what are some of the best wrestling books out there? as a lifelong fan, i have read many autobiographies over the last few decades (at least two dozen). Consequently, I decided to compile a list of my favorite wrestlers/wrestling personalities whose books left me particularly motivated.
calm. Every great wrestling autobiography is filled with loads of behind-the-scenes stories, real-life fights, personal journeys, and other juicy behind-the-scenes stuff.
You are reading: Best books on wrestling
Put on your seatbelt! it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
top rated best fighting books you must read
here is a list of the best professional wrestling books that penn book recommends reading:
When you flip through a pro wrestling book, it’s a great idea to read critically and wonder if the author might have an ax to fight a different wrestler or promoter, or if he’s just hoping to enhance his heritage by putting himself on top. /p>
strong style king: 1980-2014 by shinsuke nakamura
shinsuke nakamura has had his ups and downs in wwe (eg from winning the royal rumble in 2018 to… being quickly released by brock lesnar years later). but there’s no denying that the king of mighty design has undergone a phenomenal run around the world, churning out countless 5-star caliber matches.
This is one of the best wrestling books covering his time as an amateur wrestler who rose through the ranks to achieve nippon budokan.
I especially enjoyed reading your account of the classic matches against kurt angle and brock lesnar in the afternoon. Shinsuke shares his fond memories of becoming Japan’s youngest professional wrestling heavyweight champion when he won it.
fighting for my life: the legend, truth and faith of a wwe superstar by shawn michaels
mr. wrestlemania itself is, without a doubt, one of the most famous and controversial characters in the history of professional wrestling. therefore, he can expect nothing less than loads of interesting information and behind-the-scenes games in his revealing autobiography.
but what amazed me was that michaels honestly shared those deep low moments of his life. This is particularly evident if he talks about the back injury that sent him into retirement (I mean, let’s not consider his current return to Saudi Arabia, right?).
Also, I was drawn to how his life changed because he became a born again Christian. do not misunderstand. I’m not spiritual, but this is still fascinating reading.
yes! : my unlikely trip to the wrestlemania main event by daniel bryan
Most of us know the story of Daniel Bryan’s rise to WrestleMania greatness. but, there is nothing like hearing it from the horse or should I say goat? – mouth.
yes! it’s the page-turning journey of the challenge against all odds. Bryan reports the narrative of underdog success from him, beginning with his early days as an independent wrestler before joining WWE. Along the way, you’ll also learn about what his eyes look like! ‘move me about the real-life politics he went through to get to where he is now.
best seat in the house: your backstage pass inside my wwe ride by justin roberts
I’ll be honest. I didn’t pay much attention to ring announcer Justin Roberts during his time with WWE. That said, studying his autobiography was quite revealing.
He shows what life was like working for your business, running from a to z nonstop, along with his lousy interactions with wwe bosses who couldn’t seem to make up their minds.
to this day, we know jbl’s penchant for behind-the-scenes bullying. But learning about Justin Roberts’ first-hand experiences deepened my disdain for the guy. on the other hand, the best seat in the house also speaks of her good connections with other nicer wwe superstars.
fighting with the devil
Three-time world heavyweight champion and wrestling superstar
lex luger dominated the ring as the total package for years. Lex was on top of her game, whether it was making a dramatic entrance from a helicopter, beating champion hulk hogan, or creating a nearly perfect body.
This is the story of a former world champion who had it all and missed it all. a fascinating autobiography that haunts manifestation and personal salvation. I’m thankful luger is much better today!
grappler: memoirs of a masked madman by lynn denton and joe vithayathil
Len Denton’s Book of Wrestling is a beautiful journey through the earthly days of professional wrestling, and he is not ashamed of his failures.
talks about topping the south central from north america winner and running the dusty rhodes superdome and andre the giant as a young boy alone in the company for a few years. on being humiliated at the georgia wrestling championship by ole anderson.
You’ll find forays through Denton’s native Texas, through Memphis, and also the beginning of his affiliation with Tony Anthony, plus a look at the last days of the land of the Pacific Northwest.
and among the most significant areas of the wrestling book it has very little to do with wrestling. Rather, it is a detail of Denton’s friendship with Rowdy Piper, and also the way Piper treated him with dignity and respect, partnering in business ventures and growing up off the street.
the king of new orleans: how the junkyard dog became pro wrestling’s first black superhero by greg klein
the only problem with greg klein’s wrestling book on sylvester ritter is that it unintentionally sidelined at least two critical black wrestlers who paved the way for the junkyard dog.
bobo brazil was headlining cobo hall in detroit long before sylvester ritter stormed the company and had actually wrestled since the first racially integrated tag team game in atlanta history. and bearcat wright deserves mention, in fact, as a precursor to ritter.
