20 Best Wrestling Books Of Last 20 Years
Mick Foley ignited the pro wrestler autobiography boom.
To celebrate the anniversary of Mick Foley’s groundbreaking first book – Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks – we’re counting down the greatest wrestling reads of the past 20 years.
David Gibb and John Corrigan, editor-in-chief of The Wrestling Estate, each compiled their own list, compared choices and then debated over which should make the final cut. It was a grueling challenge to determine which deserve our highest recommendation, and many of our favorites were still left off. (Larry Matysik’s Wrestling at the Chase, David Shoemaker’s The Squared Circle, In The Pit With Piper, Daniel Bryan’s autobiography and Lex Luger’s autobiography, just to name a few.)
20. Pro Wrestling FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the World’s Most Entertaining Spectacle (Brian Solomon)
Brian Solomon has “toasted champagne cocktails with Ric Flair all night in Manchester, England; hung out in ‘Classy’ Freddie Blassie’s basement while wearing his house slippers; and once got stuck in a limo with Vince McMahon for three hours and lived to tell the tale.” Despite all those anecdotes, the former WWE, Raw and SmackDown magazine writer and editor hasn’t penned an autobiography. Instead, he covers pro wrestling from its carnie origins to modern day sports-entertainment. Solomon’s tome is the definitive guide to everything one must know about the history, athletes and appeal of the genre. – John Corrigan
19. Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal (Mick Foley)
Mick Foley’s fourth and final memoir chronicles the buildup and execution of his TNA World Championship match against Sting at Lockdown 2009. It’s a similar style to his third book, in which he discussed the buildup and execution of his wars with Ric Flair and the ECW resurrection in 2006. I’m drawn to this one more simply because I was in attendance for the match with Sting, and to read what Foley was thinking during the mayhem is riveting. Plus, he also discusses his painful experience as a commentator for Vince McMahon. – John Corrigan
18. No is a Four-Letter Word: How I Failed in Spelling But Succeeded in Life (Chris Jericho with I’m Sure He Had a Ghostwriter But They Don’t List it Anywhere; I Hope That Means the Guy Got Paid Really Well)
I do not enjoy self-help books, and I generally don’t want advice from celebrities, but the pace and structure of No is a Four-Letter Word make it a highly addictive and entertaining read.
Each chapter is built around a specific life lesson Jericho has learned and contains specific examples of how that lesson has played out in his road to success (usually filled with smirk-inducing celebrity anecdotes). This may sound like faint praise, but it’s the perfect bathroom reader: something you can digest a few pages at a time and reflect on between reading sessions. – David Gibb
On this holy day, we learn from the four Gospels of Jericho. @IAmJericho #MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/9PSKvnDOqM
— The Wrestling Estate (@TheWrestlingEst) December 25, 2017
17. Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps (Chris Jericho)
In the highly anticipated sequel to his first memoir, Chris Jericho takes us behind the scenes of his arrival in WWE, which was rife with political turmoil. For fans of the early 2000s, it’s fascinating to see how the locker room reacted to the NWO and the Radicalz coming in, Jericho’s confrontation with Goldberg, the rise of John Cena and much more. Plus, Jericho delves into his escapades outside the ring, such as Hollywood, Fozzy and becoming a father. The most poignant part of the book is the chapter on Chris Benoit and how he’ll never come to grips with what his best friend did. – John Corrigan
16. The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story (Bob Holly with Ross Williams)
It’s often said that history is written by the victors, but wouldn’t it be much more interesting if it wasn’t?
The Hardcore Truth is a daring attempt to cut through the BS of codified history and explain what it was actually like to break into TV wrestling after the territories had died and swim in the ultra-competitive shark tank that was a late ‘90s wrestling locker room. Holly is honest (or tries to be honest) to a fault in the book and comes away looking both quite similar to and very different from his television character in several surprising ways. – David Gibb
15. To Be The Man (Ric Flair with Keith Elliot Greenberg; edited by Mark Madden)
The title of Ric Flair’s ghostwritten autobiography will probably be exhibit A in his case against WWE for labeling Becky Lynch “The Man.” Way before his shoot interviews, podcasts and ESPN 30 for 30, the Nature Boy first opened up about his illustrious career with this tell-all in 2004. Known for wearing his heart on his sequined sleeve, Naitch took shots at everybody from Bret Hart to Bruno Sammartino to Mick Foley to Eric Bischoff. He also let the world know a little bit about Richard Morgan Fliehr, a black market baby who struggled to juggle his own family life with the demands of being the greatest pro wrestler ever. – John Corrigan
14. Big Gold: A Close Look at Pro Wrestling’s Most Celebrated Championship Belt (Dick Bourne with Dave Millican)
As Ric Flair liked to say, “If it ain’t Big Gold, it’s second best!”
