The Hardcore Truth

The Bob Holly Story

By: Bob Howard, Ross Williams

Narrated by: Brian Holsopple

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

The wrestling legend Bob "Hardcore" Holly tells all in this autobiography that chronicles his journey from fighting in bars for money to the bright lights of the World Wrestling Federation. Holly reveals how he took more body slams and clotheslines outside the ring than in and that long before he was known as "Hardcore Holly", he had an unquenchable passion for professional wrestling.

Ultimately, Holly would hold the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hardcore Championship seven times, the WWE Tag Team Championship three times, and the National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship once. But in the midst of his career achievements was a roller coaster of success and frustration, and Holly reveals the plethora of missed opportunities and broken promises that marked his road to television stardom. Replete with fast motorcycles, faster cars, wrestling bears, betrayal, and lost love, Holly shares his uncompromised view of his past and the current state of professional wrestling.

©2013 Bob Howard and Ross Williams (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Better than expected, expectations were high.

The narrator spoke clearly and was not monotone, by any means. The story was great. As others have noted, after reading this, I also felt bad as Hardcore was shafted by the WWE many times but he stayed loyal to Vince & Co. Hardcore was very entertaining in his storytelling and recalled events in his past with great detail. I had a feeling this was going to be good, but it was better than I anticipated! Great book, Hardcore!

Huge respect for the Man Hardcore Holly

This was a great wrestling book full of great stories. I have a huge deal of respect after hearing this book. My only regret is wishing I could of saw him wrestle at a live event. It's a shame they never pushed him to his potential because I know he would of got over. His heart and passion for the business would of gotten him over alone. I've been watching his matches on the WWE network lately. I hope to see him again in the WWE doing something with them because he deserves it.

Great book

Enjoyed this book a lot. Really leaned a lot about Bob Holly. Great for fans of the early 90’s and attitude era for sure.

Great insights on Bob and the industry

I’m a huge wrestling fan and not only did this book teach me about Bob Holly, it gave me more insight on more wrestling personalities than anything else I’ve read or watched.

fan or not..a inside look (without WWE influence)

out of all the wrestling books I've read this one was by far one of the best ever! it's nice getting an inside book of the business without the author feeling intimidated by WWE - meaning that they are going to lose their job or keep from getting a job in the future because quite frankly Bob Holly is a man's man and he don't give a rat's ass what WWE thinks or anybody for that matter. I highly recommend!

good book

I enjoyed the stories related to professional wrestling and about Bob Holly personally. I recommend the book.

One Of The Best Pro Wrestling Audiobooks Available

I grew up watching professional wrestling in the early 1990s, and I still watch it today. Throughout the 1990s and the 2000s, Bob Holly was a fixture in the WWE. His character changed from race-car-driver "Sparky Plugg," to Hardcore Holly — a no-nonsense wrestler during the "Attitude Era," when wrestling was more popular than ever. The Hardcore Truth is Bob Holly's autobiography, and the audiobook version is an Audible Original. The narrator does an excellent job of delivering the content in a direct and impactful way. What I found most interesting about The Hardcore Truth is that Bob spills the beans on anyone and everyone. He dishes dirt on everyone from Triple H to Diamond Dallas Page, with no reservations. I went into this audiobook respecting Bob Holly's work, and I left it feeling like I knew the man behind the wrestler. He's been called a bully and tough to work with, and I can see why people might think that. Nevertheless, if you're a fan of the WWE from the 1990s and 2000s, there's a lot to enjoy in The Hardcore Truth. It's a tell-all book from someone who was there for Owen Hart's death, the Chris Benoit double-murder-suicide, and other fascinating, and sometimes grim, milestones in wrestling. It's one of the best pro wrestling audiobooks available, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Wow! Tell us how you really feel...

This by far one of the best, most entertaining, unflinching, no holds barred looks at the wrestling business I've ever read.

Good Listen

Enjoyed hearing the background and life of Hardcore Holly. It does come off in some aspects of the book that he is sour and that everything is a conspiracy against him. DO NOT agree on his stance of the Chris Benoit tragedy. Overall though it was a great book.

Surprisingly Epic

As a huge fan of Attitude Era wrestling, I am all too familiar with Bob Holly and the value he consistently brought to the ring. I waited a while before purchasing this book, but I am glad I did. This book gives me a whole new level of respect for Bob Holly, and most surprisingly of all this is legitimately at the top of my favorite wrestler books.

Bob does a great job explaining his background and career with humility. And unlike other pro wrestling books, he dishes it out for all his peers: good bad and the ugly. I really respect him for doing this because as fans we always want to know the background of the package we see on TV.

If your an attitude era fan this book is a must read.

Pleasantly Surprised

I wasn't sure I'd like this as I never had a strong opinion of Hardcore Holly either way. But I really enjoyed this book.

Great listen

Sentiment seems to be that this is one of the best books about pro wrestling out there, and it's spot on. This is hard to stop once you've started. Of course there's the early life bio stuff you can skip but everything wrestling-related is great. The narrator's voice is very easy to listen to as well. Would strongly recommend.

A MUST for any wrestling fan

Addictively readable. I only have two criticisms 1) I would have like more detailed/in depth chapters. Some of them seem quite short considering Bob was witness to some of the most interesting incidents and periods in WWE. 2) I wish Bob had read this himself.

enjoyable wrestling book

I was excited to listen to this book. It's well written with some great stories, although you get the impression there are two sides to most of them.

fantastic

Bob Holly what a legendary man. Happy I stumbled upon this now. One of the greatest of all time in my eyes.

Excellent listen for wrestling fans from the 90s

Always loved hardcore holly from when he was wrestling in the 90s. Great story telling with a lot of behind the scenes information

Awesome listen

I loved every bit of this book, listened to it a couple of times as there is a lot to take in. It is such an honest book as well. Highly recommend

That mid card guy

very very very impressed with this book. Bob Holly was a wrestler that looked technically proficient with an amazing dropkick and bleached blonde hair and that's all I really thought of him.

However on pain of losing a credit I took a gamble on the book and was really really impressed with it. Some excellent shoot chapters on HHH, Michaels and the clique. Very light on his time with Crash and Molly.

Definitely worth a credit and your time.

The Hardcore Truth

I have been a wrestling fan since I was young and to be honest Hardcore Holly was always a wrestler that passed me by when I use to watch. After listening to this book I have a new respect for him and it’s a great read for any wrestling fan and it’s also nice that he got a happy ending, once he left WWE. 5*.

Bob Holly's life in wrestling

very interesting
a lot of great wrestling stories
great listen
this really is hardcore truth