Review: Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken By Bill Apter

Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken

By Bill Apter, Jerry Lawler (Foreword), Joey Styles (Afterword) 

ECW Press, 2015

Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook

Bill Apter is at the top of the short list of well-known and well respected professional wrestling journalists. The long time editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and its sister magazines was such a guiding force in the publications that they are still, years after his departure, referred to as "The Apter Mags." Is Wrestling Fixed? is Apter's autobiographical look at his almost 50 years covering the professional wrestling industry. 

While best remembered as a kayfabe guarding journalist - unlike Dave Meltzer, Wade Keller, etc - who was semi-complicit in the pro wrestling ruse of yesteryear, this book is not "a work." Apter's story is that of a young wrestling fan who gradually grows from "unofficial" freelance photographer to staff contributor for Stanley Weston's family of magazines to being one of the key players in the professional wrestling industry. While many of the variables pertaining to the professional wrestling industry and journalism as a whole have changed, Is Wrestling Fixed? is certainly a good read for those with an interest in covering the sport.

New Releases: Ryback Reeves & Ric Drasin

Former WWE Superstar Ryback released Wake Up It's Feeding Time earlier this month.

Wrestler, bodybuilder, actor, Ric Drasin has also released The Time of My Life in late 2016.

Both titles have been added to the Amazon Store.  USA CA

Review: Inside Out: How Corporate America Destroyed Professional Wrestling By Ole Anderson

Inside Out: How Corporate America Destroyed Professional Wrestling

By Ole Anderson w. Scott Teal

Crowbar Press, 2003

Paperback, Ebook

Long time wrestler and booker Ole Anderson is a legendary name in professional wrestling. A former member of both the Minnesota Wrecking Crew and The Four Horsemen, Anderson's name should be near the top of any list of legendary tag team competitors. Anderson was also a prominent booker in the Georgia and Carolina territories for periods between the 1970s and 1990s. Inside Out is his first book.

Anderson makes a very persuasive argument regarding the corporate expansion of the wrestling industry in the mid 1980s and its detrimental impact on the wrestling industry.  Though Anderson presents a relentless thesis against the current structure of the industry, it is not a pre-requisite to agree with all of his arguments in order to enjoy the book.

Review: Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE By Pat Patterson w. Bertrand Hebert

Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE

By Pat Patterson, Bertrand Hebert, Vince McMahon (Foreword)

ECW Press, 2016

Hardcover, Ebook

Pat Patterson is a true legend in the world of professional wrestling. Widely considered to be one of the best creative minds in the industry's history, Patterson was also one of the top in-ring performers in the territorial era. A successful singles and tag wrestler (most notably with Ray Stevens) Patterson truly made his mark after joining the WWF/E as a wrestler -- he was he first WWF Intercontinental Champion - and later as a key player behind the scenes. Accepted is Patterson's first book, it is co-written by Bertrand Hebert (Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screwjobs) and features a foreword by Vince McMahon.

Accepted was one of 2016's most anticipated releases. Patterson, often referred to as Vince McMahon's second in command during a very dynamic period in wrestling history, is in a very unique position to relate stories about the era. He is also seen as one of the best

Review: A Star Shattered: The Rise And Fall Of Wrestling Diva By Tammy Sytch

A Star Shattered: The Rise And Fall Of Wrestling Diva

By Tammy "Sunny" Sytch

Riverdale Avenue Books, 2016

Paperback, Ebook

Tammy Sytch was a very prominent professional wrestling personality in the mid/late 1990s.  While also known for her tenures in SMW, ECW and WCW, it was during her role as Sunny in the pre-Attitude Era WWF/E that Sytch became a household name for wrestling fans. In the years since leaving the wrestling industry, Sytch has battled numerous personal issues.  A Star Shattered is Sytch's first book.

On the positive side, Sytch pulls very few punches with this book. She is very open with her memories and emotions regarding her pre, during and post wrestling life.  Uncommon to many books written by ex-wrestlers, especially those who have struggled after departing the industry, Sytch's passion for the business remains very apparent.  While she may have a case for post-wrestling bitterness, her love for wrestling - both as a fan and successful mainstream performer - remains evident. For the most part, the book is a very easy read.

Review: Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians By Greg Oliver

The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians
Greg Oliver with Foreword By Jacques Rougeau
ECW Press, 2002
Paperback, Ebook

Slam! Wrestling's Greg Oliver is one of the wrestling industry's most respected and prolific historians.  Oliver's The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians (2002) is one of Oliver's masterful works that thematically chronicle key individuals and events in the history of professional wrestling. The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series also includes: The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams (2005), The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels (2007) and The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes and Icons (2012). The Canadians is the only book in the series that was not co-written with Steven Johnson. Oliver is also the co-writer of Slam! Wrestling: Shocking Stories from the Squared Circle (2009) and was one of four contributors to Benoit: Wrestling With The Horror That Destroyed A Family and Crippled A Sport (2007) and has also written several books on the history of hockey.

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.