered as a good working champion but he'd never have been remember in the echelons of a Hogan, Cena, Rock, Austin etc

I think there's a top level then guys that were talented and worked there asses off like Hart, HHH, Benoit and Angle.

If Montreal had never happened how often would he have been spoken off or how would he have been remembered

I would have Hart at least on a par with rock Austin cena etc. Far better wrestler than Hogan but obviously not at hogans level in terms of drawing money crowds etc

diusmr8a504cvk · 30-06-2015 5:09pm

I would say that Chris Jericho's next book is going to be bad. We all buy it for the wrestling and as each book has come out the wrestling content inside has started to decline. With Chris doing very little wrestling since 2013 and unlikely doing much for the next few years, get ready for a lot more Fozzy chapters!

Whosthis · 01-07-2015 9:46pm

Just got an interesting promo email. I've posted on this thread before about the Blood Red Turns Dollar Green trilogy of wrestling novels. They're written by Paul O'Brien, an author from Waterford. Apparently Jim Ross is gonna write an autobiography and it will be cowritten by Paul O'Brien. Will be an interesting read no doubt.

Here's the email if anybody cares:

JR Announces Autobiography - With Me!
I’d love to be cooler about it. Love to act like it was no big deal. This week on his Ross Report podcast, WWE legend Jim Ross announced to the wrestling world that I was coming onboard to help him write his autobiography.

I didn’t know he was going to say it. Someone on Twitter send me a message of congratulations. And even though I’ve known for weeks, it hit me. It hit me squarely in the chops - I’m writing Jim Ross’ autobiography!

Me.

This is a book I’ve wanted to read for years. As a longtime wrestling fan, and a huge WWE fan in general, I would have been one of the first in line to snap up this very book. The book that I’m now going to help over the finish line.

I get to help capture that voice that we all know so well.

A familiar, passionate voice that will guide us through chapters and pages, funny stories and interesting asides. A voice that has been around for some of the most fascinating and trying times in wrestling history.

A voice I cannot wait to write, in a book I cannot wait for you to read. By Gawd!

rovert · 11-07-2015 9:53pm

JTG released an audiobook:
https://twitter.com/Jtg1284/status/619952468600827905

eh i dunno · 12-07-2015 1:32pm

Is lex lugers book worth a read?

ERG89 · 07-08-2015 12:15pm

How has Daniel Bryan's book been received?

Wrestling books.

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