Review: Chris and Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death by Irvin Muchnick

Chris and Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death
Irvin Muchnick, Phil Mushnick (Foreword)
ECW Press, 2009
Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

This review was written in 2011.  Minor edits were made for this posting.

Journalist Irvin Muchnick's 2009 book Chris and Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death is an interesting marriage of pro-wrestling and true crime. Muchnick, a prolific author whose work has appeared in publications such as People and Sports Illustrated, is an unapologetic critic of the shortcomings of the professional wrestling industry.  His wrestling related work frequently deals with premature deaths, drug use and abuse within the industry and the generally dangerous life choices made by many of the industry's practitioners. Muchnick's other works include: Wrestling Babylon, Concussion Inc, and Justice Denied: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentino's Death in Jimmy Superfly Snuka's Hotel Room. He is nephew of late Kansas City promoter and former N.W.A. President Sam Muchnick.

Review: The Undertaker: 25 Years of Destruction by Kevin Sullivan

The Undertaker: 25 Years of Destruction
Kevin Sullivan
DK Publishing, 2015
Hardcover

Kevin Sullivan's The Undertaker: 25 Years of Destruction is a detailed chronicle of the career of one of the WWF/E's most legendary performers. Sullivan is the author / co-author of several books detailing the history of the WWE including: The WWE Encyclopedia, WWE 50, The WWE Championship: A Look Back At The Rich History Of The WWE Championship.

Like many of the WWE books published by DK Publishing (i.e. WWE: The Attitude Era), The Undertaker: 25 Years of Destruction is a treasure trove of photos that provide a very complete look at the subject. Without a doubt the individuals responsible for the image selection meticulously mined the WWE photo archive to achieve a comprehensive retrospective into the quarter century career of The Undertaker that is informative and visually appealing.

Review: Titan Shattered: Wrestling With Confidence and Paranoia By James Dixon

Titan Shattered: Wrestling With Confidence and Paranoia
James Dixon, Lee Maughan, Benjamin Richardson, Justin Henry (Foreword)
Lulu.com, 2015
Paperback, Ebook

Titan Shattered: Wrestling With Confidence and Paranoia is James Dixon's (History of Wrestling) follow up to the acclaimed Titan Sinking. Whereas Titan Sinking chronicled the ups and downs (mainly downs) of the WWF in 1995, Titan Shattered picks up where its predecessor left off and brings readers through the tumultuous timeline of 1996.  This is the latest of a number of books written or co-written by James Dixon who is a member of the History of Wrestling staff and is part two of a proposed three part series. A complete list of their publications including their Raw Files, Superstar Series and Video Guides is available on the group's website.

Review: Titan Sinking: The Decline of the WWF in 1995 by James Dixon

Titan Sinking: The Decline of the WWF in 1995
James Dixon, Benjamin Richardson (Illustration) Jim Cornette (Foreword)
Lulu.com, 2014
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook

James Dixon's Titan Sinking: The Decline of the WWF in 1995 tells the story of the "sports-entertainment" juggernaut's worst financially (many would also argue creatively) performing year since Vince McMahon assumed the reigns of the WWF/E. Dixon, a member of the History of Wrestling team, uses a plethora of apt resources to present a complete and concise look at a year that was fraught with backstage political posturing and a product that left much to be desired on several fronts. Dixon and the History of Wrestling team have written several books detailing various periods and promotions including annual editions of The Raw Files, WWF/E Video Guides and the Superstar Series. Titan Sinking is the first in a proposed trilogy focusing on the WWF/E in the mid-late 1990s.  Titan Shattered, the second part of the trilogy, was released in 2015. More information on the group's titles can be found on their website.

Review: The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling By Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis

Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling
Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis w. Andrew William Wright and "Precious" Paul Ellering (Foreward)
Medallion Press, 2011
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook

Author Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis was one half of the revolutionary pro wrestling tag team The Road Warriors. Along with his late partner, Mike "Hawk" Hegstrand and (more often than not) their manager "Precious" Paul Ellering, The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom dominated the 1980s pro wrestling tag team scene. Their hard as nails personae, along with leather spikes and face paint impressed promoters and fans alike as the team were awarded championships in every major promotion during their career. Laurinaitis' book chronicles the team's life in and out of the ring.  The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and The Rush of Wrestling is his first book.  It is co-written by Andrew William Wright (Booker T: From Prison to Promise and Booker T: My Rise To Wrestling Royalty.)

