No comments about Adventures in Larryland!: Life in Professional Wrestling.

5 comments about The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.

1. As I first starting reading this book, I noticed the dates were very very advanced from any other dates that I had seen with the corrosponding event. Sadly, after that I didn't really take in things said in the book to be of researched value. But it does have useful maps, and pictures of present Egypt to compare with drawings of ancient Egypt.



2. First off, "The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt" is not a book you want to read cover to cover. I love Egyptian mythology, but I really just use it for refrence when I need it. Some of the other sections on the origins of the dieties and such are great information as well.
   For $30, it is an excellent book, although if you really want some truly in-depth (and hard to digest) material, more academic books might appeal, although they tend to run significantly more.
   For its price, I think this book is an excellent introduction to the roles and mythology of the Egyptian dieties. Despite how my review sounds, I enjoy it.



3. Richard Wilkinson's latest book (he has previously written "Reading Egyptian Art," "Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art," and "The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt") presents the reader with an impressive selection of all the major gods and goddesses, and many of the minor ones, of ancient Egypt. Although hardly "complete" in the technical sense (Wilkinson discusses "only" 500 of Egypt's 1500 or so deities, and much more could be said about the ones he does discuss), the book is fairly "complete" in a practical sense: most gods that most readers want to look up, will get at least a brief mention. For example, you will find here the 24 Hours of the Day and Night, 12 (of 21) Gates of the Underworld, all 42 Gods of Judgement, and all 42 (hmm... there's that number again!) Nome Deities.

   The book begins with twelve brief essays (4-6 pages each) on Egyptian religion, covering such topics as creation myths, manifestations of divinity, temple and popular worship, and divine kingship. The essays are thoughtful, informative, and up-to-date with current scholarship. I wish they had been longer, because they deserve to be expanded at greater length than the book allocates to them.

   The rest of the book, some 180 pages, is devoted to a "Catalogue of Deities," organized by biological shape (anthropomorphic male and female, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and inanimate objects). This is a great idea, but it could have been taken even further. A visual index of shapes would make lookup much easier, and would only take an additional page or two. A name index is, of course, provided. Why not give a hieroglyphic index as well?

   Going to the individual entries, Wilkinson generally provides information about the mythology, iconography, and worship of each deity. The deities are generously illustrated, with line drawings and photographs. Again, I would wish that many of these entries could be expanded, both in terms of discussion and in terms of visual iconography. This is not a criticism of Wilkinson; it just reflects the practical limitations of the book.

   To summarize, Wilkinson's "Gods and Goddesses" is a very well-written, thoughtful, accurate, beautifully produced and illustrated reference on the religion of ancient Egypt. In terms of coverage it is somewhere between a handbook and an encyclopedia. I am very glad to have it in its present form, and I only wish that it had been much longer, since it is clear that Wilkinson has more to say about this subject than could fit into the covers of the present book. I would gladly pay double the price to have a truly complete encyclopedia of Egypt's gods from this author.




4. This is a terrific analysis and discussion of the varied and complex religious development and influence of the ancient Egyptians. I have been fascinated with the connections among the religious traditions of mankind and have found many seminal concepts and ideas in this book. This is written in plain language and can be easily used for personal as well as reference in the field of religion and religious iconography. Beautifully photographed and helpful in understanding the incredible complexity of ancient Egyptian religious development.



5. I agree with the other reviewers - beautifully illustrated, mostly in full color. It is comprehensive yet particularly the first half of the book is easy to read in it's entirety. The first part of the book covers general concepts of Egyptian Religion and the deities. The second covers individual deities in detail.
   
   I had been looking for a book on Ancient Egyptian religion and deities which was neither outdated in its ideas, nor sterile or boring, nor full of fluff, nor overwhelmed with dense detail, nor assumed detailed prior knowledge of anthropology, archeology or African/Near Eastern history and religion. This book is it. It is beautifully clear and explains how Egyptian views of each deity changed over time. It clearly presents for each deity what syncretism occurred (merging with other gods or the adoption of other gods' attributes) with time. It contains some of the most recent thinking on how the Egyptians might have viewed their own deities. My only minor negative would be that there are no references or footnotes in the text itself for the expert. However, within the body of the text, the author does mention which academics advanced which important concepts and coupled with the extensive and detailed bibliography arranged by subject matter at the end of the book, this minor gripe is assuaged.
   
