Wrestling books

[Megahab]

I'm looking for recommendation for wrestling autobiographies. I read Bret Hart's book way back when it was released and last week, I finished Mick Foley's first book. They were both amazing. Obviously Foley's second book is on my list, but what others would you recommend?

Both Bret (I think) and Foley's books didn't use ghost writers. Is that a big deal? I mean, how much does it take away from an autobipgraphy that uses a ghost writer? Before a few months ago, I wasn't much of a reader, so I don't know.

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[HandsomeHollywood]

Jericho's first book is excellent. The ones after that though? Ehhhh.

I think autobiographies are fine but there's more interesting books on wrestling in general to me. Books about the territory days are almost always highly praised.

 

[JackSlater]

I read Dynamite Kid's autobiography years ago and enjoyed that. Bret Hart's is the best that I've read though. Most of these are bound to be written by someone else, but as long as the wrestler has some good stories it probably ends up as a good book. Jericho's first book seems to be recommended nearly as often as Foley's first.

Not an autobiography, but most people seem to like The Death of WCW. I'd imagine that enjoyment depends at least a bit on when someone became a wrestling fan though.

 

[Megahab]

Yes actually, I do have Death of WCW but havent started it yet. I also have a book about the Benoit murders called Chris and Nancy.

Also have 2 other autobiographies - Hogan and Lawler, but don't have interest in reading them. Hogan's because apparently it's full of lies unsurprisingly. Lawler's because I never really cared for him.

 

[joestevens29]

I read Dynamite Kid's autobiography years ago and enjoyed that. Bret Hart's is the best that I've read though. Most of these are bound to be written by someone else, but as long as the wrestler has some good stories it probably ends up as a good book. Jericho's first book seems to be recommended nearly as often as Foley's first.

Not an autobiography, but most people seem to like The Death of WCW. I'd imagine that enjoyment depends at least a bit on when someone became a wrestling fan though.

I was looking for it awhile back and couldn't find it. I should take another look on amazon

I read Under the Mat years ago. Diana Hart's book on the Hart's. My uncle had it and then sold it at a garage sale for a buck. That book was going for a pretty good penny last year when I was looking.

Reading Shawn Michaels Heartbreak and Triumph, not bad so far but I was a fan of him. Read his other one that is more about his faith, was an interesting read on how being a born again christian changed how he did things.

 

[joestevens29]

Yes actually, I do have Death of WCW but havent started it yet. I also have a book about the Benoit murders called Chris and Nancy.

Also have 2 other autobiographies - Hogan and Lawler, but don't have interest in reading them. Hogan's because apparently it's full of lies unsurprisingly. Lawler's because I never really cared for him.

I think I have the DVD on that one or at least had watched it. Very interesting.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

I read Dynamite Kid's autobiography years ago and enjoyed that. Bret Hart's is the best that I've read though. Most of these are bound to be written by someone else, but as long as the wrestler has some good stories it probably ends up as a good book. Jericho's first book seems to be recommended nearly as often as Foley's first.

Not an autobiography, but most people seem to like The Death of WCW. I'd imagine that enjoyment depends at least a bit on when someone became a wrestling fan though.

Death of WCW is a must read. Sunny's autobiography is just depressing and its big on self promoting. Wrestlecraps book of lists is good as well.

Bob Holly's book is a good read if you want to read about a un apologetic hard ass jerk.

 

[JackSlater]

Death of WCW is a must read. Sunny's autobiography is just depressing and its big on self promoting. Wrestlecraps book of lists is good as well.

Bob Holly's book is a good read if you want to read about a un apologetic hard ass jerk.

I hate Alvarez but given the praise that book gets I'll probably read it some day. Plus stories about WCW shenanigans are pretty much always hilarious and mystifying.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

The book is well worth the read for the descriptions of angles as WCW made worse and worse choices in the booking.

Also the description of the fight between Sid and Arn was almost hilarious for something so serious.

 

[sabremike]

I hate Alvarez but given the praise that book gets I'll probably read it some day. Plus stories about WCW shenanigans are pretty much always hilarious and mystifying.

The Flying Mare article he did with the headline "Fan Scientifically Proves Angle-HBK Was a Bad Match" was probably the single greatest piece of pro wrestling writing I have ever seen.

