100 Best Wrestling Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best wrestling books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from Eric Weinstein, Brutal Bob Evans, Mick Foley, and 5 other experts.
1
Chris Jericho is the first undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the WWE and WCW, and has been called one of the fifty greatest wrestlers of all time. He tells the story of his journey from wrestling school in Canada to his time in leagues in Mexico and Japan to his big break in the WCW. He'll dish the dirt on how he worked his way through the ranks alongside major wrestling stars like Chris Benoit and Lance Storm to become a major superstar. less

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2
'Amazingly detailed and meticulously crafted ... Hitman will stand the test of time as one of the definitive wrestling biographies' Publishers Weekly

'Bret Hart still makes me believe that wrestling is good' Hulk Hogan

'Packed with drugs, sex, vicious family in-fighting and tales of life on the road ... Hart names names and lays it all bare in his own words' Globe and Mail

A story of death, sex, betrayal and revenge; sweat, steroids and duplicity - wrestler Bret Hart lifts the lid on the wacky, mythic, secretive word of pro wrestling in this epic tell-all.
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3
"Entertaining . . .an insightful and funny observer of pro wrestling's universe." -- Publishers Weekly

In this insightful, riveting book, Jericho takes us into WWE wrestling arenas around the world as he details his classic rivalries with The Rock, Steve Austin, HHH, Shawn Michaels, and John Cena, along with all the politics and backstage machinations he faced outside the ring. Chris recounts his hilarious escapades of breaking in with the Hollywood elite via doomed auditions, short-lived reality shows, made-for-television movies, and red-carpet interviewing fiascos.
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4
Mick Foley is a nice man, a family man who loves amusement parks and eating ice cream in bed. So how to explain those Japanese death matches in rings with explosives, golden thumbtacks and barbed wire instead of rope? The second-degree burn tissue? And the missing ear that was ripped off during a bout-in which he kept fighting? Here is an intimate glimpse into Mick Foley's mind, his history, his work and what some might call his pathology. Now with a bonus chapter summarizing the past 15 months-from his experience as a bestselling author through his parting thoughts before his final match. A... more

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5

The Death of WCW

What went wrong with WCW?

In 1997, World Championship Wrestling was on top. It was the number-one pro wrestling company in the world, and the highest-rated show on cable television. Each week, fans tuned in to Monday Nitro, flocked to sold-out arenas, and carried home truckloads of WCW merchandise. Sting, Bill Goldberg, and the New World Order were household names. Superstars like Dennis Rodman and KISS jumped on the WCW bandwagon. It seemed the company could do no wrong.

But by 2001, however, everything had bottomed out. The company -- having lost a whopping 95% of its...
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6
In Foley Is Good, Mick Foley -- former Commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation, aka Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind -- picks up right where his smash #1 New York Times bestseller Have a Nice Day! left off, giving readers an inside look at the behind-the-scenes action in the Federation. With total honesty and riotous humor, Mick Foley shines a spotlight into some of the hidden corners of the World Wrestling Federation. From the ongoing controversy surrounding "backyard wrestling" to the real story behind his now-infamous "I Quit" match with The Rock, Foley... more

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7
Throughout the years, there may have been equally charismatic performers, comparable athletes, and even better interviews, but none were blessed with the same combination of talents to manage to stay on top for over three decades.

To wrestling fans, the Nature Boy is a platinum-blond deity, a sixteen-time world champion who accurately boasted that he could have a five-star match with a broom. No matter how limited the opponent, Flair had the skill and determination to bounce all over the mat, transforming his rival into a star. When the camera light went on, "Slick Ric" could...
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8

The Best in the World

At What I Have No Idea

The New York Times bestselling author, wrestler, metal rocker, and over-the-top media personality shares his latest wild and hilarious adventures
 
World Wrestling Entertainment has named Chris Jericho as one of the top ten wrestlers—and one of the top five talkers—of all time. Certainly, the past six years have been spectacular for Jericho. After a sluggish return from his 2005 sabbatical, Jericho found new inspiration in watching No Country for Old Men and completely reinvented his character—ultimately going on to capture three world WWE titles.
 
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9

Slobberknocker

My Life in Wrestling

New York Times bestselling author! Here is the story of how Jim Ross, an Oklahoman farm kid with a vivid imagination and seemingly unattainable dreams, became “The Voice of Wrestling” to record TV audiences and millions of fans around the world.

There are few people who have been in the wrestling business longer than Jim Ross. And those who have made it as long as he has (half a century to be exact) probably made enemies or burned bridges. But that’s just not JR. He’s recognized as the man who built and nurtured a once-in-a-generation talent roster that took the WWE...
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10

Cheating Death, Stealing Life

The Eddie Guerrero Story

This is the autobiography of one the top superstars of the WWE - offering a full and frank account of the charmed life of one of the most controversial characters in wrestling. less

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11
WWE Super Star Shawn "Heartbreak Kid" Michaels shares the stories of his 20+ year wrestling career, his life, and his faith in this blockbuster WWE Super Star biography.

Winning and losing. Heels and babyfaces. Kliqs and Curtain Calls. Tearing down house shows and tearing up hotel rooms. Ladders and cages. Vacated titles and unwarranted suspensions. Works and screwjobs. Heartaches and backbreaks. Forced retirements and redemption. Rock 'n' roll and Graceland. There are two sides to every story; for Shawn Michaels, there is Heartbreak & Triumph.