Review: Drawing Heat by Jim Freedman

Drawing Heat
Jim Freedman
Crowbar Press (Re-release) 2010 / Black Moss Press, 1988
Paperback, Ebook

In the early 1980s Jim Freedman, a college professor at the University of Western Ontario, began working on a book about professional wrestling. Unlike many others who had a specific subject to cover or personality to profile, Freedman allowed his book to be shaped by his experiences rather than pick and choose events that meshed with a pre-determined theme or thesis. The majority of Freeman's piece revolves around a series of tours run by Ontario based wrestler/promoter "Wildman" Dave McKigney.  McKigney, best known as the trainer of Terrible Ted the Wrestling Bear, allowed Freedman to be a part of some tours he ran in Ontario and to write about his experiences. The result of his gradual immersion into the world of professional wrestling is Drawing Heat.  

Review: Justice Denied: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentino's Death In Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's Motel Room by Irvin Muchnick

Justice Denied: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentino's Death In Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's Motel Room
Irvin Muchnick
Amazon Digital Services, 2013
Ebook

Irvin Muchnick has been one of professional wrestling's foremost critics since the late 1980s.  This book is a short collection of his writings dating back to 1992 regarding the death of Nancy Argentino in 1983. Argentino - the girlfriend of WWF Star (and later Hall of Famer) Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka - died after suffering a severe head injury while touring with Snuka. While some claim it was an accidental fall, others have speculated that Argentino was the victim of abuse at the hands of Snuka and that the grappler was directly responsible for her death. Muchnick's works include: Pro Wrestling Babylon: Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death and Scandal (2007), Chris and Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death (2009) and Concussion Inc: The End of Football As We Know It (2015.) Muchnick operates the website http://concussioninc.net/

Review: Yes! My Improbable Journey To The Main Event of Wrestlemania By Daniel Bryan and Craig Tello

Yes! My Improbable Journey To The Main Event of Wrestlemania
Daniel Bryan and Craig Tello
St. Martin's Press, 2015
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

Daniel Bryan's Yes My Improbable Journey To The Main Event of Wrestlemania is an auto-biographical chronicle of the the career of WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan. The book, released in July of 2015, tells the story of Daniel Bryan (Byran Danielson) from his birth up to the point of his main eventing Wrestlemania XXX. Despite having a stellar independent career wherein he had developed a strong following due to his in ring skills and unrivalled ability to connect with audiences, Bryan struggled to be taken seriously as a top star in the WWE. The issue for Bryan was not if fans or even many of his co-workers would accept him as a top star, but rather whether or not the higher ups in the WWE would allow him to have the chance. The book is co-written by Craig Tello (Diary of a Heartbreak Kid, WWE: 100 Greatest Matches,)

Notice: Back From The Woods

After a short hiatus and a few technical gaffes, there will be some new posts and audio reviews in the next couple of days.  Thanks for the patience and the messages.

- Keith

Review: The History of Professional Wrestling Vol. 1: WWF 1963-1989 By Graham Cawthon

The History of Professional Wrestling Vol. 1: WWF 1963-1989
Graham Cawthon, Grant Sawyer (Editor)
Self Published, 2013
Paperback, Ebook

Graham Cawthon runs the website thehistoryofwwe.com.  According to the site's FAQ page, Cawthon began gathering live pro wrestling event results in late 2001 / early 2002 and founded the website in February of 2002. Over the past number of years, Cawthon's site has become one of the leading sources for all things wrestling having been frequently cited in shoot interview videos and numerous podcasts. This is the first of four (a fifth is due in June 2015) volumes of the many results compiled by Cawthon. Cawthon's site is an a as complete as possible collection of results from the world of pro wrestling. On the sites FAQ page, the author refers to himself as "just a devoted fan with time on his hands," but his work is (both the in the books and on the site) are regarded much more highly than perhaps any other pure fan work.