   The binding and quality of the book, its print, and illustrations are beautiful - it would make a lovely gift for someone.
   
   Easy to read for both the beginner and the non-beginner in this area, but full of crystal clear detail for one who wants a good reference book even for more advanced students of religion.

1 comments about Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy: On Being an American Citizen.

1. This is an important book - one you can sink your teeth in. What a funny way to describe such a book. It is at the same time erudite and personal. Griffin brings democracy to life, reminds us what it was intended to be, what it might yet become. This book is exciting - it stirs up dreams and visions and shines a light on what it means to be conscious and democratic in our world. I love this book.

5 comments about How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches.

1. Having read only excerpts, I was shocked to read that Tony Dungy was hired as head coach by the Indianapolis Colts in 2002 by owner Robert Irsay. Irsay had been dead for five years (longer than that mentally). Hopefully the rest of the book does not contain such shoddy information.



2. After buying a copy of this book for both myself and my father I was thoroughly impressed. The book was both an easy read yet very informative. I gave a copy of the book to my father, who is not one to read a book, and he was so taken back by how interesting he felt the content was. He picked up the book in the morning and had it finished by mid afternoon. He must have called me 15 times to tell me how inspiring he felt it was and how he was amazed at "all the tricks it taught an old dog"...He thought he had heard all there was to hear about inspirational quotes. We were both pleasantly surprised with how well written the book was. Both my dad and I would highly recommend this book with two thumbs up.



3. Game of Life is an insightful book on the thoughts of many of the world's best known coaches. It provides a biography on each of the 34 coaches (which I recommend reading first to gain a better appreciation of the field and achievements of each coach) and asks them a number of questions that can relate to both on the field and life in general. I have gathered a number of relavant quotes that I will use both personally and professionally. A highly recommended read for sporting buffs and managers.



4. A thoroughly enjoyable and motivating read. This is a remarkable collection of exclusive interviews with the best American sports coaches of the last 40 years. The author has packed a voluminous amount of wisdom, inspiration and facts into what amounts to a road map to a good life. "How to Succeed in the Game of Life" is a brilliant compilation of advice that offers inspiration at every turn.



5. This book went through various questions about succeeding in life and listed all the responses from each coach. It was interesting but somewhat repetitive in that many said basically the same thing. I enjoyed reading this book because it had a lot of good advice from a lot of successful coaches. The advice I remember most is to work harder than anyone else, never quit, always be honest, do your best, failure is opportunity for a comeback, and be passionate about what you do. All of them agreed that making a lot of money does not mean you are successful, but money can be a by-product of being successful. The last chapter included short summaries about each coach. My favorite chapter was the one of their favorite quotes.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone interested in philosophy, or who is looking for some advice or inspiration about success.
   
   Karen Arelttaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

5 comments about Gracie Submission Essentials: Grandmaster and Master Secrets of Finishing a Fight (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series).

1. Learn essential submission techniques from the masters of Jiu-Jitsu. There are also great tips on how to become a great finisher.



2. Gracie Submission Essentials is 240+ pages of full color photos that explain how to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions from almost any position. The photographs for each submission are large, clear, and plentiful - usually four or more for each technique. While those reading it will not be able to master the techniques without a partner, this book is an incredible starting point for those new to the sport and also a great reference for more advanced students. Kimuras, chokes, gogoplatas, omoplatas, locks, triangles, etc... they're all inside.
   