World Wrestling...
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12
One of WWE's most unlikely champions of all time and also one of its most popular, Bryan has proved to the world and to all of WWE that looks can be deceiving. Just ask anyyone who's ever underestimated him . . . right before he went out and whipped the WWE universe into a frenzy.

This is Bryan's behind-the-scenes story told for the first time ever by the "YES!" Man himself---from his beginnings as a child wanting to wrestle to his ten years circling the globe on the independent circuit and his remarkable climb to the upper ranks of WWE.

As the biggest week of his life...
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13
In April 1999, Entertainment Weekly asked its readers what many Americans were surely wondering to themselves: how did wrestling get so big?

As a consequence of the heated ratings competition between World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the spectacle had taken over Monday nights on prime-time cable television. But in a departure from the family-friendly programming produced by the last industry boom - the 1980s wave, which made household names of Hulk Hogan, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant - the new era of wrestling combined...
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15
From the cable television ratings to the bestseller lists, professional wrestling is red-hot. How it got that way is not a pretty picture, but it’s one that is painted in more detail than ever before in Sex, Lies, and Headlocks, the first in-depth, journalistic look at the world of wrestling.

At the heart of the story is Vince McMahon, the mercurial owner of the World Wrestling Federation. The authors trace his beginnings as the forgotten son of a second-generation wrestling czar who left rural North Carolina to stake his own claim to the family business. They detail his...
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Recommended by Brutal Bob Evans, and 1 others.

Brutal Bob Evans@davidbix @shaunassael @ByMikeMooneyham That book was great. (Source)

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16
Grantland and Deadspin correspondent presents a breakthrough examination of the professional wrestling, its history, its fans, and its wider cultural impact that does for the sport what Chuck Klosterman did for heavy metal.
 
The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker’s writing for Deadspin, where he started the column “Dead Wrestler of the Week” (which boasts over 1 million page views) -- a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to -- and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro...
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17

Adam Copeland on Edge

The WWE star shares the story of his life in a no-holds-barred account of what it takes to achieve success in the world of sports entertainment as a professional wrestler, describing his personal life and rise to success following his 1993 professional debut. 150,000 first printing. less

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18
Three-time WWE Diva's Champion A.J. Brooks' Crazy is My Superpower is a literary memoir chronicling her unlikely rise from 100-pound nerd growing up in extreme poverty and enduring years of abuse to international sex symbol and professional wrestling champion (known as A.J. Lee). A.J. fought against stereotypes, forced the men in her industry to view her with respect, and inspired a huge fan base of over 2 million Twitter followers with her fierce independent streak. less

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19
For decades, distinct professional wrestling territories thrived across North America. Each regionally-based promotion operated individually and offered a brand of localized wrestling that greatly appealed to area fans. Promoters routinely coordinated with associates in surrounding regions, and the cooperation displayed by members of the National Wrestling Alliance made it easy for wrestlers to traverse the landscape with the utmost freedom.
Dozens of territories flourished between the 1950s and late ’70s. But by the early 1980s, the growth of cable television had put new outside...
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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
21

Controversy Creates Cash

Eric Bischoff has been called pro wrestling's most hated man. Booed, reviled, and burned in effigy, he's been struck by everything from beer bottles to fists. Though industry critics have scorned his spectacular rise and fall at World Championship Wrestling, Bischoff's influence still resonates. For years, Bischoff kept quiet while industry "pundits" distorted the truth about the infamous Monday Night Wars, basing their accounts on rumors and innuendo. Finally, Bischoff tells what really happened.

Beginning with his days as a salesman for the American Wrestling...

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23

The Rock Says

The Rock says. . . "Know your damn role--and shut your mouth!" But that simple catch-phrase, embraced by the millions ñand the millions--of The Rock's fans, can't begin to capture the spirit and larger-than-life personality of the most electrifying man in sports-entertainment."

In this action-packed, revealing and outrageously funny memoir, World Wrestling Federation Superstar The Rock recounts his life in and out of the ring with unapologetic honesty and inimitable style. From his boyhood days traveling around the world with his father (professional wrestler Rocky Johnson) to his...
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24
From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross comes a candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career.

Jim Ross has been the beloved voice of the WWE—and now All-Elite Wrestling—for decades, but there is so much more to the man than fans know. In this follow-up to his 2017 memoir Slobberknocker, Ross shares the story of professional wrestling’s rise from a quirky sideshow to a multi-billion-dollar industry in the 1990s and 2000s.

Under the Black Hat is packed with stories from...
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25

Walking a Golden Mile


Chapter One: A Wrestler, a Comic or a Clown

I'm not as old as you might think. It's just that I've been wrestling a long time. There's very few on the current World Wrestling Entertainment talent roster with more experience on the job than I have. The fact is I was born Darren Matthews on May 10, 1968 in a little village in the middle of England -- Codsall Wood in Staffordshire. Not a lot goes on in Codsall Wood. My dad Don Matthews is a builder and he built the house I was born in, just fifty yards from my grandfather's house, where my dad himself was born....

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26
New York Times bestselling author and six-time WWE champion Chris Jericho shares 20 of his most valuable lessons for achieving your goals and living the life you want.

