Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Certain things in Foley's book seemed to make him out to be arrogant as well. How about constantly referring to himself as being on the cover of TV Guide with girls from his past that shunned him or whatever? The bashing of Marc Mero seemed a little odd as well. Always bagging on Flair got tired quickly.

[theintensifier 0]

What's the point? Minus some "untold" road stories, this book will be the same as every other wrestling book ever written, and I do mean ever written.

 

Bret puts himself over, takes all the credit, whines about people not realizing his greatness, and makes himself look like a real piece of work in the process.

 

Just like every other wrestler whos decided to "write" a book. This trend will continue, until no one cares enough to buy a book that's like every other book. Seriously, all you'd have to do is change some dates, some pictures, and a few tweaks on stories.

 

I cannot wait until HHH or Taker put out a book.

 

That's not accurate at all. Way to make yourself look like a complete moron (again).

 

It's very different from most of the books and the guy is brutally honest. There are negatives, but the positives greatly outweigh them. I'm not finished yet, but it's easily the best wrestling book I've read since Foley's first, and I think it might be better than that as well.

 

Was the last line of your post sarcasm?

It's not accurate? Hmm....

 

He doesn't do any of what I said? He even tries to forgive himself for cheating on his wife countless times, which I'm sure he left out a couple dozen of times. Ever hear about his tours in Japan? Yeah, he was awfully faithful.

 

I mean, we can sit here all day and call each other names for no real apparent reason, well, obviously to be dicks, but what does that actually accomplish? Calling me a moron, or whatever you decide to say is really irrelevant. Does it make your internet browsing seem better, more enjoyable per say? I'm serious, does it make you feel good that you can throw civilized conversation right out the window and start with attempted insults? I mean come on now, you're one of the labeled "smart guys" on this board, or so some claim, but attacking me because my opinion differs from yours is absurd.

 

If you get that annoyed, I feel bad for your kids, or future kids.

 

Sheesh.

 

And yes, it was sarcasm at the end of my post. Because you know damn well they'd do the same thing Hart/Hogan/Flair/Kid have done. Foley is possibly the only guy who doesn't put himself 100% of the time. IIRC, Funk even put himself over considerably in his book.

[Guest the_last_rites]

I sincerely hope it was sarcasm there with the line about Takers and HHHs books. Pray tell us What it is that you expect from their books? Something vastly different from the very generalized idea you have about "EVERY SINGLE" wrestling book ever penned (your words not mine)

[theintensifier 0]

And yes, it was sarcasm at the end of my post. Because you know damn well they'd do the same thing Hart/Hogan/Flair/Kid have done. Foley is possibly the only guy who doesn't put himself 100% of the time. IIRC, Funk even put himself over considerably in his book.

 

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

What's the point? Minus some "untold" road stories, this book will be the same as every other wrestling book ever written, and I do mean ever written.

 

Bret puts himself over, takes all the credit, whines about people not realizing his greatness, and makes himself look like a real piece of work in the process.

 

Just like every other wrestler whos decided to "write" a book. This trend will continue, until no one cares enough to buy a book that's like every other book. Seriously, all you'd have to do is change some dates, some pictures, and a few tweaks on stories.

 

I cannot wait until HHH or Taker put out a book.

 

That's not accurate at all. Way to make yourself look like a complete moron (again).

 

It's very different from most of the books and the guy is brutally honest. There are negatives, but the positives greatly outweigh them. I'm not finished yet, but it's easily the best wrestling book I've read since Foley's first, and I think it might be better than that as well.

 

Was the last line of your post sarcasm?

It's not accurate? Hmm....

 

He doesn't do any of what I said? He even tries to forgive himself for cheating on his wife countless times, which I'm sure he left out a couple dozen of times. Ever hear about his tours in Japan? Yeah, he was awfully faithful.

 

I mean, we can sit here all day and call each other names for no real apparent reason, well, obviously to be dicks, but what does that actually accomplish? Calling me a moron, or whatever you decide to say is really irrelevant. Does it make your internet browsing seem better, more enjoyable per say? I'm serious, does it make you feel good that you can throw civilized conversation right out the window and start with attempted insults? I mean come on now, you're one of the labeled "smart guys" on this board, or so some claim, but attacking me because my opinion differs from yours is absurd.