Big Gold is the ultimate deep dive into fanboy minutiae, dedicating two hundred pages to the history, design, and cultural significance of the most celebrated championship title belt in wrestling history. If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the process of creating a new wrestling championship, both in terms of creative and craftsmanship, Big Gold is here to turn even the most casual wrestling fan into a title belt devotee. – David Gibb
13. Second Nature: The Legacy of Ric Flair and the Rise of Charlotte (Ric Flair & Charlotte with Brian Shields)
It’s the unbelievably heartbreaking saga of pro wrestling royalty, yet it’s also relatable to every family in America. Both Flairs should be commended on their brutal honesty, making readers feel like friends more than fans. This is co-author Brian Shields’ finest work, translating their inner turmoil and angst (over the death of a son/brother, domestic violence, a forced retirement) into an eloquent, inspirational and captivating story of survival and redemption. – John Corrigan
12. The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams (Greg Oliver & Steven Johnson)
Tag team wrestling has its own psychology, its own flavor, and its own distinct appeal, and you can feel Oliver and Johnson wanted to honor that in The Tag Teams. The book opens with a well-written “we don’t care what you think, these are the correct answers” top 20 of all-time professional wrestling teams before diving deep into historical subcategories. The structure and feel of the book make reading a blast, with each chapter feeling like a satisfying “match” unto itself.
Oliver and Johnson’s The Heels and Heroes and Icons are also must-have reads for completionists. – David Gibb
11. Bobby The Brain: Wrestling’s Bad Boy Tells All (Bobby Heenan with Steve Anderson)
As hilarious as you’d expect from The Brain. From dropping out in 8th grade to support his mother and grandmother to becoming the greatest manager of all time, Bobby Heenan certainly lived the American Dream. Of course, there were many hardships along the way, which The Weasel recounts after 40 years in the wacky world of bodyslams and baloney blowouts. His sequel is recommended as well, although that’s filled with more outside-the-ring anecdotes and life lessons than wrasslin’-specific stories. – John Corrigan
10. Grappler, Memoirs of a Masked Man (Lynn Denton with Joe Vithayathil)
Len Denton wrestled and booked his best matches in Portland, which put him somewhat off the mainstream wrestling radar during his athletic prime, but he was one of the late territory era’s sharpest minds and universally respected by his peers, from Ric Flair to Raven. Grappler, Memoirs of a Masked Man does a great job illustrating what life was like for a rank-and-file wrestler trying to make it as a creative force in the business without selling out his values as “one of the boys.”
Grappler… is the kind of book that makes you want to go out and watch every available match and promo its author ever did. – David Gibb
9. It’s Good to Be the King…Sometimes (Jerry Lawler with Doug Asheville)
Published a year after his return to WWE in 2001, Jerry Lawler’s autobiography came too soon. In the nearly 20 years since, there is plenty more for The King to open up about, from his son’s tragic death to his heart attack on Raw to his con artist podcast partner Glen Moore. That’s not to say you shouldn’t read this book – Lawler dives into the Memphis territory, jumping to WWE and his heartbreaking split with Stacy “The Kat” Carter. It’s a brutally honest and funny account of the King’s illustrious career. – John Corrigan
8. Death of the Territories (Tim Hornbaker)
Death of the Territories is essentially the unauthorized history of Vince McMahon’s early-80s power play that changed wrestling forever. Hornbaker does an excellent job building background at the beginning of the book, which makes Death of the Territories highly engaging and accessible for readers who are new to wrestling history, while still providing the degree of detail that hardcore fans hunger for.
If you’re trying to build an understanding of Vince McMahon’s real place in wrestling, television, and American history, Death of the Territories is the perfect place to start. – David Gibb
7. Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken! (Bill Apter)
Full disclosure: I’m friends with Bill Apter. But so is everybody else! Wonderful Willie is pro wrestling’s greatest ambassador, having helped countless people (wrestlers, commentators, reporters, you name it) find their way in the industry over the past 50 years. His memoir doesn’t follow the traditional autobiography style – it’s filled with random anecdotes about his days at Pro Wrestling Illustrated, witnessing Bruno Sammartino lose the WWE Championship, befriending Andy Kaufman and much more. As entertaining as it is educational, Apter’s book feels like you’re sitting next to him at MOD Pizza, cracking up while scarfing down another burnt slice. – John Corrigan
6. Slobberknocker (Jim Ross with Paul O’Brien)
Slobberknocker was probably the most anticipated wrestling memoir since Hitman, dropping at the height of the wrestling podcast craze and chronicling the journey of one of the sport’s most recognizable faces and voices throughout the last half-century. The book refreshingly laid off deep dives on specific moments from the Attitude Era but instead focused on J.R.’s family, his break into what was still a very closed business, and his struggle to balance the two.