In the real world, Wright may have been the first black world champion, beating the dashing freddie blassie for the wwa world name in los angeles. Although the wwa domain was not known as a real domain, along with the nwa or awa likes, it became a major championship due to the la media market.
However, jyd is little remembered today, and if people talk to him, they talk more about his charisma than anything else he has done in the ring. However, Klein’s book details an enormously prosperous period of the Mid-South and calls attention to the incredible career and life of the Junkyard Dog and is well worth a read.
ric flair: being ric flair’s man
The best autobiographies are confessional, in the sense that the nature boy’s wrestling book fits right in from the start, starting with sharing the style of being born an orphan and mercifully embraced into the fleihr family. from that point on, the book only gets better.
flair details her time breaking into the company at verne gagne’s training camp and monitoring all of the texas outlaws, dick murdoch and dustyrhodes, throughout the first part of his career. Flair’s book is less intriguing, with Ric detailing his triumphs and tribulations with equal rigor.
See Also: Banned books: Which titles are being targeted and why
There is simultaneous pleasure and desperation in flair’s wrestling book, as the reader understands that the nature boy is no trick.
This is how Ric Flair lived his life, and the series of broken connections, bankruptcies and low deals are just part of the package when it comes to Ric Flair. naitch is well known for his passion for sequined sleeves. He shot everyone from Bret Hart and Bruno Sammartino to Mick Foley and Eric Bischoff. the history of styling.
have a nice day: a story of blood & mick foley sweatshirts
mick foley is a legend in hardcore wrestling. he is also a gifted writer and has written some of the most excellent wrestling books of all time. There have been many over the years, but my favorite is Have a Nice Day: A Story of Blood & Gore. He sports socks this old, but he’s great, and shares his thoughts on surviving some of the bloodiest and most brutal matches in professional wrestling history.
mrs. foley’s baby wrote the best wrestling book about a wrestling career, palms down. the insider’s perspective of him in the last days of these lands (world class, mainland and uswa) at the world championship wrestling and finally the wwe championship was unprecedented at this point. On November 7, 1999, the book debuted at #3 on the new york times bestseller list. reached number 1 on December 5.
the death of the territories by tim hornbaker
Departure from the Territories is the unauthorized story of Vince McMahon’s early ’80s power play that changed wrestling forever.
hornbaker does an excellent job of building the beginning of the book, making the death of his territories exceptionally engaging and available to readers who are new to wrestling history, while also providing the amount of details wrestling fans crave.
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“if you’re trying to understand vince mcmahon’s wrestling reassignment, television and American background, the death of the territories is the best place to start”. -david gibb
is wrestling fixed? I didn’t know it was broken! by bill
I’m friends with bill apter. but so is everyone else! beautiful willie is pro wrestling’s foremost ambassador and has helped millions of people (wrestlers, commentators, reporters, you name it) get off the market over the past 50 decades.
His memoir doesn’t fit the standard autobiographical style, it’s filled with random anecdotes about his time in illustrated professional wrestling, watching Bruno Sammartino lose the WWE Championship, befriending Andy Kaufman, and much more.
As entertaining as it is enlightening, apter’s book makes you feel like you’re sitting right next to him making pizza, splitting while you devour the other burnt slice. – john corrigan
slobberknocker by jim ross, paul o’brien, scott e. williams
new york times best selling author. Slobberknocker by Jim Ross, Paul O’Brien, Scott E. williams has probably been the most anticipated wrestling memoir because hitman, dropping on top of this wrestling podcast trend and chronicling the journey of one of gaming’s most recognizable faces and listeners, the previous half-century. p>
The book features deep dives into particular moments of the attitude era. instead, it focused on j.r.’s family, his entry into what is a very closed company, along with his battle to balance the two.
There is some harrowing material in Slobberknocker, most notably Ross detailing his sanity at the hands of a tough mid-century man from the Wild West and his psychological reaction to his wife Jan’s abrupt departure, which jeopardized the conclusion. of the book itself. .
However, in the afternoon’s decision, it’s great to dig into what’s supposed to be a smart, challenging normal guy from the wrestling business when normal men weren’t allowed.
controversy makes money by eric bischoff, jeremy roberts
Whether you love him or not, eric bischoff was an integral part of the fire that ignited the now famous monday night war between wcw & wwe.
