Review: Pro Wrestling FAQ: All That's Left To Know About The World's Most Entertaining Spectacle By Brian Solomon

Pro Wrestling FAQ: All That's Left To Know About The World's Most Entertaining Spectacle

Brian Solomon

Backbeat Books, 2015

Paperback, Ebook

Former WWE magazine editor Brian Solomon pens a very complete look at the history of professional wrestling. Solomon is the former editor of WWE and Smackdown magazines and is the author of the WWE release WWE Legends.

Covering the evolution of the sport from its carnival days to the present, Pro Wrestling FAQ touches on many of the industry's most influential people and most significant events with a level of detail that is often not seen in books that cover such a wide timeline. Solomon is at his best when covering significant events of the late 19th and early 20th century as he presents a historical narrative in a concise yet comprehensive look at the dark ages of professional wrestling.  The book is rife with biographical and/or historical information concerning many different personalities, events and regions.  While it is essentially a reference book, it is also written in a manner that makes it an entertaining and - despite its length - a very easy read.

Note: Best Book of 2015 - Wrestling Observer Awards

The 36th Annual Wrestling Observer Readership awards were announced earlier this week. For a complete list of the winners and runners-up check out the Wrestling Observer website. 

Daniel Bryan and Craig Tello's Yes! My Improbable Journey To The Main Event of Wrestlemania was the bigger winner in the Best Book category with 386 votes.  A distant second at 82 votes was Backlund by former WWF Champion Bob Backlund and Robert Miller, followed closely by Lion's Pride by Chris Charlton with 81 votes. The complete list is below.  Most titles are available at Amazon. Canadian readers can get the goods and help support the site by visiting the Wrestlebook Review Amazon store.

2015 Wrestling Observer Best Pro Wrestling Book

Number of Votes are in brackets.

1. Yes! Daniel Bryan and Craig Tello (386)

2. Backlund by Bob Backlund and Robert Miller (82)

3. Lion's Pride by Chris Charlton (81)

4. My Fight/Your Fight by Ronda Rousey and Maria Burns

5. Strangler Lewis by Steve Yohe (15)

6. Battleground Baltimore by Graham Cawthon (13)

7. Is Wrestling Fixed by Bill Apter (11)

8. Capitol Revolution by Tim Hornbaker (9)

Review: 1984: The Year Wrestling Changed Forever By Dusty Wolfe

1984: The Year Wrestling Changed Forever: 
Wrestling's Most Pivitol Year: The Territories ENDED and the WWE Came To Power
By Dusty Wolfe
Self Published, 2014
Ebook

Long time journeyman Dusty Wolfe's self published ebook is a quick look at the 1984 professional wrestling scene. Wolfe has wrestled throughout the world and is best remembered for his time as a recurring enhancement worker in the WWF/E and WCW. 1984: The Year Wrestling Changed Forever is one of several books/articles written by Wolfe. His best known work is his 2008 autobiography Journal of a Journeyman.

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.