Chris Jericho has known what he wanted out of life since he was a teenager: to be a pro wrestler and to be in a rock 'n' roll band. Most of his high school friends felt that he lacked the tools necessary to get into either, but Chris believed in himself. With the wise words of Master Yoda echoing through his head ("Do or do not. There is no try."), he made it happen. As a result, Chris has spent a...
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28
From the host of the critically acclaimed pro wrestling podcast Straight Shoot, this graphic novel history of wrestling features the key grapplers, matches, and promotions that shaped this beloved sport and form of entertainment.

As a pop culture phenomenon, professional wrestling--with its heroic babyfaces and villainous heels performing suplexes and powerbombs in pursuit of championship gold--has conquered audiences in the United States and around the world. Now, writer/podcaster Aubrey Sitterson and illustrator Chris Moreno form a graphic novel tag team to present...
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30
In Wrestling for My Life, WWE superstar Shawn Michaels shares from his heart about the highs and lows of his life inside the WWE. Included are some never-before-shared stories and an intimate look into his career as well as stories of hunting, family, and faith.

With millions of fans, Michaels had adulation and all the attention he could ask for, but he discovered there was something more. When he became a committed Christian during his years in the WWE it had to affect everything. Michaels reveals what it is like to be a man of faith in this unusual world and shares insights for...
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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
31
Independent wrestling promotions were once the norm all across the country. But as the nineties began, independents were looking for creative ways to survive. Several banded together to share cost and talent; they were known as Eastern Championship Wrestling. Based out of a warehouse in Philadelphia, this promotion seemed doomed to be just one more ninety-day wonder. They hired Paul Heyman, who told the company he would come in, shake things up, and leave. But Heyman stayed and redefined professional wrestling in the nineties. He crafted a promotion that dared to push the boundaries of sports... more

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32

Bobby the Brain

Wrestling's Bad Boy Tells All

Bobby the Brain unleashes the life story of Bobby Heenan, better known as “The Brain” in wrestling circles. He tells all about his experiences with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Vince McMahon, and all the other personalities that every wrestling fan knows like a relative. Just like his career, this tell-all has no holds barred. less

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33

The Road Warriors

Danger, Death, and the Rush of Wrestling

Delivering an inside account of one of wrestling's most famous fighters, this autobiography offers a rare chance to learn about Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis's life both inside and outside the ring. Revealing riveting stories about his participation in the 1980s and 1990s superstar wrestling team the Road Warriors, it recounts memorable fights with his partner Mike "Hawk" Hegstrand. He describes how he and Mike rose to become a revolutionary tag team—reinventing themselves with spiky accessories and wearing face paint before it was popular—and chronicles famous rivalries, movement between... more

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34

Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks

"Classy" Freddie Blassie was universally acknowledged as one of the most hated heels in wrestling history. Freddie really knew how to antagonize the fans -- how to "get heat." Death threats were frequent, enraged fans stabbed him twenty-one times, and he was even doused with acid. Undeterred, Blassie just took the action up a level. He reveled in being the heel. It was commonplace to see him biting his opponents and then spitting out their blood. Blassie would routinely "file" his teeth during interviews. His matches in Los Angeles' Olympic Stadium brought him to the attention of Hollywood.... more

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35

Andre the Giant

Life and Legend

Andre Roussimoff is known as both the lovable giant in The Princess Bride and a heroic pro-wrestling figure. He was a normal guy who'd been dealt an extraordinary hand in life. At his peak, he weighed 500 pounds and stood nearly seven and a half feet tall. But the huge stature that made his fame also signed his death warrant.

Box Brown brings his great talents as a cartoonist and biographer to this phenomenal new graphic novel. Drawing from historical records about Andre's life as well as a wealth of anecdotes from his colleagues in the wrestling world, including Hulk Hogan,...
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36
Owen's wife Martha, tells the story of their life together from the days as high school sweethearts, through Owen's rise to fame in the WWF. less

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37

Batista Unleashed (Wwe)

Dave Batista's story is that of a kid who could have gone either way; and it was wrestling that provided him with a way out and up. As a teenager he found himself in trouble with the law, later drifting from job to job until, while working as a bouncer, his temper got the better of him and he attacked two patrons who were giving his colleagues a hard time. It was this incident that made him decide to turn his life around. A hardscrabble wrestler who had been told that he didn't have what it took to make it in professional wrestling, Batista took that as a personal challenge and signed with... more

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39

The Hardy Boyz

Exist 2 Inspire

Matt and Jeff Hardy have proven that a relentless drive for success can make your wildest dreams come true. While still in high school, Matt and Jeff decided to become professional wrestlers at any cost. In a business that usually prizes giants, they were told their aspirations were unreasonable and impossible. But after the tragic loss of their mother, they began to pursue their goals with unstoppable determination.