 

[JackSlater]

The Flying Mare article he did with the headline "Fan Scientifically Proves Angle-HBK Was a Bad Match" was probably the single greatest piece of pro wrestling writing I have ever seen.

I may look that up later. I don't like his audio work (delivery or content) but his writing is fair game.

 

[reckoning]

- I thought most of the books that were released by WWF a few years back were garbage that promoted Vince's revisionist history. The only ones that had any value for me were Mick Foley's first book (although you can see his ego getting bigger towards the end), Ric Flair's book (sucks up to Vince a lot, but still has loads of great stories from his career), William Regal's, and Fred Blassie's.
- I'd put the books by Dynamite Kid, Bill Watts and Bob Holly in the same category: they all come across as massive jerks, but you get the feeling that at least they're brutally honest about everything.
- Bret Hart's book was excellent, as was Chris Jericho's first one.
- Chris Kanyon's book was heartbreaking to read, especially knowing that his life ended before it was released
- Gary Micheal Cappetta's is full of great stories from his career. Highly recommended.
- Missy Hyatt's is hilarious because it's mostly about which wrestlers and other public figures she's had sex with (Rod Brind'amour gets mentioned).
- Bob Backlund's book is a very detailed retelling of his years as WWF champion, just know that it stops after he lost the title in 1983.
- Ring Of Hell is considered the best of all the books about the Benoit murders. A gripping read, but the author hates wrestling and you won't feel like watching any matches for awhile after you've read it.
- Dave Meltzer's Tributes books are beautiful and should be in every fan's libary.
- Any books on wrestling history by Tim Hornbaker or Greg Oliver are worth reading.
- I didn't care for Death of WCW. I just found the writing style in it incredibly annoying. Seems like a bunch of smarky wrestlecrap posts rather than telling the story maturely.

 

[Unholy Diver]

Larry Zbyszko's Adventures in Larryland was a pretty quick fun read

 

[JackSlater]

- I thought most of the books that were released by WWF a few years back were garbage that promoted Vince's revisionist history. The only ones that had any value for me were Mick Foley's first book (although you can see his ego getting bigger towards the end), Ric Flair's book (sucks up to Vince a lot, but still has loads of great stories from his career), William Regal's, and Fred Blassie's.
- I'd put the books by Dynamite Kid, Bill Watts and Bob Holly in the same category: they all come across as massive jerks, but you get the feeling that at least they're brutally honest about everything.
- Bret Hart's book was excellent, as was Chris Jericho's first one.
- Chris Kanyon's book was heartbreaking to read, especially knowing that his life ended before it was released
- Gary Micheal Cappetta's is full of great stories from his career. Highly recommended.
- Missy Hyatt's is hilarious because it's mostly about which wrestlers and other public figures she's had sex with (Rod Brind'amour gets mentioned).
- Bob Backlund's book is a very detailed retelling of his years as WWF champion, just know that it stops after he lost the title in 1983.
- Ring Of Hell is considered the best of all the books about the Benoit murders. A gripping read, but the author hates wrestling and you won't feel like watching any matches for awhile after you've read it.
- Dave Meltzer's Tributes books are beautiful and should be in every fan's libary.
- Any books on wrestling history by Tim Hornbaker or Greg Oliver are worth reading.
- I didn't care for Death of WCW. I just found the writing style in it incredibly annoying. Seems like a bunch of smarky wrestlecrap posts rather than telling the story maturely.

I hadn't considered reading Watts' book, but I am now. I'm also a bit surprised that Rod the Bod stayed at the Hyatt.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

- I thought most of the books that were released by WWF a few years back were garbage that promoted Vince's revisionist history. The only ones that had any value for me were Mick Foley's first book (although you can see his ego getting bigger towards the end), Ric Flair's book (sucks up to Vince a lot, but still has loads of great stories from his career), William Regal's, and Fred Blassie's.
- I'd put the books by Dynamite Kid, Bill Watts and Bob Holly in the same category: they all come across as massive jerks, but you get the feeling that at least they're brutally honest about everything.
- Bret Hart's book was excellent, as was Chris Jericho's first one.
- Chris Kanyon's book was heartbreaking to read, especially knowing that his life ended before it was released
- Gary Micheal Cappetta's is full of great stories from his career. Highly recommended.
- Missy Hyatt's is hilarious because it's mostly about which wrestlers and other public figures she's had sex with (Rod Brind'amour gets mentioned).
- Bob Backlund's book is a very detailed retelling of his years as WWF champion, just know that it stops after he lost the title in 1983.
- Ring Of Hell is considered the best of all the books about the Benoit murders. A gripping read, but the author hates wrestling and you won't feel like watching any matches for awhile after you've read it.
- Dave Meltzer's Tributes books are beautiful and should be in every fan's libary.
- Any books on wrestling history by Tim Hornbaker or Greg Oliver are worth reading.
- I didn't care for Death of WCW. I just found the writing style in it incredibly annoying. Seems like a bunch of smarky wrestlecrap posts rather than telling the story maturely.