   While there is an introduction section with brief biographies, interviews, and training tips, the primary sections of the book break down as follows:
   
   - Grandmaster's Favorites. Helio Gracie dons a gi and demonstrates the basic (but devastating) submissions of BJJ. These include the standing kimura, choke from the mount, americana, various arm-locks, and the legendary rear-naked choke. 13 techniqus, 29 pages.
   - Stand Up Submissions. Royler grapples with Megaton (I though that was MegaTRON the first time I read it) for the rest of the chapters. The standing techniques include standing chokes, wrist/arm locks, knee locks, the guillotine, and pretty much everything you'd ever want to know from the standing position. Since a lot of new BJJ practitioners don't learn these techniques in class (a lot of schools start rolling from the knees), this is an important section for any new student heading to a tournament to read. 26 techniques, 51 pages.
   - Guard Pass Submissions. These are some pretty intense techniques that will take a lot of practice and timing to do properly and safely (most of them involve flipping your opponent over). 3 techniques, 7 pages.
   - Side Control Submissions. A lot of newer students see side control as just a transition stage, and it is not. Leg-locks, knee-on-the-stomach attacks, chokes, americanas, spine-locks, arm-locks, and arm-crushers are covered. 19 techniques, 46 pages.
   - Mount Submissions. Submissions from the mount are some of the most common, but can always be practiced. Chokes, triangles, nutcracker chokes, arm-locks, and the knee-split are shown. 9 techniques. 20 pages.
   - Back Control Submissions. The submissions in this section are interesting because "the back" is a broad definition; these techniques tend to be defined according to situation and include "opponent bridges" and "opponent stands up." 5 techniques, 14 pages.
   - Turtle and Half Guard submissions. This is a sort of a short "miscellaneous" chapter. The bananna split, chokes, calf-lock, and kimura are covered. 5 techniques, 12 pages.
   - Guard Submissions. Are you comfortable fighting from your back? If not, this chapter is a MUST. Chokes, arm-bars, triangles, wrist-lock, omoplata, shoulder locks, crucifix chokes, reverse americanas, gogoplatas, and more. 25 techniques, 63 pages.
   
   While this is one of the best books on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions on the market, it is not the ONLY book you will ever need. It is VERY specific to gi (uniform) submissions, so not every technique will work in a no-gi environment (UFC, etc...). As well, this book does not cover movement - something that is critical to getting into proper position for submissions. Other books (including Royce Gracie's excellent Ultimate Fighting Techniques Volumes I & II - Volume I being a great reference for movement) are necessary to truly understand Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.



3. A solid addition to the series - good fundamentals from the Grand Master Helio Gracie. Simple, yet effective techniques that are the foundation for any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student. Royler takes it further with some great chokes. Good ideas to take to the mat.



4. This is a great book by the Gracie's. But as you go along in the book you can see it wouldn't benefit a beginner much. It is for those already with brazilian jiu- jitsu experience.



5. Once you have a good understanding of the basic of BJJ, this book takes your game to another level offering you many options in term of submission. To get the most out of this book, it is recommended that you master one technique at a time, then try to combine it with other techiques. For example, I found that the bent arm lock works really well with Kimura as a second attack option.

5 comments about Batista Unleashed.

1. I am a new WWE fan, in fact you can call me a closet fan. I bought Batista's book and could not put it down. I read it over the weekend and was really surprised how entertaining it was. Not only did it give you information about his family life but it also gave you an insight on other wrestlers and what they go through. I found myself laughing out loud when reading some parts like Ric Flair's driving habits and how they treat the Red Hat fan. Also, it was comforting to read how fondly Dave talked about other wrestlers and the respect they share for one another. I would highly recommend this easy read to anyone who is slighly interested in pro-wrestling.
   
   ~Debbie Wood
   Mechanicsville, VA



2. I refused to by this book but I did read it and I can tell you that Batista is a REAL jerk.
   
   I am NEVER was a Batista fan because I felt he lakced wrestling skills and Mic-skills. He has his moments but his personality is Blah. When he came out with this book, I was hoping that after reading it, he would eventually turn me into liking him as a person.
   
   The fact that he treated his ex-wife like $#it goes to show what an embarassment he is to pro wrestling. Guys like him give bad names to guys that passed and actaully changed their lives for the better. I do wish Batista would change in the future but I refuse to support someone who practically bragged about what woman he had sex with and how he cheated on his cancer-enduced ex-wife.
   
   I know a wrestler's lifestyle is hard but why would you get married in the first place. He thinks it's love but judging from this book, he did it out of comfort.
   