The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire tells the story of Matt and Jeff Hardy's journey to WWE superstardom. Whether taking beatings from Razor Ramon and Nikolai...
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40

Hollywood Hulk Hogan

The complete story of the most successful wrestler of them all; In the late 1970s Terry Bollea was part of a rock band playing smoky, low-key bars. Few would imagine that twenty years later the man who became known as Hulk Hogan would stand as arguably the most successful wrestler of all time, a man whose name is synonymous with the WWE. And along the way he's found time to make his mark as a movie star as well... Since he first fought as an amateur way back in 1978, Hulk Hogan has won seven World Titles, and in those early years of the 1980s he did more than any other single wrestler to... more

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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41
The undisputed king of the literary ring is back with another handwritten, hardcore home run. Forget the ghost writer and the computer keyboard - this mesmerizing memoir is straight from the pen and notebook paper of the Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley, chronicling the heart-pounding build-up to "Lockdown," one of the most important matches of his long and storied career. Foley's every limit is tested, as he battles back the formidable tag-team of Father Time and Mother Nature - overcoming a host of injuries and serious self-doubts to get back in the ring with one of his all-time favorite foes.... more

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42

Rowdy

The Roddy Piper Story

The biggest pro wrestling bio since Bret Hart's"Hitman" legendary Rowdy Roddy Piper's unfinished autobiography, re-conceived and completed by his children, actress/musician Ariel Teal Toombs and wrestler Colt Baird Toombs. In early 2015, Roderick Toombs, aka Rowdy Roddy Piper, began researching his own autobiography with a trip through Western Canada. He was re-discovering his youth, a part of his life he never discussed during his 61 years, many spent as one of the greatest talents in the history of pro wrestling. Following his death due to a heart attack that July, two of his children took... more

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43
Taking unexpected risks, daring to do what no one has done before, that's the reality of Amy Dumas, the remarkable woman behind Lita. With only a guidebook for a companion, Amy set out for Mexico City to learn about "lucha libre," Mexico's professional wrestling. She returned to the States, resolute in her goal to be a professional wrestler.
Amy found people who saw her determination and her heart, and agreed to train her. She met a number of wrestlers who would prove influential in her career. Among them were two North Carolina stars who had just signed with World Wrestling...
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45
Outrageous costumes, cartoonish characters, and scripted story lines are featured in this retrospective look at the no-holds-barred stunts pro wrestling promoters have used to attract viewers. less

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46

My Life Outside the Ring

Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, burst onto the professional wrestling scene in the late seventies and went on to become a world wrestling champion many times over. From humble beginnings, this giant of a man escaped a pre-ordained life of dock and construction work in Port Tampa, Florida, to become one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet. He did it through sheer will, grit, determination, and a drive to always go over the top and do more than what others thought possible. From the outside, his story was one of a charmed life—he was at the top of his career, had a...
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47

WWE Encyclopedia

As a unique, one-volume encyclopedia with over 350 pages, nearly 1,000 Superstars, and more than 1,500 images, this is the book for all WWE fans! Featuring hundreds of Superstars of all eras, from the World Wrestling Federation of the 60s and 70s to today's WWE, this thrilling, one-of-a-kind reference guide contains a visual glossary of all wrestling moves and provides coverage of the television shows that put the WWE into millions of households. From the Hardcore Champion to the World Heavyweight title holder, from the WWE's showcase events to the Pay-per-views, from Survivor Series... more

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48
An alpha male with a beta body, looking to thrive in worlds where beta males with alpha bodies are the primary requirement. He was a complex paradox, a walking contradiction. He lived more in 35 years than most do in a lifetime, the product of an arduous infanthood. His overachievement is awe-inspiring. Tales of his conflicts and conquests became the stuff of legend. His borderline genius and tragic demise made him an icon shrouded in mystique. He was Brian Pillman, and two decades later the most comprehensive look at one of professional wrestling's most fascinating stories has been compiled.... more

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49
?In the 1950s, in Las Vegas, a businessmen’s conglomerate dominating a $25 million-a-year sports industry hid their illegal practices from the U.S. Department of Justice until they were caught. The sport that privileged cold hard cash over honest competition was professional wrestling, and the conspirators were members of the famed National Wrestling Alliance. National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling examines the NWA promoters’ overwhelming success, and the relationships to influential politicians and writers that protected their financial... more

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50

Titan Sinking

The decline of the WWF in 1995

Throughout the history of the WWF, there have been times of prosperity and times of hardship, cycles that shape the ethos of the company by forcing changes to its infrastructure and on-screen direction. The one constant throughout three decades of change is Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the stalwart puppet-master who captains the ship. Unflinching, thick-skinned, and domineering, McMahon has ultimately outlasted all of his competition and come out on top of every wrestling war he has waged. In 1995, he very nearly lost. Titan Sinking tells the tale of one of the most tumultuous, taxing and trying... more

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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51

It's True! It's True!

Kurt Angle's life has been an epic journey. Growing up in a large family in Pennsylvania, Angle followed in the footsteps of his four older brothers when he decided to pursue wrestling. His discipline and hard work were soon rewarded: He won the Junior National Freestyle Championship and went on to become the Wrestler of the Year at Clarion College. In 1996, with many prestigious wrestling honors to his credit, Angle set his sights on a new goal: an Olympic gold medal. Months of grueling training paid off in the most spectacular way when Angle returned from Atlanta with a gold medal around... more

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52

Terry Funk

More Than Just Hardcore

He's been a fixture in professional wrestling for five decades. He's plied his trade around the world, building a legion of fans spanning multiple generations. He's held the NWA Heavyweight title, and helped introduce a hardcore wrestling style that you see in the WWE and Japan today. He's made his mark in Hollywood, and acting in film and television. He's Terry Funk, and he's more than just hardcore.Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore is the life story of one of professional wrestling's most enduring and endearing figures. Terry talks about growing up in a wrestling family, including running... more

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54
“Pat is one of the greatest mentors I’ve ever had in the world of sports-entertainment.” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

When Pat Patterson was 17 years old, he was asked to leave his home after telling his parents he was in love . . . with a man. Moving from Montreal to the United States in the 1960s, barely knowing a word of English, he was determined to succeed in the squared circle. Back when homophobia was widespread, Pat lived in the super-macho world of pro wrestling.