I actually liked Missy's book, her stories about Val Venus and some of those other wrestlers were very funny. If your torn between Sunny's book and Missy's get Missy's.

Sunny's book is sad because its chock full of denial.

 

[Megahab]

Oh I forgot I do have Jericho's first book too.

I read Alvarez's book 100 Things Every WWE fan should know and do. I think it would be a good read for a newer fan but I knew about almost everything in that book already.

I'm thinking I might want to stay away from a book written by a guy while employed by WWE in case there is a lot of sucking up and revisionist history.

Which autobiographies have a wrestler talking the most shit about other wrestlers? That would interest me.

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

The book Pain and Passion about Stampede Wrestling came highly recommended to me.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Eddie's book and Shawn's first book

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

I was looking for it awhile back and couldn't find it. I should take another look on amazon

I read Under the Mat years ago. Diana Hart's book on the Hart's. My uncle had it and then sold it at a garage sale for a buck. That book was going for a pretty good penny last year when I was looking.

Reading Shawn Michaels Heartbreak and Triumph, not bad so far but I was a fan of him. Read his other one that is more about his faith, was an interesting read on how being a born again christian changed how he did things.

If you can find it, then keep it, it's a wrestling fan keep sake. The book was pulled from the shelves after a threat of lawsuit by Martha Hart and the rest of the Hart's rallied against the book, because outside of some things, it was pretty much a poorly researched and vetted book of lies and self promotion and delusion. I always felt bad for Diana not because of what she went through in her life. But that she was so desperate for money that she managed to write a book about an alternate dimension, where she was the best wrestler that Stu Hart had ever created.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I was looking for it awhile back and couldn't find it. I should take another look on amazon

I read Under the Mat years ago. Diana Hart's book on the Hart's. My uncle had it and then sold it at a garage sale for a buck. That book was going for a pretty good penny last year when I was looking.

Reading Shawn Michaels Heartbreak and Triumph, not bad so far but I was a fan of him. Read his other one that is more about his faith, was an interesting read on how being a born again christian changed how he did things.

I had the book. Apparently it is quite rare as Diana lied her ass off throughout it and somebody sued her and had it removed from the shelves. I sold mine for over 100 bucks a number of years ago.

 

[sabremike]

I had the book. Apparently it is quite rare as Diana lied her ass off throughout it and somebody sued her and had it removed from the shelves. I sold mine for over 100 bucks a number of years ago.

That someone was Martha Hart, and given that the publisher immediately yanked the book and publicly apologized (believe they also paid out a settlement but can't say for sure off the top of my head) it's safe to say it was an open and shut case of libel.

 

[Bondurant]

The book Pain and Passion about Stampede Wrestling came highly recommended to me.

The author, Heath McCoy, co-authored a book about Benoit with Greg Oliver. The latter has also written a number of hockey books and he posts in the History of Hockey forum.

 

[CHGoalie27]

I wanna suggest a killer one I couldn't put down, but it'll have to wait til my next pick at the latest

 

[CHGoalie27]

I actually liked Missy's book, her stories about Val Venus and some of those other wrestlers were very funny. If your torn between Sunny's book and Missy's get Missy's.

Sunny's book is sad because its chock full of denial.

Did it say anything about Sandman's premature evacuation situation that he's spoken of?

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

No, it did talk about Sandman being smelly, but he cleaned up really well. IIRC Missy did talk about Val Venis not being anything like his porn star character and a premature ejaculator. IIRC Missy also talked about Rod Brind'Amor sculpted butt cheeks and the Jim Kelly curse. Beyond the really funny and interesting wrestling stories, Missy kind of tore through locker rooms like a horny tornado.