Under the view of Eric Bishoff as WCW President, the wrestling business went toe-to-toe with Vince McMahon’s WWE and beat them at their game before the world championship match imploded.
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However, after that, Bishoff had left an exclamation point in televised wrestling, producing displays that seemed more damaging, sexier, and edgier than anything that had come before.
he did it to such an extent that in 2002, mcmahon seized the opportunity to make his old nemesis raw general manager; Because then, true to form, Bishoff often surprises wrestling fans with games that might have been unthinkable for television.
In this revealing look at his career and life, Bishoff speaks honestly about what he did, both right and wrong, while helping turn the sports-entertainment business into a billion-dollar enterprise.
a lion story: around the world in spandex by chris jericho
Taking the bard’s baton from mick foley, chris jericho has also composed a set of beautiful memoirs. Knowing how much pride he takes in all of his work, it was highly unlikely that y2j would trust a ghostwriter, but he exceeded all expectations with his introductory autobiography.
Chris Jericho recounts walking out of training with the Harts (sort of) moments before the century clock struck zero, captivating us with heartwarming anecdotes. Fun pop culture references, new slang, and untold tales of smoky mountain wrestling, ecw, wcw, and more.
hitman: my real life in the cartoon world of wrestling by bret hart
bret hart’s autobiography hits all the expected notes: takes his calgary rise to king of the wrestling world, breaks down his character model’s warrior and close friend, the dynamite kid, to total self-destruction, details his main occasion fight with mr. wrestlemania blow for blow, he too dives deep into the devastation of losing his brother in an ill-conceived office accident.
why hitman is excellent? however, it is bret’s attempt to report an emotionally real narrative if it is subjective. the point of view of him as an insider-outsider (the son of a respected promoter and notable celebrity, but also a silent, artistic idealist) makes the wrestling book engaging and tragic. -David Gibb
big gold: a close look at dick bourne’s most famous pro wrestling championship belt
ric flair used to say, “if it ain’t big gold, it’s second best!”
big gold is the deepest and most incredible dive into the minutiae of fanboydom, devoting two hundred pages to the background, style, and cultural significance of the renowned tournament title in wrestling history.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the production process of a new wrestling tournament, both in terms of craftsmanship and creativity, Big Gold is here to turn even the casual wrestling fan into a wrestling devotee. renowned belt. -David Gibb
pro wrestling frequently asked questions: all there is to learn about the world’s most fascinating show by brian solomon
brian solomon features toasty champagne cocktails with a rich twist all night long in manchester, england; hanging outside in freddie blassie’s basement from class while showing off his house; and then got stuck in a limo with vince mcmahon for 3 hours and lived to tell the tale.
Despite all those anecdotes, the former editor and writer/editor of wwe, raw and smackdown magazines has not written an autobiography.
Instead, it covers professional wrestling from its roots in the fairgrounds to modern sports entertainment. Solomon’s Time is your definitive guide to what you need to know about the athletes, history, and allure of this genre.
If you’re interested in sports books, check out the review of the 50 best sports books of all time in 2022.
fighting for my life: the legend, truth and faith of a wwe superstar
In one of the most important wrestling books of the past five decades, WWE Superstar Mr. wrestlemania shares her heart on the ups and downs of her life within wwe. Several never-before-shared stories are included along with an intimate look at her livelihood, plus stories of quest, family, and religion.
See Also: Comprehension Questions- 1 Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus – RiseToReading
michaels had the adulation and attention he could ask for from countless lovers. still, he found something else after becoming a dedicated christian throughout his years in wwe itwwe,d to change everything. michaels shows what it’s like to become a person of religion in this strange world and shares insights for many people.
the cold truth
you may not have been post-wwe during the attitude era (Nov 1997 – May 2002); However, unless he’s been living under a rock, he’s familiar with his poster boy, Stone Cold Steve Austin. in a stacked list using various talents, austin-real name steve williams described that same age.
From the cold truth, you understand about the man, the fantasy (the fact), and the rattlesnake. The book highlights Austin’s orphaned youth in Texas, her ongoing struggles in WCW, and the twists and turns of her secretive profession.
There is also a chapter dedicated exclusively to Austin’s opinions and he enters wrestling to top it off. more importantly, he talks about the craft of cutting in-ring promos along with his distaste for them being scripted, a fairly common practice by today’s standards.