In this fascinating and revealing memoir of revolutionary talent, pioneer, and...
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55
The “baddest man on the planet,” undisputed, three-time WWE Champion and current UFC World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesner, shares his true personal story of determination, domination, and survival in Death Clutch. A raw, no-holds-barred memoir from one of the most popular—and polarizing—figures in sports entertainment and professional mixed martial arts, Death Clutch is an essential volume for every WWE and Ultimate Fighting fan.
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56

A Wrestling Life

The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable

What does it take to be an Olympic gold medalist and to coach a collegiate team to fifteen NCAA titles? In A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable, famed wrestler and wrestling coach Dan Gable tells engaging and inspiring stories of his childhood in Waterloo, Iowa; overcoming the murder of his sister as a teenager; his sports career from swimming as a young boy, to his earliest wrestling matches, through the 1972 Olympics; coaching at the University of Iowa from the Banachs to the Brands; life-changing friendships he made along the way; and tales of his family life off the... more

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57
Justin Roberts always dreamed of being a ring announcer at World Wrestling Entertainment. From playing with action figures of the Ultimate Warrior, the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, Bret "Hitman" Hart and Hulk Hogan to actually announcing these larger-than-life characters to the ring, Roberts lived out the dream of countless, passionate wrestling fans worldwide. Best Seat in the House is the inspirational story of Roberts' ambitious journey to becoming a full-time ring announcer at WWEperforming all over the world and announcing weekly live events, TV shows, and the enormously... more

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58

Sisterhood of the Squared Circle

The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling

From side show to main-eventing in the WWE, documenting the rise of women’s wrestling

Sisterhood of the Squared Circle presents the fascinating history of women’s wrestling, from the carnival circuit of the late 1800s to today’s hugely popular matches. With more than 100 wrestler profiles, find out how the backstage politics, real-life grudges, and incredible personalities shaped the business. The careers of many well-known trailblazers, including Mildred Burke, the Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, Penny Banner, Wendi Richter, Trish Stratus, Chyna, and Lita, are celebrated...
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59

Backlund

From All-American Boy to Professional Wrestling's World Champion

Bob Backlund began life as a poor farm boy in the little village of Princeton, Minnesota, with a population of just over 2,000 people. He was a below-average student with a lackluster work ethic and a bad attitude, who hung with the wrong crowd and made a lot of bad choices. He was a kid whose life was headed for disaster—until a local coach took interest in him, suggested that he take up amateur wrestling, and offered to work with him if he promised to stay out of trouble.

It was in North Dakota that Bob Backlund had the first of several chance encounters that would shape his...
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60

If They Only Knew

Part feminist, part superhero, Chyna has blazed a trail where no woman had gone before. She has gained the respect of the men inside the World Wrestling Federation, and the world at large. She was the first woman to wear the Intercontinental Championship belt, yet these were not her most significant battles.

She has battled her entire life: against a controlling mother; against a scheming father; and against a world with a predetermined view of what beauty and success should be. She has battled and won her entire life.

If they only knew offers a rare glimpse behind the...
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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
61

Grappler

Memoirs of a Masked Madman

He defeated Andre the Giant in the New Orleans Superdome and helped Jake "The Snake" Roberts invent the DDT. He tutored The Ultimate Warrior and strangled Bret Hart with a dead chicken. This is the true story of pro wrestling's overlooked legend. GRAPPLER chronicles the rags to almost-riches journey of Lynn "The Grappler" Denton. A star of pro wrestling's territorial era, Denton worked alongside the biggest names of the 1980s. Readers will learn about his adventures with ring icons such as Roddy Piper, Ric Flair and Harley Race. In addition, GRAPPLER features previously untold stories... more

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62

Superstar Billy Graham

Tangled Ropes

"I'm the man of the hour," Superstar Billy Graham told his audiences, "the man with the power. Too sweet to be sour!" Despite years of devastating health issues (a long history of drug abuse led to a liver transplant in 2002), the man regarded as one of the most influential professional wrestlers of the past thirty years still flaunts the same optimism that made his interviews as compelling as his matches. In "Tangled Ropes," his autobiography, Graham remembers his victories -- and his setbacks -- on both the wrestling and the evangelism circuits in vibrant detail.

At his core,...
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63

The World According to Garp

The World According to Garp is a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers of his generation. A worldwide bestseller since its publication in 1978, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life and times of T. S. Garp, novelist and bastard son of Jenny Fields--a feminist leader ahead of her time. Beyond that, The World According to Garp virtually defies synopsis.

----"Nothing in contemporary fiction matches it," said critic Terrence Des Pres. "Irving's blend of gravity and...
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Recommended by Riz Khan, and 1 others.

Riz KhanThis was given to me by a schoolfriend who told me that the character, Garp, really reminded her of me. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that once I’d read it, but I could relate to this guy. I’d like to think I have an easy-going outlook on life – you don’t have to agree – and I was brought up by a single mum and I think John Irving is very much on the side of women. He takes a strong look at... (Source)

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64
Professional wrestler Al Snow delivers highlights from his onscreen antics and never-before-heard tales from the road in this high-flying memoir spanning 30 years in the ring.

