Review: Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf By Mick Foley

Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf
Mick Foley, Stephanie McMahon (Foreword)
Polis Books, 2017
Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook

Mick Foley, the man who held the pen that began the wrestling book boom of the early 2000s, returns with his latest book Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf. Released in late 2017, with a foreword by Stephanie McMahon, Saint Mick recounts the retired grappler's fascination with all things Christmas and his personal experience learning to master the art of being Santa Claus. Foley's other releases include: Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (1999), Foley Is Good: And The Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling (2001), The Hardcore Diaries (2007), Countdown To Lockdown (2010). He has also written two novels: Tietam Brown (2003) & Scooter (2005) and 4 children's books: Mick Foley's Christmas Chaos (2000), Mick Foley's Halloween Hijinx, (2001) Tales From Wrescal Lane (2004) & A Most Mizerable Christmas (2012).

Review: Second Nature: The Legacy of Ric Flair & The Rise of Charlotte By Ric Flair & Charlotte Flair

Second Nature: The Legacy Of  Ric Flair & The Rise Of Charlotte
Ric Flair & Charlotte Flair w. Brian Shields
St. Martin's Press, 2017
Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook

Ric Flair is widely considered to be the greatest performer in the history of professional wrestling. A veteran of the territorial era, a multiple time world champion with over four decades as in-ring performer, Flair's career is one of the most storied in the industry's history. Charlotte Flair is one of Ric Flair's four children. A successful high school and college athlete before entering the wrestling industry, Flair has become one of wrestling's premier talents and a key figure in the elevation of the WWE's women's division. Essentially a dual autobiography, Second Nature alternates between Ric Flair's life at the end of his full-time career and his adjustment away from the limelight as a main event player and Charlotte's life growing up as the daughter of a top star in the professional wrestling industry and her entry and into the same business. This is Ric Flair's second book after To Be The Man (2004). This is Charlotte Flair's first book.

Released: Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf

Mick Foley released his 11th book Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf on October 17. The book chronicles Foley winding down his in-ring career and his personal experiences throughout his mission spreading Christmas cheer under the guise of Santa Claus.

From Amazon:

From beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author and WWE Hall-of-Famer Mick Foley comes a Yuletide tale like no other. After a lifetime of putting his body on the line to entertain his dozens (and dozens!) of fans, the Hardcore Legend is paying the price - physically and emotionally. When the final bell on Mick's career tolls, not in the ring, but in a neurologist's office, his future seems far from merry and bright. Until Mick is given the chance to become Santa Claus - not dress up, not pretend, but become Santa - allowing him to rediscover the joy of performing. Fully committing to his new mission, Mick details the drastic measures he takes to keep the Christmas magic alive for his young children, as well as the many children he meets in his travels who are in need of some Christmas Spirit. 

Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend To Santa's Jolly Elf is available in hardcover and ebook formats at Amazon US CA UK

Released: Second Nature By Ric Flair & Charlotte

Penned by two generations of world champions, Ric and Charlotte Flair's Second Nature was released today.  The book is the story of the pair's personal and professional struggles and successes and the continual evolution of their relationship and how their bond has both defined and inspired them.

Second Nature is available in Hardcover and Ebook formats at Amazon US CA UK and Indigo.

Announced: Saint Mick By Mick Foley

Earlier this week, Polis Books announced the upcoming release Saint Mick by Mick Foley. The book is described as a "part jolly memoir, part whimsical ode to a lifetime love affair with Christmas, part time solemn tribute to the power of finding the best part of oneself in the unlikeliest of places." The book is due for release on Oct 17, 2017.

Available for pre-order at Amazon. US CAN UK

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: 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: 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.