Book Review: True Story Of Andre The Giant
Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert’s finest work.
If you’ve seen the 2018 HBO documentary, you probably think you know all there is about Andre the Giant.
Well, get ready for more myth busting and fact checking as The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant tears down the curtain, introducing the wrestling world to Andre Roussimoff – a fairytale come to life. The gentle, gypsy giant remains one of the most famous people ever, yet his legend is built upon hazy bar memories, promoters’ exaggerations and flat-out lies – all perpetuated by the man himself. As in the case of the WrestleMania III attendance figure, old-school wrestling fans (“true believers” as Mike Mooneyham calls them) may not want facts distorting their childhood memories.
However, ECW Press’ latest publication reveals that Andre the Giant’s true story is just as fascinating, if not more so, than what we’ve been led to believe.
This isn’t just another Andre the Giant book. You learn about his life before the ring: how his dad was a fugitive and prisoner of war in Germany, how Andre did in school, what his first doctor said about his size and other interesting tidbits. The book portrays him as a sympathetic figure, who tried to enjoy life as much as possible because he knew his time on Earth was limited due to acromegaly, a disorder in which the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone. Family was very important to Andre, even though his mother wasn’t included in his will and his relationship with his daughter (who fellow wrestlers didn’t even know about) was strained at best.
His other family was even more important – the pro wrestling fraternity. This book allows you to crisscross the globe, tracing Andre’s journey from Europe to Africa to Australia to Asia to North America, spotlighting his role in the Canadian version of the Monday Night War before becoming a permanent traveling attraction in the United States. Of course, there’s a whole chapter dedicated to his heel turn and iconic rivalry with Hulk Hogan, but there’s also sections on other notable feuds with Killer Khan, Stan Hansen, Big John Studd, Ultimate Warrior and more. You get the full backstory on his fight with Chuck Wepner, his dalliances with Hollywood including The Princess Bride and The Six Million Dollar Man and even the controversial magazine article with Jerry Lawler claiming defeat of the undefeated giant.
Along with highlights of his career, this Andre the Giant book serves as a history lesson on wrestling’s popularity around the world. For example, did you know that Greco-Roman Wrestling was a French creation? How about who invented the bearhug? There are so many nuggets sprinkled throughout that I want to list them all, but that’s half the fun in reading. You get a pretty good idea of how much money Andre made in the 1970s and 1980s, who all slammed him before WrestleMania III, who actually got a clean win on him in the ‘70s (mind-blowing in retrospect), why Stephanie McMahon didn’t make the cut in the HBO doc and so much more.
The painstaking research and intricate details weaved throughout the book are impressive, as are the first-hand accounts and sourced quotes from Andre’s family, friends and peers. It comes as no surprise when you consider the co-authors: Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert. Their previous works include Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs and Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story. Hebert also co-wrote Pat Patterson’s autobiography Accepted. Laprade also co-authored Sisterhood of the Squared Circle (with Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Dan Murphy) and was a field producer for the Andre HBO doc.
Laprade and Hebert have astutely balanced information and entertainment, leaving us with a page-turner when we need it most. There’s no better way for wrestling fans to get through social distancing than by reading The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant. When we compile the list of 20 Best Wrestling Books of the Next 20 Years, this Andre the Giant book is going on top.
Click here to purchase the book from ECW Press or to find a retailer.
About Author