In the late 90s, wrestling journeyman Al Snow looked in the mirror and saw a man who needed help. A man whose reputation within the wrestling industry was excellent but whose career was going nowhere. Channeling his frustration into the gimmick for which he would become best known, Al began talking to (and through) a mannequin head. With Extreme Championship Wrestling, Al reinvented himself as an...
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65

Hardcore History

The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW

Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of ECW offers a frank, balanced look at the evolution of the company, starting even before its early days as a Philadelphia-area independent group called Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992 and extending past the death of Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2001. Writer Scott E. Williams has pored through records and conducted dozens of interviews through records and conducted dozens of interviews with fans, company officials, business partners, and the wrestlers themselves to bring readers the most balanced account possible of this bizarre... more

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66
Go on the road with your favorite WWE Superstars!

Your favorite WWE Superstars have more road trip stories to tell than they have frequent flier miles. Travel more than a million miles with The Big Show, Triple H, Lita, Stone Cold, and the rest of the WWE roster. Read all about their crazy and hilarious misadventures—Big Show being too large to fit into the shower, Triple H’s hilarious run-in with over-enthusiastic fans, and many more.

Also telling their stories are John Cena, Mark Henry, Teddy Long, Shannon Moore, Matt Hardy, The Hurricane, Dr. Tom Prichard,...
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67
Who was the greatest pro wrestler of the 20th century?
The debate is a real one among those who seriously study the history of this American pop-culture creation. Like the arguments over any effort to crown "the greatest," "the best," or "the worst," that answer is unlikely to ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. One fact is indisputable, though. For those who watched wrestling before it became "sports entertainment," there is only one answer — Lou Thesz.
The son of European immigrants, Thesz discovered his love of amateur wrestling as a shy eight-year-old, scuffling with...
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68

Cross Rhodes

Goldust, Out of the Darkness

He first burst onto the scene in the nineties, covered in gold face paint and exhibiting a one-of-a- kind flamboyant style that bewildered his foes and thrilled his fans. Inside the ring, Goldust is as tough as they come, known for using outrageous mind games and taking down his opponents with unparalleled ruthlessness. It’s no surprise, then, that wrestling is in his blood; Goldust is the son of Dusty Rhodes, “The American Dream.”

What is it like to be the son of a wrestling icon and follow him into the same profession? In this no-holds-barred account, Dustin Rhodes speaks frankly and...

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70

Niño Wrestles the World

Señoras y Señores, put your hands together for the fantastic, spectacular, one of a kind . . . Niño!

Fwap! Slish! Bloop! Krunch! He takes down his competition in a single move!

No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño—popsicle eater, toy lover, somersault expert, and world champion lucha libre competitor!

A Neal Porter Book
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71

Titan Screwed

Lost Smiles, Stunners and Screwjobs

James Dixon pairs up with Justin Henry for the third book in the Titan trilogy

Titan Screwed provides a look at the WWF from January 1997 through WrestleMania XIV, covering every major element of the WWF's evolution into the Attitude Era.

Stories detailed include the rise of Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels losing his smile, the heel turn of Bret Hart, WWF vs. ECW with Jerry Lawler pulling the strings, the death of Brian Pillman, Austin vs. Tyson, the seedy story elements that overtook WWF programming, the birth of the nefarious Mr. McMahon, and of course, Montreal: the...
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72
Lex Luger, wrestling megasensation and three-time world heavyweight champion, ruled the ring for years as "The Total Package." Whether he was making a dramatic entrance from a helicopter, defeating champ Hulk Hogan, or sculpting a near-perfect physique, Lex was on top of his game. Yet backstage, he was wrestling with addictions to sex, drugs, and alcohol--things he clung to even when his mistress died suddenly of a drug overdose and Lex went to jail. There, Lex faced the truth: he was losing the fight for his life. And still awaiting him was his most brutal opponent yet, when the wrestling... more

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73
WOOOOOO! Are you ready for this, WWE Universe?

For the first time ever, WWE's illustrious father-daughter duo "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Charlotte come together to tell their legendary story.

Ric Flair is a 16-time World Champion and two-time WWE Hall of Fame Inductee. His four-decades long career is recognized as one of the greatest of all time, but with success comes a price. Despite his effortless brilliance in front of the cameras, his life away from the cameras includes personal struggles, controversy and family tragedy. Through his bond with Charlotte, he's...
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74
Wrestling at the Chase is a fond, informative, amusing, and even poignant look at the who’s who of professional wrestling and legendary St. Louis promoter Sam Muchnick. St. Louis was the capital, and Muchnick the ruler of professional wrestling, before Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment took over. What happened in St. Louis paved the way for today’s multi-billion-dollar sports entertainment industry. The centrepiece of this magical operation was “Wrestling at the Chase,” a television program which broadcast from 1959 to 1983 from the majestic Chase Hotel. Larry Matysik was... more

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75

The Three Count

My Life in Stripes as a WWE Referee

"The Three Count highlights the triumphs and tragedies Jimmy Korderas experienced over his storied career as a WWE referee -- from humble beginnings with Jack Tunney in Toronto to being a part of the main event with Edge and the Undertaker at WrestleMania. For the first time, Korderas talks about the harrowing experience of being in the ring during Owen Hart's accident and about the horrific effects of the Chris Benoit tragedy -- the most difficult moments of his life in wrestling"--P. [4] of cover. less

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76
Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didnt Know It Was Broken: From Photo Shoots and Sensational Stories to the WWE Network, Bill Apters Incredible Pro Wrestling Journey less

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77

WWE 50

From the creators of the official "WWE Encyclopedia," "WWE 50" gives you the behind-the-scenes knowledge to become the ultimate WWE fan!