Review: Nick Gulas: Southern Wrestling Promoter By Bill Coleman

Nick Gulas: Southern Wrestling Promoter
Bill Coleman
Self Published, 2013
Ebook

Coleman's Nick Gulas: Southern Wrestling Promoter is a very short book concerning long-time pro wrestling promoter Nick Gulas and some of the talent that worked in his Tennessee based territory. Published in ebook format only, Coleman's book is very short (only 70 pages, many of which are half blank) and only devotes a few pages (~10) to Gulas while the remainder of the book touches, very briefly, on the careers of some of the wrestlers who worked for Gulas.

As it features some forgotten names from Tennessee wrestling, Coleman's book is suited for die-hard fans of area/era or hardcore wrestling book collectors.  There are some photographs in the book that, though uncredited, enhance the bits of text

Review: The Squared Circle: Life, Death and Professional Wrestling by David Shoemaker

The Squared Circle: Life, Death and Professional Wrestling
David Shoemaker (AKA The Masked Man)
Gotham, 2013
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

David Shoemaker (AKA The Masked Man) is known for his contributions to Deadspin - Dead Wrestler of the Week - and Grantland (Cheap Heat Podcast.) The Squared Circle: Life, Death and Professional Wrestling is his first book.

Shoemaker's book, which is essentially a spin-off of his Dead Wrestler of the Week article, is a well written and well researched book.  Most chapters focus on the life and death of a deceased professional wrestler. Shoemaker does a very good job giving the reader a complete and concise picture of the wrestler's life and career. In all cases these become a microcosmic look at the culture of the professional wrestling industry.

Review The Story of the Development of NWATNA: A New Concept in Pay-Per-View Programming By Jerry W. Jarrett

The Story of the Development of the NWATNA: A New Concept in Pay-Per-View Programming
Jerry W. Jarrett
Trafford Publishing, 2004
Paperback

Jerry Jarrett's The Story of the Development of the NWATNA: A New Concept in Pay-Per-View is virtual reprint of Jarrett's 2002 personal journal excluding matters not directly concerned with the wrestling business. The journal was written as Jarrett - a long time wrestling promoter based in Tennessee - and his son Jeff were establishing NWA-TNA Wrestling. This is Jarrett's first book. He released his autobiography The Best of Times in 2011.

Jerry Jarrett, though he has his detractors, is widely regarded as one of the most respected and successful wrestling promoters in the history of the industry.  He founded CWA (Memphis) which was a thriving promotion and that was one of the few American based promotions - if not only depending on one's view of Turner's acquisition of Jim Crockett

Review: The Death of WCW (10th Anniversary Edition) By RD Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez

The Death of WCW 10th Anniversary Edition
R.D. Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez, Dave Meltzer (Foreword)
ECW Press, 2014 - Revised Edition of 2004 Release
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook

A little over a decade ago Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly's Bryan Alvarez and Wrestlecrap's R.D. Reynolds paired up to write the definitive guide to the rise and fall of the WCW.  In 2014 the pair released an updated and expanded edition. Reynolds, the co-founder of the Wrestlecrap website, is also the author of Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst Of Pro Wrestling and The Wrestlecrap Book of Lists! Alvarez is the founder of Figure Four Weekly newsletter, has written for Fighting Spirit magazine and is the host/co-host of several podcasts under the Wrestling Observer / Figure Four Weekly banner. This is his only book. The both versions of the book (2004 and 2014) won the Wrestling Observer Book of the Year Award.*

Notice: Wrestle Book Review on OSW Podcast Network

Wrestle Book Review is now available in podcast format on the new OSW Podcast Network at piledriverwrestling.net. The network features an amazing collection of independent fan made and free podcasts that delve into current news and past events from the pro wrestling galaxy. Always enjoyable, perpetually informative and insanely funny, it's a very worthy stop while you wander the web. Come on by and take a listen.

Wrestle Book Review Podcast.