 

If you get that annoyed, I feel bad for your kids, or future kids.

 

Sheesh.

 

And yes, it was sarcasm at the end of my post. Because you know damn well they'd do the same thing Hart/Hogan/Flair/Kid have done. Foley is possibly the only guy who doesn't put himself 100% of the time. IIRC, Funk even put himself over considerably in his book.

 

No, you are a moron, and it's not to sound like a dick, it's because you are knocking a book you never read and assuming something that you haven't the slightest clue about. In fact, I'm pretty sure he mentions in the book that he was unfaithful in Japan.

[cabbageboy 0]

With Foley sure he badmouthed Marc Mero a lot but honestly it's just Mero so who really gives a shit? In terms of Flair he certainly said Flair was one of the best, if not the best, to ever don a pair of tights. He just didn't like his booking very much. Personally I found that odd since it was under Flair's booking that Cactus Jack did those crazy hardcore brawls vs. the Nasty boys.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

With Foley sure he badmouthed Marc Mero a lot but honestly it's just Mero so who really gives a shit?

 

As much as people want to bash Mero, especially now after Benoit's death, it doesn't change the fact he was a very talented wrestler.

 

He was kinda a poor man's Brian Pillman(which isn't a bad thing at all), dude could drag a good match with a broomstick. Athletic as fuck, great technique, he had it all.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

No, you are a moron, and it's not to sound like a dick, it's because you are knocking a book you never read and assuming something that you haven't the slightest clue about. In fact, I'm pretty sure he mentions in the book that he was unfaithful in Japan.

He does go into detail about how many times he cheated in Japan and how unfaithful he was.

[theintensifier 0]

Haha.

 

I wasn't doubting that he'd include his Japan tours. Re-read what I said junior.

[Naked Snake 0]

I thought this was a tremendous book and the best wrestling book I've ever read.

 

Sure there was a lot of arrogance, but fuck, it's Bret Hart, what do you expect? This is a guy who can't get over being screwed out of a worked title ten years ago and screwing himself (and the fans) out of a WrestleMania appearance where all he has to do is show up and drill Vince McMahon in the face.

 

He contradicts himself a few times, and a lot of his dates are way off, but the 1997 stuff between him and Shawn (my 2 favorite wrestlers of all time) is tremendous.

 

He says he hates the sheets, but whenever he has to bring up a point about a good match or him drawing better buyrates than Shawn he always directly quotes from Meltzer/Observer. As well, he tells Davey Boy in 1981 not to let anyone but yourself cut your forehead and then he blades Austin at Mania 13.

 

I would like to have heard more about the Hall of Fame and the DVD compilation, but otherwise, I am really satisfied with the book.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

After reading all this, I just can't look at Bret Hart the same way ever again. I guess I was such a sucker for his character that I always looked up at Bret Hart, the person, as this stand-up, clean-cut, highly moral, goody goody, almost saint-like guy and then to find out he was no different than the rest of the roster (doing drugs, cheating on spouses, steroids, etc.), well it just ruins my image of him that I grew up with over the years and that really sucks, but I'll be sure to pick it up when it comes out here.

 

By the way, I thought Foley was pissed at Mero only because he got a better contract than what Foley got. I believe HHH got the same shitty treatment by the other boys in the back when he was initially signed by WWF about his bigger contract.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

The best wrestling book I have read, and the most in-line with how I personally view most, if not all, aspects of wrestling. By the end, though, I felt very, very, depressed. My recommendation is to finish with his match w/ Stone Cold at WM 13 (which made me really want to watch wrestling for the first time in a while) and be done with it, because after that it's all downhill. Bret clearly comes off as a very broken man, though he does make a point of showing that -in the wrestling business- he's what would be considered a survivor. Which is more a condemnation of the times than something that lifts Bret up above everyone else.