Learn the Real Story Behind Key Events in WWE History: The split from the National Wrestling Alliance. Controversial figures and events from all eras. National expansion and the perilous risk involved. The legal and financial strife that nearly devastated WWE. Triumph in the Monday Night Wars. Innovations of WrestleMania, Raw, SmackDown, Survivor Series, and more!

With Stunning Visuals and Insider Commentary.

Only in "WWE 50"...
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78

King of the Ring

The Harley Race Story

A true legend, Harley Race has enjoyed almost unparalleled success in the world of professional wrestling. Having turned pro in 1959 at the age of 15, his work ethic and innovative style allowed him to become one of the three biggest names in wrestling during the 1970s and early '80s. He won the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) championship on eight occasions and was dubbed World Wrestling Entertainment's first "King of the Ring" in 1986. In the autobiography King of the Ring. Harley Race tells his incredible life story for the first time. In addition to his legendary ring career, Harley... more

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79
In the notoriously crooked and exploitative world of professional wrestling, WWE legend Chris Benoit was supposed to be the exception. Chris was universally recognized as the best pro wrestling had to offer: a decent, humble, and devoted family man loved and admired by all who knew him. Nobody could have predicted the horrific events of June 22-24, 2007 when Chris strangled his wife and seven-year old son before committing suicide. RING OF HELL is the true story of Benoit's journey through the destructive, dysfunctional, and bizarre pro wrestling industry and the catastrophic physical and... more

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80

NXT

The Future Is Now

The first comprehensive book on WWE’s hottest brand

NXT: The Future Is Now follows the rise of WWE’s popular NXT brand from its conception to the brink of taking over WWE with its own rabid following. For decades, sports-entertainment had no centralized system for recruiting and training talent. Recognizing this need, Paul Levesque — better known as 14-time World Champion Triple H — convinced Vince McMahon that WWE must reinvent itself. This book delivers the revealing story of Levesque’s vision and the revolutionary impact it has already had on the WWE...
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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
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81
A rare glimpse not only into the life of a professional wrestler, but the life of a gay man in a straight world, this tragic memoir is told in Chris Kanyon’s own words, with the help of journalist Ryan Clark. One of the most popular wrestlers of the late 1990s, Kanyon kept his personal life private from his fans until finally revealing his biggest secret in 2004: he was gay. Going through the various roles that Kanyon played, both in the ring and out of it, as well as his battle with manic depression, this book explores the factors that led to his suicide in 2010. In his voice and the way he... more

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82

Ted DiBiase

The Million Dollar Man

Everyone's got a price.

Everyone's got to pay.

'Cause the Million Dollar Man always gets his way.

After proving his point, Ted DiBiase would laugh and fan out his large roll of hundreds, worsening the degradation of whoever had been foolish enough to accept his challenge or get in his way. Defeated opponents -- put to sleep with his Million Dollar Dream -- would have the added humiliation of awakening to discover that the Million Dollar Man had been stuffing bills down their throats. Winning match after match, yet no closer...
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83

Life Is Short and So Am I

My Life in and Out of the Wrestling Ring

Heart, determination, and triumph

Life Is Short & So Am I is the story of a boy who fell in love with wrestling before he was able to walk. Born with achondroplasia, a condition that causes disproportionate dwarfism, Dylan Postl had endured multiple surgeries by the age of 12. And yet, he held on to the dream that he would one day become a professional wrestler. Ignoring the naysayers and against doctors' recommendations, Dylan began training in his teens, and he soon began appearing on local independent shows. Before he turned 20, he was signed by the world leader in...
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84

Titan Shattered

Wrestling with Confidence and Paranoia

The highly anticipated sequel to best-selling Titan Sinking After enduring a turbulent year in 1995, Vince McMahon was looking to rebuild his sinking empire in 1996. He had high hopes for a new World Wrestling Federation flag bearer, Shawn Michaels - the man he was looking to as the leader of the WWF's 'New Generation'. With Michaels supported by a strong cast of established characters, some old faces, and an influx of new blood, McMahon fully expected the WWF to dominate rivals WCW in the burgeoning Monday Night War. It did not work out that way. Titan Shattered tells the behind-the-scenes... more

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85
At only five foot two, Mildred Burke was an unlikely candidate for the ring. A waitress barely scraping by on Depression-era tips, she wanted more, and she saw her chance when she witnessed her first wrestling match. Even against all odds, she knew that she could become a female wrestler. What followed was a gritty, glittering testament to the golden age of wrestling, when beauty and brawn captivated the world. less

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86

Mind Gym

An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

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Recommended by Michael Gervais, and 1 others.