This terrific read also discusses his conclusion at the hands of Bischoff and WCW, and took his ball and went home WWE Episode 02. If you want to be excited about WWE’s roots and wrestling history of this type than produced obscenities and tense beer are becoming all the rage, then you’ll want to buy this book.
final call: how an impromptu goodbye changed the course of professional wrestling
still not entirely sure how much influence triple h has along with wwe? all you need to do is take a look at his workplace in stamford, ct at wwe headquarters to fully understand.
but, that wasn’t always right for her cunt, as she pretty much retired from her livelihood when she chose to pay tribute to her soon to be departing kliq comrades, kevin nash and scott hall, linking to shawn michaels to bow out of place together.
The curtain call argues that the Madison Square Garden singles episode had a butterfly-like impact on future WWE works. the beginning of d-generation x and the overarching personality progression of stone cold steve austin are just two of those by-products.
the ring: life, death and professional struggle
Spurning Deadspin writer David Shoemaker’s well-received Dead Wrestler of the Week mainstay, The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Pro Wrestling touches not only on the importance of several of wrestling’s excellent deceased superstars, but also that of the product. development from early childhood.
The 2014 reading also takes wrestling fans beyond the intricate personalities and stories of their favorite wrestler, to the pure art form that is professional wrestling.
Check out our 40+ Best Baseball Books of All Time, 2022 Review, here for more stories on winning seasons and losing seasons, stats and strategy, scandals and successes.
bobby the brain: wrestling bad boy tells all by bobby heenan
Who is the best wrestling actress of all time? many people can say, ric flair. others prefer shawn michaels. however, hulk hogan and ric flair have left the record: bobby the brain heenan. no one did no one else has excelled the way heenan did.
As a fighter, he had been an excellent salesman and strike taker. fantastic promotion? you better believe it. he is widely considered the greatest director of all time; he became the greatest color commentator, excuse me, wrestling writer ever noticed. And he tells his story, like you’d think heenan would: candid, funny, and always entertaining.
heenan’s first book that’s right,” another person wrote, it’s also a complete must read, from his beginnings in the midwest, to his excursions through the land of georgia, straight back to the awa, then to the wwe You’ll walk away realizing that any WWE Hall of Fame inductee should have a Bobby Heenan wing.
cheating death, stealing life: the eddie warrior story
tears eddie apart. his autobiography, published shortly after his death, documents his early days as an underdog wrestling champion until his triumphant rise to the big leagues. he also talked about his struggles with addiction. warrior lovers should read this book.
undisputed: how to become the world champion in 1372 easy steps (chris jericho)
The highly anticipated sequel to his memoir, Chris Jericho, takes us behind the scenes at his entry into WWE. Political Turbulence. It’s fascinating to see how the locker room responded to Jericho’s confrontation with Goldberg, the arrival of NWO and Radicalz, and how John Cena rose to fame. Jericho also talks about his adventures outside the ring, like Hollywood, Fozzy and becoming a father.
The most moving part of the book is the section on Chris Benoit and how he will never understand what his best friend did. john corrigan.
other best professional wrestling books considered:
sex, lies and headlocks: the true story of vince mcmahon and the world of wrestling entertainment (shaun assael and mike mooneyham)
it’s good to be king…sometimes (jerry lawler with doug asheville)
countdown to confinement: an intense diary (mick foley)
pro wrestling hall of fame: tag teams (greg oliver and steven johnson)
gary hart-“playboy” my life in wrestling
frequently asked questions
what does book mean in wrestling?
to plan and set the order of events for a wrestling card. a “booker” is in charge of scheduling matches and formulating angles. is comparable to a wrestling writer. one who finds and hires talent to participate in a particular promotion is known as a booker.
Is wrestling considered violence?
no, violence. Although wrestling is often said to be the most challenging sport, it is not aggressive nor does it encourage disorderly or destructive behavior. the fact that wrestling includes head-to-head competition sets it apart from most other sports.
what does a valet do in wrestling?
In wrestling, a valet is a female manager. A superstar’s manager performs the dual job of being the artist’s manager and supervisor. managers are often chosen because they are stronger on the mic or because the artist they are managing would benefit from their relationship.
Is the fight real or is it acting?
The physical aspect of wrestling is also genuine, even if the events are artificial. Like the stuntmen, the wrestlers accomplish physical feats, soaring, bumping into each other, and hitting the ground while maintaining their personalities. Unlike stunt performers, wrestlers present these staged competitions in front of a live audience in one take.
conclusion
The best wrestling books look at the sport, its history, and the people who have made it what it is today. They offer readers the opportunity to understand the intricacies of the sport and the strategies fighters use to win. these books also provide an opportunity to learn about the personal lives of some of the world’s most famous wrestlers.