Wrestling Books

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

I've already read both of Foley's books, and Scott Keith's... what are some other good wrestling books that will keep me reading?

 

Your thoughts on the following:

Dynamite Kid's book

Lou Thesz's book

Arn Anderson's book

Bobby Heenan's book

 

And basically any other wrestling book you can think of...

[Guest bob_barron]

Brain's book is pretty good and it's also a quick and easy read and some parts will leave you in stitches.

 

I've read some of Dynamite's book and it's also pretty good.

 

Anyone know the scoop on Piper's book?

[Guest RedJed]

I've read most of the commonplace ones (Foleys, Angle, etc), and so far, Dynamites is still the best. He doesnt pull any punches on anyone in this book, and is probably the most honest about the industry and himself than any worker who has written an A-B.

 

Hadn't read Heenans or Thesz's books, just because I'm not a big fan of each, but I did get into some of Arns and it wasn't too bad. A book I've heard from many that is way better than expected is Moolahs, believe it or not. So I'll probably pick that one up sooner or later.

 

I'm in the middle of the Piper book right now and it's typical Piper. I think he overplays some things that he did and gives himself a little bit too much credit, but I didn't think any differently going into it. He has alot of interesting stories, some hard to believe, but it's still worth picking up.

 

Some ones to avoid: Missy Hyatt (unless her blatant slut behavior is interesting to you), DDP (Too long of a book and too much of DDP and friends complimenting him left and right), and the book that came out recently on Vince. It's a fast read and had a few interesting parts, but it wasn't concrete enough to make it worth the price. Alot of the things weren't really against or for Vince, it was just kind of a timeline of events in wrestling.

[Guest bob_barron]

The problem with Moolah's book is that well- who gives a shit about the Fabolous Moolah?

 

I enjoyed the Vince book as it was fun reading a mainstream book about pro wrestling that for the most part knew what it was talking about

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Dynamites book is really good. Though it is not nearly as personal as Foleys are. You get like one mention of his wife and family and it's him saying "well, my wife left me, I don't really blame her" and that's it. It's 100% about wrestling and he tells stories of wrestling in Japan and Stampede and the WWF (of course) and it is definitely recommended. You can finish it in one sitting - 6 hours tops.

 

I have heard that Arns book is mostly kayfabed.

 

Hooker is said to be one of the best wrestling books out there.

 

Get Tributes if you can - dave does a really good job.

[Guest RedJed]

I have heard that Arns book is mostly kayfabed.

Yup, it is. Its hard to get into it that way but from what I read he still had alot of interesting stories to tell outside the ring.

[Guest bob_barron]

Yea- Tributes is a really great book even though the subject is a bit depressing.

 

Arn kayfabed his book?? I love AA but that's a bit dumb

[Guest shlidgn90]

here are my opinions on the books that i've read.

Pure Dynamite: this book is average at best. dynamites problem is that as much people are fans of his in the ring. outside the ring he an arrogant asshole who hurts others for his own amusement.

missy hyatt: this book is real interesting about wrestling life in the eighties. it also pretty upbeat book as missy portrays herself as an optimist despite being in a sexist line of work.

the rock says: i haven't read chyna's book(nor do plan to anytime soon), so this book maybe the worst of the all the wrestling books. first off, the ghost writer wrote this biography in second person. then, the book suddenly changes into a heelish promo in full annoying version of the rock from the nation of domination.

moohlah:this book is maybe one notch below the rock says in stupidity. basically, this is more of a vince is genuis book than it is about moohlah. one example of this is how she sided with mcmahon when she knew that one of her students was being ripped off by him(wendy ricther). then she kayfabed about the spider lady match(this is a match where ricther was screwed like bret hart when moohlah under a mask pinned her for a quick count).

Kurt Angle: Kurts book is one of the more interesting books under the wwf banner. its positives are that his weaknesses in life are exposed within the tone of the book. it shows that Angle has that competition drive which consumes his total self to the point where it is all that he knows. he also comes across as unintentionally the goofy character in the wwe.

Bobby Heenan: if you are looking for humor, this is the book for you. bobby heenan book is worth looking into based solely on his wrestling stories in the AWA.