Michael GervaisOne of the books I often give away is Mind Gym by Gary Mack. It’s a very mechanical, easy, lots-of-white-space-on-the-page book. And it’s one of my favourites, a very applied synopsis of mental skills from a sport and performance psychology standpoint. (Source)

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87

The Unauthorized History of DX

"With all due respect to the Bible, this is the greatest story ever told! (Sorry, Shawn.)" TRIPLE H

"I laughed; I cried; I ran out and bought copies for all friends and family -- the must-read book of the century!" SHAWN MICHAELS

"A complex tale of redemption featuring a pair of modern American heroes embarking on a Homeric journey of self-discovery through an Orwellian dystopia. Oh, and male cheerleaders, too." PAUL LEVESQUE

"If you believe in the magic of Harry Potter -- well, D-X could make his wand disappear by shoving it up his...[rest of quote is...
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88
He's not a douchebag; but that doesn't stop his friends from turning him into one.

MY FRIENDS WANT ME TO GET LAID.

So much so that they plastered my ugly mug all over campus, in bold printed letters:

Are you the lucky lady who's going to break our roommate's cherry?
Him: socially awkward man with average-sized penis looking for willing sexual partner. You: must have a pulse. He will reciprakate with oral. Text him at: 555-254-5551


The morons can't even spell. And the texts I've been receiving are what wet dreams are made...
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89
An inspiring story from one of WWE's most charitable Superstars

One conversation from one caring person can change the course of a child's life -- Thaddeus Bullard knows that first-hand. Growing up, he was repeatedly confronted with negative words and actions. By the time he was a teenager, he figured that he was the bad kid everyone said he was -- until an adult looked him in the eye and said, "There is no such thing as a bad kid." Unfortunately, like young Thaddeus, many children across North America are labeled "bad." They may have short attention spans, unstable home...
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Recommended by Mick Foley, and 1 others.

Mick FoleyCongratulations to @TitusONeilWWE on the release of this great book. It’s inspirationa, educational and enjoyable. I have been reading it each night....note the reading light! https://t.co/GNHTATDy0D (Source)

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90

Sabu

Scars, Silence, & Superglue

SABU: Scars, Silence, & Superglue gives you a no-holds-barred autobiographical look about one of the most innovative & extreme pioneers in wrestling. This book will cover his wrestling roots/history, his wrestling career, & everything Sabu… less

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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91

The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame

The Heels

As the first comprehensive look at the ruffians, rascals, and rule breakers in the wrestling business, this history explains the rise of the wrestling villain, the reasons for his (or her) success, and the impact these sordid characters have had on the sport. Based on first-hand interviews with hundreds of wrestlers, managers, promoters, and historians, these entertaining profiles document wrestling’s top rotten apples from the 1920s to today, providing plenty of support for the book's claim that fans love to hate the bad guys as much as they love to love the heroes. With remarkable candor,... more

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94

Have a Nice Day

Have a Nice Day features a live multi-cast script reading captured over two evenings at Minetta Lane Theatre in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.

Tony and Emmy Award winner Billy Crystal leads an all-star cast including Oscar winner Kevin Kline (President David Murray) and four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening (First Lady Katherine Murray) in a performance of this hilarious and poignant story about a man desperately scrambling to put his affairs in order: to save his presidency, his marriage, his relationship with his daughter—and possibly his life.

President David Murray...
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95

Suddenly it’s over, and in the center of the ring, one man is victorious. The referee raises his hand, and from somewhere (you’re not quite sure where because you’re still cheering), the shining symbol of this momentous win appears. With the crowd still roaring, the winner stands alone in the ring and raises the championship belt high over his head. The lights shine off the WWE Championship title belt, and in that instant, the winner’s life will be changed forever.

For over half a century, Superstars have battled to win the WWE Championship. While the name may have changed, the...

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97
"Sean's story, beginning as a renegade, outlaw company and evolving to redefining the shoot video genre, is extremely fascinating. Who knew that the man asking the questions was as fascinating as his subject matter?"
-Justin Barrasso, Sports Illustrated

"'Kayfabe' brings to life a world that once had its own version of ‘omerta’ in a fascinating, well written book that will intrigue long time fans, new fans, and just those who are hoping to take a peek behind the curtain of this unlikely cultural phenomenon."
-Eric Bischoff, WCW President

"I worked in a...
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98

Booker T

From Prison to Promise

As a six-time world champion, TV commentator, and holder of over thirty-five major titles in WWE, WCW, and TNA, Booker T. Huffman knows what it means to fight. He learned long before he entered the ring, when daily survival was a fierce battle.

Booker T: From Prison to Promise details Huffman’s struggles from his youngest years. Losing his father at only ten months and his mother at only thirteen years old, Booker was forced along with his seven siblings to navigate life alone. Wrestling with hunger, poverty, and criminal influences, he struggled to survive in urban Houston and...
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100

Jim Cornette Presents

Behind the Curtain - Real Pro Wrestling Stories

Pro wrestling's secrets and greatest moments are immortalized in this graphic novel from legendary wrestling personality Jim Cornette!

An anthology of true stories, these insider tales will show the lengths that wrestlers went to uphold kayfabe--the old carny term for keeping secret the illusions of a rigged game, fight, or situation--as well as the noteworthy cultural, racial, and economic effects these events and characters have had on society. This is the graphic novel that old-school wrestling fans have been waiting for: a no-holds-barred representation of the moments...
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Don't have time to read the top Wrestling books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.