Hitman

My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling

By: Bret Hart

Narrated by: Bret Hart

Written without collaborators and based on decades of tape recordings he made throughout his career, Hitman is Bret Hart's brutally honest, perceptive and startling account of his life in and out of the ring that proves once and for all that great things come in pink tights.

Life in the cartoon world of wrestling...

This is another fantastic biography — and without question one of the most important historical records of professional wrestling ever written. Hitman functions not just as a memoir, but as an archive of the industry, especially during the formative years of the WWF, the Canadian Stampede territory, and the fading territorial system as a whole.

Bret Hart provides a true insider’s view of his career and the business around him, offering detailed portraits of the people who shaped wrestling’s golden and transitional eras. The book is rich with insight into icons like the British Bulldog, the Dynamite Kid, Stu Hart, Owen Hart, and the extended Hart family — not just as performers, but as people. Few wrestling books give such a grounded look at how deeply family and profession were intertwined, often to devastating effect.

Of course, the heavier moments are here as well. Bret addresses the Montreal Screwjob with clarity rather than bitterness, and the repeated losses that define the latter half of his life — particularly the death of Owen — are handled with honesty and restraint. His marriage to Julie, the fractures within the Hart family, and the emotional cost of life in the business are all explored without self-pity or theatrics.

What stands out most is Bret’s tone. He doesn’t come across as a man still fighting old battles, but as someone who survived an industry that consumed many of its own. There’s no revisionist bitterness here — just perspective. The result is a memoir that feels lived-in, thoughtful, and deeply human.

Hitman is raw, emotional, and remarkably even-handed. Whether you’re a wrestling fan or a reader interested in the rise and cost of fame, this book belongs alongside the very best biographies the industry has produced.

Love Hit Man even more. Not the WWE.

What an honest story of his long great career. Makes you really hate Vince McMahon. A couple of issues with some facts: Sergeant slaughter was never in the United States military. And David Von Erich did not die of an overdose he died of a gastrointestinal issue. I don’t blame this on Brett. He’s recalling his memory. It’s the editor‘s fault. But this is a great book if you cared about wrestling during that time. Love to see a movie about the hitman. It would be very good. He was there for it all!

Wonderful, honest, and thorough listen for any WWF or pro wrestling fan!!!

The fact that Bret does 100% of the audio is worth the price alone. This was certainly a labor of love as the book lasts almost 25 hours! Worth every penny.

Another bonus is he doesn’t cut out any words, phrases, company acronyms, etc. that a couple dozen people with thousands of social media accounts will pretend to be “outraged” by. He stays true to himself.

Love him or hate him, he speaks directly from his heart and does not sugarcoat anything. A must for any WWF fan, no matter the age.

Lots of Blame, Not Lots of Responsibility

I read the book when it first came out and jumped on the chance to hear the man himself read it. I LOVED the back then. I only sort of liked it this time around.

Hart is absolutely one of the best wrestlers of all time. I don’t think anyone can debate that point. As the years have gone on and I have gotten older, I realize he is the not the hero he craves to be. He is always right, just ask him, and never EVER thinks he’s wrong. He cheated on his wife many MANY times, but always justified it with road loneliness. And while the Montreal Screwjob alone could fill another 500-page book, he breezes past it pretty nonchalantly.

I have great memories of watching him in the ring, but really wish Bret took some time to recognize his part in some of these moments. Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels may, in fact, be terrible people, but Bret Hart absolutely was not a saint. And I think that’s what he needs us to believe in the end.

best wrestling book there is, was and ever will be

Bret Hart is a fantastic storyteller and author. My favorite wrestler ever. sharp shooter > scorpion deathlock