In the pit with Piper: this is the best wrestling book out besides te two mick foley books. the book displays the passion he has to professional wresting, a business in which he made both good and bad decisions. btw, most current wrestling fans may think he's delusional because the braggadocious claims he's made. but, most of them are true, during the early days of Hulkamania, Roddy's promos did help bring in the crowds of the first two manias. During the third one, his flowershop angle also got him one of biggest pops that night. He was, and is still considered one of the greatest promo men of all time.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

sorta off topic: I found out that I'm getting Foley is Good for Christmas. How, you ask? My Dad left it on the back of the chair in the family room in a plastic bag that was practically see-through. He's usually better at hiding gifts, except the book and this one time he hid some under a table behind a big stack of empty soda cases, and forgot then had me crush said soda cases. Got the Exorcist collector set (pre-DVD) and a C-Watch

Back on topic:

I'd get Thesz's book and Dynamite's book

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

The fellow that co-wrote Sex, Lies, and Headlocks is our local wrestling writer, Mike Mooneyham. I see him every month at the sports bar for Pay-Per-Views.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest BAR]

Wrestling books i've got...

 

Mick Foley - Have A Nice Day

Mick Foley - Foley Is Good

Dynamite Kid - Pure Dynamite

The Rock - The Rock Says

Chyna - If They Only Knew

Bobby Heenan - Wrestling's Bad Boy Tells All

 

The only one's i'd recommend are DK's, BH's and MF's first one.

[Guest Mattdotcom]

God, I hated the Rock's book. Even Mick Foley didn't like it. He let me in on that once. Seriously.

[Guest bob_barron]

I tried to read Rock's book but half of it was written in third person which annoyed me to no end.

 

Plus- why did Rock deserve a book?? Did he get one based on the success of Mick's?

[Guest RedJed]

I'm pretty sure thats why Rock got a book deal. It had to be purely based off of the popularity of Foleys first book. I read somewhere that Rock really didn't have alot to do with the completion of the book at all, just kind of gave the ghostwriter some vague information of his upbringing, etc. It showed in the final product........I read it on a flight to California in less than a few hours, and most of the time I was skimming over paragraphs, etc. A really weak so-called autobiography.

 

Anyone know if/when the Lawler book comes out? Depending on how much Vince was involved in this one (I'm assuming it will be a WWE tagged book, like Hogans) and depending on how much he covers from the oldschool Memphis days-pre WWF, it could be a good read.

[Guest bob_barron]

Lawler's comes out in a couple weeks- I read at wwe.com he's doing book signings soon

[Guest Slapnuts00]

BAR, where's that Benoit/Dynamite picture from? That's awesome!

[Guest BAR]

BAR, where's that Benoit/Dynamite picture from? That's awesome!

http://www.dynamitekid.com is where the pic's from. It used to be a great site but Tommy doesn't really visit it anymore and answer questions.

[Guest TheHulkster]

DK: Probably tied for my favorite wrestling book. He's very candid about the Harts, Drugs, and everyone in All Japan and the WWF in the 80's. Not a great deal of personal information though.

 

Bobby Heenan: There are some funny stories, but there isn't a good overlying them to it like some of the other books. Unlike DK though, he does shed into his personal life and gives you a good glimpse of what life was like in the AWA.

 

Have a Nice Day: It has a great overlying theme and great stories. Tied for my favorite wrestling book.

 

Tributes: Dave is a great writer. Each of the profiles, even if you didn't know the guy too well or weren't very interested in them, are very well written and entertaining.

 

Hulk Hogan: I haven't finished it yet, but there are some great stories. Hulk sheds into his personal life and isn't afraid to criticize himself and give his honest opinion about other people around him during his heyday

 

The book down below:Tied for the best wrestling book i've ever read with Foley's and DK's. Probably the best stories you'll read in a wrestling book, a reallly good

overlying theme, and a good glimpse into his personal life.

[Guest AM The Kid]

Have A Nice Day: Amazing, my favorite book.

 

Pure Dynamite: Very candid and funny, recomended.

 

Foley Is Good: Alright, too much crap on PTC though.

 

Hulk Hogan: Halfway done, easy read, some kayfabe.

 

Piper: Good book, interesting opinions.

 

Moolah: Pretty bad.

 

Stu Hart: Really good, he's had an amazing life.

 

Owen Hart: One of the best books I've ever read.

 

Angle: Pretty good.

 

Chyna: Dont read this book.