Review: Booker T: My Rise To Wrestling Royalty By Booker T. Huffman

Booker T: My Rise To Wrestling Royalty
Booker T. Huffman w/ Andrew William Wright, Foreword by John Bradshaw Layfield
Medallion Press, 2015
Hardcover, Ebook

Booker T. Huffman and Andrew William Wright (co-author of The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and The Rush of Wrestling) return with their second book chronicling the life of one of the wrestling industry's most decorated performers.  My Rise To Wrestling Royalty (2015) picks up where the first book, From Prison To Promise (2012) left off. While his first book detailed his young life prior to entering pro wrestling, this one extensively covers his career from his early days in WCW through his 2012 entry into the WWE Hall of Fame. 

Huffman gives readers a very complete picture of his active and prolific in ring career. He (and Wright) pay great attention to detail with regards to dates, locations and elements of specific matches and angles. There are no major peaks in Booker T's career that are omitted.   Huffman also gives the reader a lot of thoughts and insight into many of his angles,

Booker T: From Prison To Promise by Booker T Huffman

Booker T: From Prison To Promise: Life Before The Squared Circle
Booker T. Huffman w/ Andrew William Wright
Medallion Press, 2012
Hardcover, Ebook

Booker T's From Prison To Promise chronicles the tumultuous early life of one of professional wrestling's most decorated competitors.  Booker T rose to prominence in the mid 1990s as one half of Harlem Heat.  While the pair were celebrated as a tag team, few were surprised when Booker T. eclipsed his tag team success and became one of the top performers in the industry.  From Prison To Promise chronicles Booker T's life from childhood through to his run in the Global Wrestling Federation. From Prison To Promise: Life Before The Squared Circle is Booker T's first book. My Rise To Wrestling Royalty was released in 2015. Both books were co-written with Andrew William Wright co-author of The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and The Rush of Wrestling.

Review: Pure Dynamite By The Dynamite Kid Tom Billington

Pure Dynamite: The Price You Pay For Wrestling Stardom

Tom "The Dynamite Kid" Billington with Allison Coleman

SW Publishing (Original) Winding Stair Press (Reprint), 1999

Hardcover, Paperback

The Dynamite Kid, born Tom Billington, is best remembered as one half of the British Bulldogs. Paired with his cousin, Davey Boy Smith, the Bulldogs were the pre-eminent tag team team during the early part of the WWF Hulkamania era. Whereas many of their contemporaries were big men who worked formulaic matches with limited moves sets, the British Bulldogs were a smaller team (by mid 80s WWF standards) that combined an array of unique tag team spots with cutting edge individual repertoires that gained them praise from critics and fans alike. Despite the fact that their main stream North American run last slightly over three years, the pair are widely regarded as one of the best teams of all time. In the early 90s the team parted ways.  While Smith went on to singles success in the WWF, The Dynamite Kid vanished from the North American scene. For a number of years, to the casual fan he was little more than a seldom mentioned footnote.

Review: WWE: The Attitude Era By Jon Robinson

WWE: The Attitude Era
Jon Robinson
Brady Games / DK Publishing, 2015
Hardcover, Ebook

A few years ago, with competition from WCW at its peak, the once family friendly - often times live action cartoon - WWF began producing a racier product. The period, best defined as mid 90s to early 2000s, has become known as The Attitude Era. With a beer-swilling, middle-finger raising and foul-mouthed champion, scantily clad women, pimps, porn stars, octogenarians giving birth to appendages and very thinly veiled race wars in the forefront of the product; the wrestling industry came as close as ever to entering the main stream of entertainment.  Traditionalists criticized the era for its excesses, but the vast majority of fans - many of them initially attracted by the adult themes and shocking story lines - loved it.

Review: Dusty: Reflections Of Wrestling's American Dream

Dusty: Reflections Of Wrestling's American Dream

Dusty Rhodes and Howard Brody

Sports Publishing, 2005

Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes had a remarkable career as a professional wrestler and booker that has spanned 40+ year period. Rhodes made his wrestling debut in the late 60s and became one of the biggest names in the history of the industry.  Rhodes first gained national prominence as a member of the Texas Outlaws with Dick Murdoch, he later had a long and historic run in Eddie Graham's Championship Wrestling From Florida, as a main event star in NWA Mid-Atlantic, a memorable stint in early 90s WWF and as commentator with World Championship Wrestling.  Rhodes also served as the booker with most of these organizations during his respective tenures. As is common with both top stars and powerful people in the industry, Dusty Rhodes is a very polarizing person/character.