 

I was really surprised with his relationships with Dynamite Kid and Jim Neidhart. I never knew he was so close with Billington for the first half of his career and despite DK obviously being a prick, he did a lot for Bret when he could and comes off better in some ways than in his own book. When Bret says "I never talked to him since", my heart sank a bit. With Anvil, it seems that Jim was a constant in Brets life, which is to say Bret had ups and downs with everyone around him, but Jim stayed the same, fun, dude and I had a smile on my face everytime Jim re-entered Brets life.

 

In regards to his matches, I think it's a source of pride for him, and he is very clear that reputation in wrestling is one of the most important things you can have, so when he puts stuff like wrestlers patting him on the back, it's his way of reinforcing the notion of him being a well respected worker. "The Boys" gets referenced so much and Bret thought himself a workers champion. Which, in reality, he was. Not a whole lot of guys get to the top on work alone and Bret did.

 

The Davey match is simple. The dude was seriously fucked up, physically, mentally, etc. On lots of drugs, and Bret held his hand throughout the match. In wrestling, a wrestler does lead, but carrying is a different thing. Since the match is so highly regarded, and since Davey comes off so well in it, Bret makes a point of saying that he did the heavy lifting. Bret shows in other matches that wrestling is a collaborative process, that he often went over matches with guys beforehand and input from all sides (including bookers and agents) was included. And that in the ring, it wasn't just one guy calling all the shots. But with Davey, and Bret spoke of this before in relation to matches they had in Stampede, you could tell him what to do, and he'd do it, but he didn't have the imagination for it - which Bret prided himself in having, and recognized that in the others he had great matches with (Billington, for example).

 

Hart was hard on a lot of guys, but I think he gave them their appropriate due ("appropriate" being relative to how much teeth pulling it took for Bret to do it). He spoke highly of Hogan during a lot of the 80's stretch, and ditto Shawn in the early 90's. But by the end, he doesn't care for Hogan and he really, really, really, REALLY, fucking hates Shawn. Like, good god. He says nothing but good things about Taker, though.

 

Which brings me to a part of the book I found fascinating, which was the mid 90's portion. There are not a whole lot of books which document this time in the WWE and Bret brings a lot up about the clique and how the politics worked at the time.

 

The subject of drugs and sex is constant throughout the book. Bret says that sex saved him, as instead of boozing and pill popping like so many others did in excess, he flirted and fucked (though he still admits to taking drugs). It's an interesting notion, and one that doesn't get a whole lot of play in wrestling media but one that is certainly something that is prevalent in wrestling - ring rats and the like. Bret saying banning marijuana was a big mistake as it lead to the boys taking more painpills is another interesting topic point. As a narrative, I think all of Brets affairs "worked" for the story because by the end he shows his "recovery" by banging some chick in Australia and falling in love with some Italian bird. I don't think he glorifies it, as he is quick to note how he knew he shouldn't be doing it, but that his lust was always greater than his regret.

 

He clearly had a deep respect for his parents, and I don't think he ever told a story that put them in a bad light. Since his parting of ways with Dynamite involved Tom putting a story about Stu in the book that Bret thought was disrespectful, it's clear that Brets intent is to make his parents look good. His brothers and sisters, OTOH, are all fucking nuts and he doesn't hold back a bit with them, especially Ellie.

 

All in all, I don't think this is in anyway a love letter to Bret Hart, from Bret Hart. Reading it, you get to see what he takes pride in and when big moments happen that falls in line with that, he gives himself a pat on the back. But I think the most telling thing is his story about the Lion, the Eagle, and the Polar bear, and when you understand that, and see how he views himself in respect to that, you won't be saying it's a typical wrestling book.

[The Truthiness 0]

The best wrestling book I have read, and the most in-line with how I personally view most, if not all, aspects of wrestling. By the end, though, I felt very, very, depressed. My recommendation is to finish with his match w/ Stone Cold at WM 13 (which made me really want to watch wrestling for the first time in a while) and be done with it, because after that it's all downhill. Bret clearly comes off as a very broken man, though he does make a point of showing that -in the wrestling business- he's what would be considered a survivor. Which is more a condemnation of the times than something that lifts Bret up above everyone else.