   After reading this book, I think i found the REAL wiesel of pro wrestling and that's Batista.
   
   In fairness to him, he could have made up these stories and if he did, then I take everything back but this is label a non-fiction.



3. Dave Batista, one of WWE's current big stars, while his autobiography was in the planning stages, stated that he was a pretty boring guy and was only going along with this because the WWE wanted to push a book about him. He was right - through no fault of his own, his book is not exactly must read material.
   
   Batista Unleashed, likely as told to Jeremy Roberts by Dave Batista, is the life story of the sudden sensation of a big man who started in the industry late in life, debuting at the age of 33. As the man is only 38 when the book was released to store shelves last October, most of the book is mostly based on his personal life.
   
   And that's kind of the problem. As a fan of a lot of wrestling autobiographies, I read mostly for the road stories and other industry workings in the strange and unique business of professional wrestling. Batista and Roberts do try to make the best of it, trying to put in as many interesting diversions as they can, since the book is an obvious cash in on Batista's current popularity.
   
   The story follows Batista from his childhood on the rough streets of Washington D.C., into a run with a bad crowd and a brief life of crime. He spent much of his young adult life serving as a bouncer, a natural given his height and build. He goes into his time as a bodybuilder, which he credits to saving his life. He spends much time speaking of his relationships with various women, and the resulting unplanned children from those unions.
   
   As expected, he doesn't actually start to speak of the wrestling industry until he's a good ways into the book. For what's there, he makes it entertaining and is seemingly not afraid to throw mud, which can be a positive or negative depending on one's opinion on the maturity of that. There are some fine gems of passages in the book, such as Batista's altercation in the WCW Power Plant with a small pasty white career jobber/trainer by the name of Sergeant Buddy Lee Parker saying that the future Wrestlemania Main Eventer would never make it in the industry.
   
   Another plus I'll hand the book is that Batista actually reflects on his past and is actually regretful of some of his past screw ups, such as the aforementioned delving into a life of crime, and even in the wrestling industry such as his known backstage brawl with fellow star Booker T. This is a nice change of pace to other books in the genre, where the author was always in the right and everyone else has no idea what they're talking about.
   
   On the flip side, as a duality, he still comes up as bullheaded a lot of the time, almost to the point of comicality. As an example, are his claims to be sleeping around with many of the WWE's Divas - women wrestlers. The need to promote this fact(if it is a fact) is a strange one to stick in one's book, especially given it's talking about a relatively current time of not even a year ago. One would think you'd keep your current sexual exploits to yourself until a later date, not publish them all for the world to see.
   
   It's by no means the worst wrestling autobiography you could buy. But you could do better. If you're a big Batista fan, it's probably worth a read. A general wrestling fan? I'd place it low on your list behind A Lion's Tale, Have a Nice Day, To Be The Man..., Etc. For a non-wrestling fan? I wouldn't even bother, as I do not see much universal appeal here in this obvious WWE Cash-in.



4. This book is an excellant reas.Dave goes well indepth of his life experiences in and out the ring.5 stars plus



5. This book is not meant for younger kids its for a much older crowd. This book brings out his true identity and lays out his life for everyone to see. If you didnt like batista before you will now after you read this book. A great read for batista fans!!

5 comments about Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History.

1. This book was a fast read, it was exciting and very easy to imagine Matt Hughes in every senario. Excellent story from beginning to end!



2. Matt Hughes, as the cover blurb states, may be the "most dominant champion in UFC history" but he sure isn't the nicest guy in the world. I'm not certain that this matters a great deal.
   
   His autobiography is however exciting, truthful and well-structured, thanks mainly to the hard work of his co-author, the wonderfully-named Michael Malice. I like the honesty of his account and the humor too. Perhaps the funniest thing is the photo of Matt Hughes sat in front of a manual typewriter, claiming to be "spending another long night completing the manuscript" of his book. In truth Hughes wouldn't know a manuscript if one bit him on the nose.
   
