Review: Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story By Bertrand Hébert & Pat Laprade

Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story

Bertrand Hébert, Pat Laprade, George Toombs (Translation) Paul Vachon (Foreword) Kathie Vachon (Afterword)

ECW Press, 2017 

Paperback, Ebook

Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon is one of the very rare individuals in pro wrestling history that has transcended time. While many younger wrestling fans have never seen one of Mad Dog's matches or promos, his remains a name that is universally synonymous with the pro wrestling industry. Be it his in-ring style, prominence during the territory days, over the top character, appearances outside of the wrestling industry, Olympic profile, membership in one of the industry's most famed families or the media blitz surrounding a tragic auto accident, Mad Dog Vachon is firmly cemented in the minds of generations of wrestling fans as one of the true legends of the industry. Bertrand Hébert (Accepted) and Pat Laprade (Sisterhood of the Squared Circle) previously collaborated on the 2013 Wrestling Observer Book of the Year: Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs. This English version of Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story was translated from the 2015 French Edition by George Toombs and features a foreword by, brother, Paul "Butcher" Vachon and, widow, Kathie Vachon.

Review: Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling By Pat Laprade & Dan Murphy

Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling
Pat Laprade & Dan Murphy w. Natalya (Foreword)
ECW Press, 2017
Paperback, Ebook

The role of women in the professional wrestling industry is an ever evolving - at times devolving - one that is often seen as less crucial than that of their male counterparts. Some of this is a result of pure numbers as the percentage of female performers has never come close to equalling that of the men, however, many other factors have contributed to this lack of prestige within the annals of wrestling history. One could argue that promoters have misused women's wrestling more often than they have used it. That all being said, there is an absolute wealth of important females who shaped not just women's wrestling, but the pro wrestling industry as a whole.

Newly Released: Ropes and Glory: The Emotional Rise of British Wrestling

Ropes and Glory: The Emotional Rise of British Wrestling by Greg Lambert was released earlier this month. This is Lambert's second pro wrestling book after 2012's Holy Grail. Ropes and Glory recounts the "re-birth" of British pro wrestling. Considering the recent success of many of the UK's performers and promotions and the region's (re) emergence as a hotbed of pro wrestling , Ropes and Glory is bound to be a very interesting and topical read.

Ropes and Glory: The Emotional Rise of British Wrestling is available at Amazon US CAN UK

Released: The Greatest Wrestling Ever in the History of Nashville Vol. 1

The Greatest Wrestling Ever in the History of Nashville Volume 1 by Scott Teal & Don Luce is now available for order at crowbarpress.com. The book, #2 in Crowbar's "Greatest Cities of Wrestling" series is an  in depth look at Nashville's wrestling scene from 1907 to the 1960s.

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: 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.