There’s some gut-wrenching stuff in Slobberknocker, most notably Ross detailing his upbringing at the hands of a wild west mid-century tough guy and his emotional reaction to the sudden death of his wife Jan, which threatened the completion of the book itself. At the end of the day, though, it’s a really cool look into what it meant to be a smart, ambitious “regular guy” in the wrestling business when regular guys weren’t allowed. – David Gibb
5. Sex, Lies, and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment (Shaun Assael & Mike Mooneyham)
I’ve read this book probably more than any other. As evidenced by his decades of accolades and reporting, Mike Mooneyham is a tremendous writer who knows how to engage the reader during history lessons. His co-author Shaun Assael is one of the original staff members at ESPN Magazine and a member of the network’s Enterprise & Investigations Group. Together, they examine Vince McMahon’s rags to riches journey, as well as Ted Turner’s entry into the wrasslin’ business, McMahon’s steroid trial and the Monday Night War. If you think you’ve heard this story ad nauseam, I guarantee you’ll learn something new in this page-turner. – John Corrigan
4. Wrestlers are Like Seagulls: From McMahon to McMahon (J.J. Dillon with Scott Teal & Philip Varriale)
“…All they do is eat, shit, and squawk,” Dillon once heard Vincent J. McMahon tell his son backstage at Madison Square Garden. Wrestlers are Like Seagulls is essentially a parallel narrative, tracking both Dillon’s own career, from part-time referee to wrestler, fringe territory promoter, and eventually manager, and the evolution of the wrestling business from the 1960s, when he broke in at the height of Bruno Sammartino, through the sale of Jim Crocket Promotions to Turner, when J.J. left to work for the WWF.
The book balances specific insights into situations and stars Dillon had firsthand knowledge of, as well as providing a great ground-level understanding of how the territories worked from someone who made their bones at the height of the system. – David Gibb
3. A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex (Chris Jericho)
Taking the bard baton from Mick Foley, Chris Jericho has also written a series of captivating memoirs. Knowing how much pride he takes in all of his endeavors, it was highly unlikely that Y2J would rely upon a ghostwriter, but he exceeded all expectations with his debut autobiography. Chronicling his journey from training with the Harts (kinda sorta) to seconds before the millennium clock struck zero, Jericho enthralled us with heartwarming anecdotes, humorous pop culture references, new jargon and never-before-told stories about Smoky Mountain Wrestling, ECW, WCW and beyond. – John Corrigan
2. Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling (Bret Hart)
Bret Hart’s autobiography hits all the expected notes: he stories his rise from Calgary to king of the wrestling world, discusses the descent of his role model and close colleague, the Dynamite Kid, into complete self-destruction, details his main event squabble with Shawn Michaels literally blow-by-blow, and dives deep into the devastation of losing his brother to an ill-conceived workplace accident.
What makes Hitman… really, truly excellent, though, is the effort Bret made to tell an emotionally true story – if a subjective one. His perspective as an insider-outsider (the son of a respected promoter and major star – but also a quiet, artistic idealist) makes the book equally engaging and heartbreaking. – David Gibb
1. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (Mick Foley)
WWE’s first book remains its best.
Forgoing a ghost writer and writing the entire book (over 700 pages) by hand, Mick Foley became the vanguard of pro wrestling autobiographies. The book debuted at #3 on the New York Times Best Seller List on November 7, 1999, and reached #1 by December 5. With his vivid descriptions of enduring unimaginable pain, navigating the Big Three, surviving Hell in a Cell and achieving his childhood dream, Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy shattered the perception that pro wrestlers were unintelligent, grunting buffoons and their fan base was uneducated booger eaters. Foley’s brilliance, charm and masterful storytelling captured diehards and non-fans alike, taking them on a roller coaster ride through the craziest industry on Earth and explaining why someone with the aptitude of Foley would be so enthralled with it. – John Corrigan
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