Review: Damn! Why Did I Write This Book? by Jayson (JTG) Paul

Damn! Why Did I Write This Book?
Jayson (JTG) Paul
Self Published, 2015
Ebook

JTG is best known for his 8 year stint as a member of the WWE Roster as both a singles wrestler and one half of the tag team Cryme Tyme. Damn! Why Did I Write This Book? chronicles the author's WWE tenure focusing, mainly, on his backstage interaction with other talents and management. This is JTG's first book. 

Damn! Why Did I Write This Book? was a surprise release this week. While it did not get the pre-release

Review: Hardcore History The Extremely Unauthorized History of ECW By Scott E. Williams

Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized History of ECW

Scott E. Williams, Shane Douglas (Foreword) Photos By George Tahinos

Sports Publishing, 2006

Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

In the industry's peak period of the mid-late 1990s, WWF and WCW battled for the top spot in what is now called The Monday Night Wars.  While revisionist history typically marginalises the impact of the era's indy promotions, the ECW has remained a near mythical cult like industry leader. Extreme Championship Wrestling was not only the home for many of wrestling's most memorable performers, its edgy and unapologetic presentation was the inspiration for many of the industry wide changes that lead to the lead to the largest international boom in wrestling history.

Review: Wrestling For My Life By Shawn Michaels

Wrestling For My Life:
The Legend, The Reality, And The Faith of a WWE Superstar
Shawn Michaels w/ David Thomas. Triple H and Steve Austin (Forewords)
Zondervan Trade Books, 2015
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

Wrestling For My Life is Shawn Michaels' second book and the second one I wrote a review for, Heartbreak and Triumph was released in 2006. I will be posting that review (from 2007) in the coming days.

Shawn Michaels is widely considered one of the best-in ring performers in the history of pro wrestling. While always a top quality performer, Michaels battled a wide range of issues when away from the ring. In 1998, a serious back injury forced Michaels to walk away from the sport at the height of his career.

Review: More Than Just Hardcore By Terry Funk

More Than Just Hardcore
Terry Funk with Scott E. Williams. Mick Foley (Foreword)
Sports Publishing, 2005
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

For over 60 years, Terry Funk was everywhere in the wrestling industry.  While a small number of people can make that claim, no other can boast a run in the NWA as World Champion, stints the WWF at the height of both the Hulkamania and the Attitude eras, time with ECW as a Hardcore Legend, a career long status as one of Japan's most successful American competitors and many smaller stops in between.  Funk, who was spent his career evolving his style without changing his persona, is considered by many who study the sport to be one of the best of all around performers of all time. As Mick Foley says in his foreword, "I can't accurately say who the best of all time is, but I can say without hesitation that Terry Funk is the greatest wrestler I have ever seen." Apart from his legendary wrestling career, Funk has also had some success as a character actor and stunt co-ordinator in such films as Road House and Paradise Alley.

Review: Wrestling With The Devil By Lex Luger

Review: Wrestling With The Devil
Lex Luger, John D. Hollis (contributor)
Tyndale Momentum, 2013
Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

As a performer, Lex Luger was a polarizing figure.  While he possessed one of the best physiques in wrestling, many feel that his only asset was his appearance and that he lacked many, if not all, of the other assets required to have achieved the the level of fame he did.  Others would argue that Luger was a unique performer who fit perfectly into the pro wrestling industry of the 1980s and 90s where matches were typically short, in-ring technical skills were less important and showmanship trumped sport. While hindsight may be 20/20, there is no doubt that several promoters and an exponentially larger number of fans were firmly planted on the Lex Luger bandwagon (or tour bus.) Regardless if he deserved his success or not - debates rage on - Luger's in ring career was very notable as he achieved far more than the vast majority of his contemporaries.  