 

I was really surprised with his relationships with Dynamite Kid and Jim Neidhart. I never knew he was so close with Billington for the first half of his career and despite DK obviously being a prick, he did a lot for Bret when he could and comes off better in some ways than in his own book. When Bret says "I never talked to him since", my heart sank a bit. With Anvil, it seems that Jim was a constant in Brets life, which is to say Bret had ups and downs with everyone around him, but Jim stayed the same, fun, dude and I had a smile on my face everytime Jim re-entered Brets life.

 

In regards to his matches, I think it's a source of pride for him, and he is very clear that reputation in wrestling is one of the most important things you can have, so when he puts stuff like wrestlers patting him on the back, it's his way of reinforcing the notion of him being a well respected worker. "The Boys" gets referenced so much and Bret thought himself a workers champion. Which, in reality, he was. Not a whole lot of guys get to the top on work alone and Bret did.

 

The Davey match is simple. The dude was seriously fucked up, physically, mentally, etc. On lots of drugs, and Bret held his hand throughout the match. In wrestling, a wrestler does lead, but carrying is a different thing. Since the match is so highly regarded, and since Davey comes off so well in it, Bret makes a point of saying that he did the heavy lifting. Bret shows in other matches that wrestling is a collaborative process, that he often went over matches with guys beforehand and input from all sides (including bookers and agents) was included. And that in the ring, it wasn't just one guy calling all the shots. But with Davey, and Bret spoke of this before in relation to matches they had in Stampede, you could tell him what to do, and he'd do it, but he didn't have the imagination for it - which Bret prided himself in having, and recognized that in the others he had great matches with (Billington, for example).

 

Hart was hard on a lot of guys, but I think he gave them their appropriate due ("appropriate" being relative to how much teeth pulling it took for Bret to do it). He spoke highly of Hogan during a lot of the 80's stretch, and ditto Shawn in the early 90's. But by the end, he doesn't care for Hogan and he really, really, really, REALLY, fucking hates Shawn. Like, good god. He says nothing but good things about Taker, though.

 

Which brings me to a part of the book I found fascinating, which was the mid 90's portion. There are not a whole lot of books which document this time in the WWE and Bret brings a lot up about the clique and how the politics worked at the time.

 

The subject of drugs and sex is constant throughout the book. Bret says that sex saved him, as instead of boozing and pill popping like so many others did in excess, he flirted and fucked (though he still admits to taking drugs). It's an interesting notion, and one that doesn't get a whole lot of play in wrestling media but one that is certainly something that is prevalent in wrestling - ring rats and the like. Bret saying banning marijuana was a big mistake as it lead to the boys taking more painpills is another interesting topic point. As a narrative, I think all of Brets affairs "worked" for the story because by the end he shows his "recovery" by banging some chick in Australia and falling in love with some Italian bird. I don't think he glorifies it, as he is quick to note how he knew he shouldn't be doing it, but that his lust was always greater than his regret.

 

He clearly had a deep respect for his parents, and I don't think he ever told a story that put them in a bad light. Since his parting of ways with Dynamite involved Tom putting a story about Stu in the book that Bret thought was disrespectful, it's clear that Brets intent is to make his parents look good. His brothers and sisters, OTOH, are all fucking nuts and he doesn't hold back a bit with them, especially Ellie.

 

All in all, I don't think this is in anyway a love letter to Bret Hart, from Bret Hart. Reading it, you get to see what he takes pride in and when big moments happen that falls in line with that, he gives himself a pat on the back. But I think the most telling thing is his story about the Lion, the Eagle, and the Polar bear, and when you understand that, and see how he views himself in respect to that, you won't be saying it's a typical wrestling book.

 

Good write up Rudo.

 

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

He says he hates the sheets, but whenever he has to bring up a point about a good match or him drawing better buyrates than Shawn he always directly quotes from Meltzer/Observer. As well, he tells Davey Boy in 1981 not to let anyone but yourself cut your forehead and then he blades Austin at Mania 13.