   It's this lack of self-knowledge which gives the book its strange tone. Hughes, thanks to the Herculean efforts of his friends and twin brother finds God on a Mexican hill-top. As a lapsed Christian myself, I found this quite moving. But he then identifies himself as someone who is always trying to help others, despite there being hardly any instances of him helping anyone outside his own close circle of family and training buddies in the whole book.
   
   Also, despite his bad behavior (including deserting his son from a casual relationship) he criticises MMA legend Randy Couture several times for getting a divorce, even though he barely knows the guy.
   
   On the positive side, his UFC fights and the atmosphere of Pat Miletich's training room are well described. He's also without vanity, telling the assistant on a photo shoot (quite truthfully) that he gets his clothes from a Salvation Army charity shop. His story is also interesting because he must be one of the first amateur wrestlers (he was a two-time All-American champ) to make a career out of MMA - sadly there aren't the same avenues for minority sports stars as there are for college football or basketball players.
   
   Above all, I like his unapologetic attitude towards his profession. "Fighting solves everything," he says and he talks of "that switch within us that gets turned on and can only be turned off by violence". Thankfully with a little help from his wife (and God perhaps) Hughes is just about able to contain his demons and he should be applauded for sharing his life, warts and all, so openly in this surprising and often laugh-out-loud funny book.



3. After TUF Season 2 I had summed up Matt Hughes as a bully who whas his own biggest fan. A read through this book confirmed my belief. I was surprised that an editor didn't have him expand on many references to UFC events that many readers wouldn't understand. I consider myself and my husband avid MMA fans and there were even comments we needed to research to understand the context. Knowing that he had become a Christian, I was surprised how he presented previous questionable acts. He still seemed to be proud of some of the things he had done that aren't necessarily "Christ-like" actions. I absolutely understand he was a different person pre-conversion but a little contrition on his part would have made this all a little easier to swallow. Revelation -- whether about self or others -- that moves the story or shows some kind of emotional development is acceptable in my book. However, telling stories (i.e. his great uncle's incontinence)that may be embarassing to others just to tell them screams of immaturity and insensitivity. Matt Hughes still isn't high on my list but I don't regret the read. I just wish I had waited until the library had a copy of it.



4. Wow. I thought I was stunned by level of drivel in this book but I'm even more stunned to find that 17 people gave this book 5 stars. I would love for them to tell me which parts made them laugh out loud.
   
   Over and over in the reviews, the book is praised for its brutal honesty. Sure, it would be great if Jeffery Dahmer were candid about the tickles and delights of dismembering people and shagging them after he had killed them, but I'm not sure it makes his actions any more palatable. In fact, if 'ol Jeffrey, who also became a born again christian, were to tell us how he had learned and changed as result of his new found christian ways (or just with a little introspection), we may even be able to find *him* acceptable.
   
   Matt, on the hand, tells us about how he's nasty to people and then leaves it at that. Throughout the book, his little anecdotes have no connection to each other and almost never lead up a realisation or a bigger point. It's almost like sitting next to someone on the bus who incessantly gives you a commentary like "That shop is open. That tree is green. That man looks angry."
   
   And often he almost brags about some of the occasions when he was less than kind to others and feels fully justified and content with his actions.
   
   Saying that, I don't have to like the protagonist of a book to enjoy reading it. But I think if I were to tap Matt, and I don't mean with an armbar or choke but rather like you'd tap a tree for sap, I'd probably discover the essence of boring. Though sadly, boring is not in great demand and so my discovery wouldn't help me recover the cost of this book.
   
   Anyway, I don't doubt this guy's work ethic (and it's paid off too as he is a pretty damn good fighter) but it's possible that he did little besides train and fight because nothing much else seems to have happened in his life. Though he's happy to include loads of conversations of the "could you pass the salt?" ilk so that he could at least rob us of whatever more exciting time we could have had if we weren't reading the book.
   
   Ah, the simple life.
   
   It's sweet that everyone sees him as a simple country boy and family man. I mean just when the guy is about to get jiggy with a hot girl, this is what he writes:
   
   I sat down on the bed, and she sat on top of me.
   "So what's your favourite colour?" I asked her.
   "Green," She said.
   "Mine too."
   
