English Wrestling

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...

A breakthroughexamination of professional wrestling - its history, its fans, and its widercultural impact - that does for the sport what Chuck Klosterman did for heavymetal

The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker'swriting for both Deadspin, where hestarted the column "Dead Wrestler of the Week" - a feature on the many wrestlingsuperstars who died too young because of the abuse they subjected their bodiesto - and Grantland,where he covers the pro-wrestling world and its place in the pop culturemainstream. Shoemaker's sports writing has since struck a nerve withgenerations of wrestling fans who, like him, grew up worshiping a sport oftenderided as "fake" in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestlingsuperstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens throughwhich they learned to see the world.

Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of prowrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is thefirst book to acknowledge both the sport's broader significance and wrestlingfans' keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offersa snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period's preeminentwrestlers, and examines the sport's influence on our broader culture. Throughthe brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestlingcan teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art.

Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecatingreminiscence - but also offering a compelling look at the sport's rightful placein pop culture - The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestlingfans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past thespandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.

Kayfabe: A Mostly True History of Professional Wrestling is the story of how professional wrestling evolved from humble roots as a folk sport into an intricate and unique performance art, and a global billion dollar industry. It’s a history that takes in America’s Wild West, the Music Halls of Victorian London, the circuses of P.T. Barnum, the golden age of television, the genesis of Mixed Martial Arts, all the way to the dizzying heights of WWE's Wrestlemania and AEW's All-In. As befitting a story with roots in Vaudeville Theatre, it’s full of twists, turns, surprises, myth-making ...

ECW was one extreme contradiction piled on top of another. It was an incredibly influential company in the world of professional wrestling during the 1990s, yet it was never profitable. It portrayed itself as the ultimate in anti-authority rebellion, but its leadership was, at various points, working covertly with the two wrestling giants, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. Most of all, it blurred the line between real life and the fantasy world of professional wrestling like no other company before it.

What if the Montreal Screwjob hadn’t happened? What if the WCW Invasion would have worked? What if John Cena had turned heel? In Wrestling Rewritten, award-winning sports writer and lifelong pro wrestling fan BJ Pickard tackles some of professional wrestling's most often discussed and debated instances of what might have been. Through both historical and counterfactual examinations of the industry’s seminal angles and events over the last quarter-century, Wrestling Rewritten is an entertaining and informative read for fantasy bookers and casual fans alike.

He’s been a fixture in professional wrestling for five decades. He helped introduce a hardcore wrestling style that you see in the WWE and Japan today. He’s made his mark in Hollywood. He’s Terry Funk, and this is his story. In this captivating look at the life of a living legend, Funk opens up about growing up in a wrestling family, working with various entertainment companies (including the ECW, WWE, and WWF), and so much more.

THE ONLY SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY WORKBOOK THAT’S EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNED FOR WRESTLERS TO BUILD MENTAL TOUGHNESS AND BOOST THEIR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE Athletes hear it all the time… "Wrestling is 90% Mental, and 10% Physical” "It's All in Your Head" "The Only One that Can Stop You is You" "You have to be Mentally Tough!" But what exactly do those sayings mean??? Without something concrete, it's difficult for athletes to understand what it specifically takes to have a mental approach primed for success. And rather than have a debate with someone who knows nothing about mental training or sports ...

There has been much said about Dusty Rhodes, the 'American Dream', over the years by both his fans and peers. Aside from the frequent fictional prose penned by wrestling magazine journalists and internet smart marks that run rumor-mill websites, however, there has not been much written about him. Until now. With the exception of a select few, there has been no bigger name or personality in the annals of pro wrestling history than Dusty Rhodes.

Step into the untold, gritty world of wrestling’s most enigmatic icon with Locker Room General: The Unauthorized True Story of The Undertaker's Real Life WWE Relationships and Rivalries by pro wrestling insider and historian James Michael Ross. This first-of-its-kind, unauthorized biography delivers a raw, unfiltered dive into Mark Calaway’s real-life controversies, backstage rivalries, and his unmatched role as WWE’s most respected locker room leader—revealing why The Undertaker was loved by many and why some now turn against him. Unmask the Real Undertaker: Backstage Feuds: ...