 

Bret said that Austin had said he never bladed himself before, and Bret said that while the rule is normally to never let someone do that to you, that Steve could trust him to do it well, since it was important for the match and the WWF's policy at the time was no gigging.

 

He also said that while everyone hated the sheets, the wrestlers and promoters were always the first to read them.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I think the main problem I had with the book was that a lot of it foreshadowed things to come, especially Montreal and Owen. A lot of it seems very convenient, though I can't say that it was fabricated, since it's understandable that his memory would highlight such instances and keep them in that perspective. It's just fairly transparent (and as a result takes you out of the story) to read things like "One day Earl and I sat down to dinner after Survivor Series 92 and he said to me how much he'd love to ref my last wwf match and how much he wanted it to be at a Survivor Series and how much he loved Montreal smoked meat sandwiches and how he'd never betray my trust ever and that the idea of Shawn Michaels putting me in a sharpshooter was ridiculous and never likely to happen... which was odd because I don't recall ever Earl liking Montreal smoked meat.. that was more of a Pat Patterson thing..."*

 

That, along with Bret receiving the biggest, loudest, applause of his career in (insert city here), multiple times over. Plus the notion of no one ever kicking out of the sharpshooter until he let Taker as a sign of respect. Now, I don't know for sure, but I don't recall the sharpshooter ever being that high percentage for the win.

 

(*May or may not have been said in book)

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Plus the notion of no one ever kicking out of the sharpshooter until he let Taker as a sign of respect. Now, I don't know for sure, but I don't recall the sharpshooter ever being that high percentage for the win.

I think he means that literally. Undertaker did kick out of it, as in physically kicking Bret off when he had the hold applied, which I don't think anyone had done before.

[Guest messiahtype]

The best wrestling book I have read, and the most in-line with how I personally view most, if not all, aspects of wrestling. By the end, though, I felt very, very, depressed. My recommendation is to finish with his match w/ Stone Cold at WM 13 (which made me really want to watch wrestling for the first time in a while) and be done with it, because after that it's all downhill. Bret clearly comes off as a very broken man, though he does make a point of showing that -in the wrestling business- he's what would be considered a survivor. Which is more a condemnation of the times than something that lifts Bret up above everyone else.

 

I was really surprised with his relationships with Dynamite Kid and Jim Neidhart. I never knew he was so close with Billington for the first half of his career and despite DK obviously being a prick, he did a lot for Bret when he could and comes off better in some ways than in his own book. When Bret says "I never talked to him since", my heart sank a bit. With Anvil, it seems that Jim was a constant in Brets life, which is to say Bret had ups and downs with everyone around him, but Jim stayed the same, fun, dude and I had a smile on my face everytime Jim re-entered Brets life.

 

In regards to his matches, I think it's a source of pride for him, and he is very clear that reputation in wrestling is one of the most important things you can have, so when he puts stuff like wrestlers patting him on the back, it's his way of reinforcing the notion of him being a well respected worker. "The Boys" gets referenced so much and Bret thought himself a workers champion. Which, in reality, he was. Not a whole lot of guys get to the top on work alone and Bret did.

 

The Davey match is simple. The dude was seriously fucked up, physically, mentally, etc. On lots of drugs, and Bret held his hand throughout the match. In wrestling, a wrestler does lead, but carrying is a different thing. Since the match is so highly regarded, and since Davey comes off so well in it, Bret makes a point of saying that he did the heavy lifting. Bret shows in other matches that wrestling is a collaborative process, that he often went over matches with guys beforehand and input from all sides (including bookers and agents) was included. And that in the ring, it wasn't just one guy calling all the shots. But with Davey, and Bret spoke of this before in relation to matches they had in Stampede, you could tell him what to do, and he'd do it, but he didn't have the imagination for it - which Bret prided himself in having, and recognized that in the others he had great matches with (Billington, for example).

