Review: Crazy Is My Superpower By A.J. Mendez Brooks

Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed By Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts and Breaking The Rules

A.J. Mendez Brooks

Crown Archetype, 2017

Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook

Available at:

Amazon US CA UK

Indigo

Barnes & Noble

Note: After getting about 80 percent of the ebook completed, a friend of the site - thanks, Dave - was nice enough to give me his copy of the audio book. While I tend to stay away from suggesting specific formats, the audio book absolutely enhanced my enjoyment of this title.  This is not a knock of the written version, but Mendez Brooks does an amazing job - the best I've yet to hear in the pro wrestling genre and is, at the very least, comparable to most authors - of bringing her words off the page. While there are  factors such as cost and availability, if all of these are the same, I highly recommend the audio book version.

Former WWE competitor A.J. (Lee) Mendez Brooks' Crazy Is My Superpower was released in April 2017. Published by Crown Archetype Publishing, the book is Mendez Brooks' autobiographical account of her rise from poverty, her struggle with mental illness and her success in the pro wrestling industry. Crazy Is My Superpower is an inspiring, quirky, witty and - at times - dark book that will absolutely appeal to a broad section of readers, wrestling fans or otherwise. The book is currently sitting on several of Amazon's Best Seller lists and is receiving wide spread praise from readers. This is Mendez Brooks' first book.

Crazy Is My Superpower is unlike any autobiography written by a pro wrestler to date. While some may lament the loss of the typical formula - wherein one's story is completely framed around their pro wrestling hopes, dreams, accomplishments, etc, - most readers will be completely drawn in to Mendez Brooks story because she, unsurprisingly, opts to not conform to the "way wrestling books are written." That being said, this is an autobiography of someone people know from wrestling and not a wrestling autobiography. It is not a collection of road stories framed by pay-per-view events.

Mendez Brooks has a great writing style. She is extremely funny, poignant, open and honest. Her sense of humour is constantly present whether it be a self deprecating comment, a societal and/or pop-culture reference or a dark musing concerning her troubled upbringing. While she tells a great number of personal stories, none are off-topic and all play integral roles in the big picture of her life; there is no wasted ink. She writes about growing up in poverty and dealing with her battle with mental illness - and that of her mother - with a brutal honesty and transparency that, while it may verge on the uncomfortable for some, is done so with admirable intentions and successful execution. At times Crazy Is My Superpower, has the vibe of the good kind of Self-Help Book wherein someone details their own struggles, experiences and battles in order to help, educate or inspire others. Whether or not this was the author's intention, it is definite that many readers will be inspired by her words.

Some wrestling fans will be disappointed by the lack of wrestling content especially when one considers that Mendez Brooks could - legitimately - have written either a Rockyesque story of triumph or a scathing condemnation with regards to her time in the pro wrestling industry. There are also a few occasions where the book, while it does not lose focus, is unclear as to who Mendez Brooks is writing for. Who is her intended reader?  This will be unimportant to many readers, however, the lack of a specific intended readership, at times, undermines the power of the book's message. For example, the book's inspirational story and overall message are ideal for younger readers, however, some of the language and content will prevent it from finding a home in the under 18 market. This is not to say Mendez Brooks takes the "buckshot approach," but rather the conversational tone of the book belies the non-specificity of audience.

Crazy Is My Superpower is absolutely worth a readers time. Mendez Brooks does a great job balancing very heavy subjects with a light-hearted whimsy. While she is adept at writing in non-fiction and could easily have a career as a life-style or entertainment columnist, her imagination and personal interests suggest she would also excel as an author of fiction. This book will absolutely find a home with some readers who will likely re-read it several times. The wrestling book purists are likely to enjoy the book, enjoy the author but be slightly disappointed by the omission of the standard fare. This is not necessarily a negative as the author more than makes up for in other areas.

Barnes & Noble Indigo