Review: Hart Strings By Julie Hart

Review: Hart Strings: My Life With Bret and the Hart Family
Julie Hart
Tightrope Books, 2013
Paperback, Ebook

As ex-wife of Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Julie Hart is in a great position to provide some insight into some very interesting areas such as the Montreal Screwjob, the death of Owen Hart, the whole Hart clan or how the wrestling industry directly affects the spouse and children of its top stars. While she certainly touches on these - some are a mere grazing - Hart's book is far more about the life of a woman who has at times battled and overcome many obstacles in her life.

While her perseverance  and candour are both admirable - Hart comes across as a credible and strong person - the choices she  (or her editors / collaborators) made about what to include in and what to omit

Review: The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams By Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson

Review: The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams
Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson, Bobby Eaton (Foreword)
ECW Press, 2005
Paperback, Ebook

Oliver and Johnson have collaborated to write a comprehensive, entertaining and enlightening book about the most notable tag team wrestlers of the 20th century.  Through extensive research, which includes interviews with many of the featured personalities, their family members and friends, Oliver and Johnson excellently chronicle the careers of those who made their mark through tag team excellence.

The book is broken into chapters based on the eras in which the profiled tag teams were most prominent. Each chapter is a broad strokes picture of the North American tag team division during a particular time frame.  Each profile

Review: Mysteries of Wrestling: Solved By Adam Kleinberg and Adam Nudelman

Review: Mysteries Of Wrestling: Solved

Adam Kleinberg and Adam Nudelman, ECW Press, 2005

Paperback, Ebook

Adam Kleinberg and Adam Nudelman's Mysteries of Wrestling: Solved is a humorous and informative look at some of wrestling's most often asked questions.  Via interviews with current and past wrestling personalities, the pair attempt to get the answer to headscratchers like "Did the Kliq Control Wrestling?" and "Who's The Toughest Guy In Wrestling?" Kleinberg and Nudelman, who co-hosted Get In The Ring Radio, also provide insight themselves into the context of the wrestling industry at the time.

Sections of this book were very funny and informative.  While there may be very little new information in the book for the more knowledgeable fan, the perspective provided by either the authors or the subjects of their interviews provide a refreshing touch for the more learned reader.  While most, if not all, of the mysteries in the book are relatively benign, there are moments

Review: Capitol Revolution By Tim Hornbaker

Review: Capitol Revolution: The Rise of The McMahon Wrestling Empire

Tim Hornbaker, ECW Press, 2015

Paperback, Ebook

Hornbaker's follow up to his 2007 book The National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of The Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling, does not disappoint.  Capitol Revolution is an amazingly well researched book that follows the involvement of the McMahon family in sports promotion throughout the majority of the 20th century.  Hornbaker shows the birth and development of what would become pro wrestling's largest empire against the backdrop of the formation and expansion of the NWA and the growing involvement of the various state athletic commissions. The book shows an industry that was filled with fragile political alliances that were as important to its success as the in-ring product was. Hornbaker provides a great overview of the promoting careers of Jess McMahon, Vincent J. McMahon and Joseph "Toots" Mondt in a time period that is not often covered in other books.  While Mondt, due to his longevity and more colourful nature, is the more central character of the three; the book gives more insight into the lives and careers of Jess and Vince McMahon Sr. than any other contemporary source on the market.

Review: Have A Nice Day By Mick Foley

Review: Have A Nice Day: A Tale Of Blood And Sweatsocks by Mick Foley
Reagan Books, 1999
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

If any book is responsible for launching the professional wrestling literary market of the past twenty years, it is this one. When Have A Nice Day hit number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list in December of 1999, wrestling insiders, historians and fans scrambled for their pens with hopes of following the success of "Mrs. Foley's baby boy." Some did (most did not) but gone were the days when the only wrestling themed releases were kayfabe guarding picture books and antiquated work out manuals.  Have A Nice day ushered in an era when every living star (past or present) was expected to release a biography; when B-level mid-carders had a forum to explain why he or she forever revolutionized the wrestling business and when the local book store most likely offered a wide selection of accounts of the trials and tribulations of those wrestling fans loved, hated, loved to hate or never heard of. For fans it has been a welcome change that can be attributed to Mick Foley and Have A Nice Day. Foley has since penned 9 other books (auto-biographical, children and adult fiction) and has contributed to a host of other releases.