 

Hart was hard on a lot of guys, but I think he gave them their appropriate due ("appropriate" being relative to how much teeth pulling it took for Bret to do it). He spoke highly of Hogan during a lot of the 80's stretch, and ditto Shawn in the early 90's. But by the end, he doesn't care for Hogan and he really, really, really, REALLY, fucking hates Shawn. Like, good god. He says nothing but good things about Taker, though.

 

Which brings me to a part of the book I found fascinating, which was the mid 90's portion. There are not a whole lot of books which document this time in the WWE and Bret brings a lot up about the clique and how the politics worked at the time.

 

The subject of drugs and sex is constant throughout the book. Bret says that sex saved him, as instead of boozing and pill popping like so many others did in excess, he flirted and fucked (though he still admits to taking drugs). It's an interesting notion, and one that doesn't get a whole lot of play in wrestling media but one that is certainly something that is prevalent in wrestling - ring rats and the like. Bret saying banning marijuana was a big mistake as it lead to the boys taking more painpills is another interesting topic point. As a narrative, I think all of Brets affairs "worked" for the story because by the end he shows his "recovery" by banging some chick in Australia and falling in love with some Italian bird. I don't think he glorifies it, as he is quick to note how he knew he shouldn't be doing it, but that his lust was always greater than his regret.

 

He clearly had a deep respect for his parents, and I don't think he ever told a story that put them in a bad light. Since his parting of ways with Dynamite involved Tom putting a story about Stu in the book that Bret thought was disrespectful, it's clear that Brets intent is to make his parents look good. His brothers and sisters, OTOH, are all fucking nuts and he doesn't hold back a bit with them, especially Ellie.

 

All in all, I don't think this is in anyway a love letter to Bret Hart, from Bret Hart. Reading it, you get to see what he takes pride in and when big moments happen that falls in line with that, he gives himself a pat on the back. But I think the most telling thing is his story about the Lion, the Eagle, and the Polar bear, and when you understand that, and see how he views himself in respect to that, you won't be saying it's a typical wrestling book.

 

i don't post much, i view alot. from a person that's read bret's book twice, that was a brilliant summary. i also like the stallions analogy that bret would reference. and about how he visited a psychic in louisiana. and his siblings save for maybe alison, ross and wayne, are nuts. i can't believe how cold diana and ellie were. diana telling davey she was divorcing him while he was i rehab. all the things that did in regards to matha's wrogful death lawsuit. including mailing vince's lawyers important documnets. it was shameful..

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Diana flirting with Stone Cold, Bulldog fucking Bruces wife, Ellie being a huge cunt, Smith generally being ridiculous, everyone milking their parents... the Von Eric family was more well adjusted because at least they saw the writing on the wall.

[BifEverchad 0]

As a lifelong Bret Hart fan, I must read this book.

 

I'm fully aware of how jaded and self-absorbed Bret comes off, but he has a ton of stories I'd like to hear, either way.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

The Japan stuff, and especially his 80's and early 90's WWF stuff is mark manna from heaven. You'll almost want to skip the relatively boring early years to just get to it, but it's worth reading the early stuff just to get a feel for his family.

[BifEverchad 0]

Wacky question, but anywhere online you can download this book?

[Naked Snake 0]

Wacky question, but anywhere online you can download this book?

 

 

You would never be able to download this book. It's too big. It's worth the buy.

 

Paperback edition is coming out in May, so sayeth the Meltz...

[BifEverchad 0]

Sweet.

 

Well, maybe I'll hold out for the paperback!

thanks mang

[Dewe 0]

What did he say about Sunny?

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Just friends, IIRC.

 

Bret mentions that he hated the dirtsheets, but it sounds like his opinion changes after Montreal. Pretty much right after Montreal he talked to Meltzer for the first time to tell his side of the story, and after that he doesn't really have anything bad to say about the sheets.

 

The argument before about how he should have given Hennig more credit...yikes. Read that section again, the guy talks about Curt Hennig like a little brother about his idol older brother. He basically says that Hennig made him with that IC Title win. He also gave props to a lot of the early guys who helped him break in like Dr D, various Stampede workers, and especially Piper.