That neighbor of mine is a cute, surly ghoul whose pretty green eyes and angry scowl just make me want to rile him up even more. We've never really been buddies, despite living side by side for three years. But when he starts working at Goliaths as our IT manager, helping to bring us into a new digital age, our lives begin to become a bit more entangled. Mainly because he starts watching me each night while I… relax. So I make sure to give him a good show through my living room window.

The Matches Which Built and Crippled an Industry Frank Gotch turned pro wrestling from a fringe spectacle to one of the most popular spectator sports. Still, it took Gotch three years to lure undefeated World Champion George Hackenschmidt to the United States for a title defense. The result was two controversial but legitimate wrestling matches, whose effects were felt for the next two decades. Read the true story of this series of matches.

The follow-up to former WCW President Eric Bischoff’s first autobiography, 'Grateful' picks up where 'Controversy Creates Cash' left off! Produced in partnership with 'NITRO' author Guy Evans, 'Grateful' covers Bischoff’s post 2006-career, including his WWE return, AEW involvement, TNA experience and much more.

By creating WrestleMania, jumping into the pay-per-view field, and expanding across North America, Vince McMahon changed professional wrestling forever.

Score a front-row seat for the thrilling story of the icons and iconoclasts that revolutionized professional wrestling, packed with exclusive interviews and explosive action shots of your favorite stars. The year is 2019. It is the dawn of All Elite Wrestling . . . and you know what that means...

The year 2001 began with a wrestling landscape rich with competition, featuring three national companies locked in a weekly ratings battle for a massive and devoted fanbase. By the time the calendar turned, only one promotion remained standing, fan interest had plummeted, and a steady decline began that continues to this day. This book chronicles how an entire industry, a true pop culture phenomenon, seemingly collapsed overnight. Follow the final, dying breaths of both Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling, from their last pay-per-view events to the day the lights...

In this first volume of his magisterial study of the foundations of Mormon thought and practice, Terryl L. Givens offers a sweeping account of Mormon belief from its founding to the present day. Situating the relatively new movement in the context of the Christian tradition, he reveals that Mormonism continues to change and grow.

WWE Superstar Natalya “Nattie” Neidhart—the longest-serving female wrestler in WWE history—invites readers inside her extraordinary journey, from her upbringing in the legendary Hart family home through her more than two decades in wrestling.

Jock Boys brings together five of Dean Banks’ hottest athletic stories in one explosive collection. From sweaty training sessions to late-night rivalries that cross the line, these men push their limits on and off the mat. Featuring: Ass to the Mat Handled by My College Roommate Full Court Pleasure Coach Bradley Training with Dad Every story is charged with competition, sweat, and the kind of intensity only jocks can bring.

Retro Pro Wrestling presents The Complete History of Starrcade, featuring thoughts and analysis of every match, angle, and interview from the National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling's flagship event. From Ric Flair taking on Harley Race for the world title at A Flare for the Gold to Sting earning the title of 'Wrestler of the 90s' at Future Shock, part 1 of this series reviews all of the Starrcade events from the 1980s. Alongside Sting and Flair, you'll also read about matches including Lex Luger, The Youngbloods, The Steiner Brothers, The Road Warriors, Dusty Rhodes, ...

How to Become a State Champion is a guide to help aspiring high school wrestlers develop their skills on the mat and cultivate the mental toughness, discipline, and unwavering determination needed to reach their full potential. Within these pages are a blend of practical instruction, motivational insights, and real-world examples to illuminate the path to success. The secret to becoming a State Wrestling Champion is about more than just technique; it’s about building an indomitable spirit, a mindset that embraces challenges and ignites the killer instinct needed to dominate and destroy ...