 

Anyways, I wanted to say that I thought the book was pretty amazing, despite the sad whimper of an ending. He actually did let go of some of his apparent grudges...he had a lot of good things to say about Hogan, he says that Bill Goldberg was a good man, and he says that he understands why Vince did what he did from a business perspective. Based on the book, the screwjob was bad not because they took away some prop. At the time, he thought he was becoming friends with Shawn again, and he always saw Vince as a father figure. He took it really, really personally because of that. It sounds like Vince and Bret would have buried the hatchet after Owen's death if it wasn't for the wrongful death lawsuit and Bret's role as Martha's spokesperson. The stuff with Ellie and Bruce faxing all of the lawsuit documents to Vince was pretty terrible...no wonder Martha gave the whole Hart Family a big "fuck off forever".

[J.T. 0]

I love Brets book, one of the best reads ever. In the same notion, I constantly want to punch him the face the more and more I read.

 

As a guy who is close friends with multiple wrestlers and being "in the biz" myself, Bret seems like the kind of guy who would have been great in the locker room to be around. But Holy Fuck, if you knew what he really thought of you...

 

The locker room I am around does not have a lot of guys who talk down to the talent like Bret does and refuses to give respect and graditude to anyone close to their level. For all the good about Bret, I think so much worse of him now after this book.

 

As a fan, tied with Foleys book as best ever. As someone invovled in professional wrestling, man o man...

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

As a fan, tied with Foleys book as best ever

 

I agree with this, but for different reasons. They're two very different books, and with that in mind, I think they're tied because of an apples/oranges type of comparison.

 

Bret's book was fascinating for a variety of reasons: An incredibly unique upbringing, lots of road stories, his side of a lot of controversy, some sadness, some lightheartedness, and most of all, brutal honesty. He was even more of a blowhard than I expected, but it also wasn't as self-serving as I thought, either. He did admit fault a lot, does seem to show regret, doesn't seem to re-write history, etc. My stock in him as one of my all-time heroes has definitely dropped, but I don't regret my tattoo, either. The fact that I don't like what I read isn't the same as poorly written or disinteresting.

 

Having seen Foley out-of-character many times (or even onscreen as himself, for that matter), his first book is very easy to follow and read. Foley tells most of his stories as if he were sitting in front of you, talking to you. It's at no point self-serving, he doesn't burn bridges (he did give a lot of credit to Flair, too), and he's honest as well. Very one-of-a-kind, humourous, and also written with a non-wrestling fan in mind.

 

 

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

It really depends on what you are looking for. Foley's book (I assume we are all talking about Have a Nice Day) is "fun" and easy to read. Foley didn't have nearly the baggage that Bret has, and in that sense, it's a lot more of a "light" read. Certainly not a downer. However, I think as an "essential" book, Bret's is by far the most essential out of all wrestling books. If someone, who didn't know a thing about wrestling, wanted to read a book that would best represent the world of professional wrestling, I can't think of any other book that does what Bret did in his. From representing the old time wrestlers of his fathers age, to being detailed and upfront about drugs and sex on the road, to the in-ring (and out of ring) mechanics; Bret encapsulates pretty much it all. His is an especially unique POV, given his childhood and then his rise to stardom.

 

I don't really get Bret "talking down" to wrestlers, though. He praised more than he bashed, and it wasn't just the names, he brought up plenty of guys who not many people outside old stampede fans would get. Think of him talking about Stomper Gouldie, Curt Hennig, Macho... the list goes on.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

One minor complaint is that the book is full of minor factual inaccuracies (i.e. mentioning how Chyna was serving as Hunter's bodyguard two years before it was so), but given the fact that he is twice my age, has been through more than I ever will and (most importantly) was battling back from a stroke while he was piecing the book together, I can look past those things.

 

Tremendous read. I also agree that it co-holds the spot for best pro wrestling autobiography, alongside Have A Nice Day.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I ordered it from highspots.com Wednesday morning. It was at my door today. I found that impressive.

 

...

 

Anyway...off to read.