   Uhm. What is he...five? I haven't heard that kind of chat since I was in kindergarten. Well, at least he's being nice and lovely there. Imagine most of the book with that level of excitement but smeared with a good dollop of nastiness and arrogance.
   
   If you are a fan of Matt Hughes, you'd be better off spending a couple of hours re-watching all his fights than you would the few hours you'd never get back if you read this book.



5. Matt Hughes has been one of the most dominate champions the UFC has ever known. This book is essentially his life's story, and how a man went from a small rural town to the big lights of the UFC.
   
   The book is honest and revealing: Everything from street fights to his conversion to Christianity, to his near death experience at the swirl pool to his long up and downs with his current wife. The book does a great job of capturing Hughes' voice and personality.
   
   I found this book to be more entertaining than Iceman: My Fighting Life (although I would never say that to Liddell's face). Nevertheless, both were great reads and provide extraordinary behind-the-door information about the fastest growing sport in the country.

5 comments about A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex.

1. This book was not expected to be this good! After reading the inspirational stories from other wrestlers, this is definitely a must read! I caught myself laughing out loud a few times which hasn't happened in quite a while!



2. Great read, funny book like as if Jericho was actually talking to me right in front of my face. This book was all Chris, Peter Thomas Fornatale said himself on the co-authors note that all he did was brain-storm and give some ideas to Chris. Any Wrestling fan should get this book, one of the, if not the best Wrestling Biography eeevvverrr.



3. A LIONS TALE IS PROBALY THE FUNNIEST,MOST ACCUARATE ,MOST ANTISIPATED PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING BOOK IVE EVER READ,AND IVE READ THEM ALL!CHRIS JERICHO'S ACCOUNT OF HOW WRESTLERS SEE THE WORLD AND HOW THE WORLD SEE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS IS AMAZINGLY FUNNY.HE GAVE LOOK INTO WRESTLING THAT DOESNT DEPICT ONE OF DRUG USE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,WHICH ALOT OTHER PRO WRESTLING BOOKS ARE SADDENED BY.I LOOK FORWARD TO JERICHOS SECOND BOOK DUE OUT IN 2009.BUT UNTIL THEN.A LIONS TALE IS THE BOOK FOR ANY WRESTLING FAN,ANY CHRIS JERICHO FAN,HE IS TRUE AMAZING!



4. Fozzy....All That Remains Reloaded.......the greates musical recording in the history of recorded music. A Lion's Tale....the greatest literary work ever unleashed upon mankind. Ok, but it is a great CD that took me completely by surprise. I had the book as a present for Christmas, and while surfing Amazon stumbled on the reviewer mentioning Fozzy...I got the CD and I have nothing to say besides it's a great, catchy CD.All That Remains Reloaded (W/Dvd)



5. I was tired at work for a week because i had to force my self to stop reading each night! The book had good stories and really lets you know where Y2J came from and how he paid his dues. One of the better Wrestlers Autobiographies i have read!

5 comments about Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling.

1. After the first two Mick Foley books, this is the best wrestler autobiography I have read. I have always been a fan of Bret's in ring performance, but I always looked at him as a man that lived his character, to his detriment. However, after reading this book I have a new understanding of the man. Simply put, one of the things Bret wanted throughout his career was respect from the business and in all to many cases he didn't receive that respect that should have been given to him. After endless problems with his some of his family, promoters and many wrestlers, it looks like the only people in his life than never caused him anguish were the fans. And this explains why he always gave his best in the ring for them.
   
   This book is full of great stories of the early days of Bret's career, such as growing up in Hart House, working for Calgary Stampede and breaking in with the WWF. To many tragic stories such as the jealousy many of his siblings had for him, the Montreal Screwjob and the sad death of Owen Hart. After reading this book I began to get a clearer picture of just how ruthless the wrestling business is.
   
   Highly recommended



2. This was a truly awesome, inspirational book. It provides an eye-opening look into just how sordid the world of pro wrestling can be, and how it nearly destroyed one man and his family. I definitely recommend this book to any true wrestling fan, and I hope anyone else who reads it enjoys it as much as I did.



3. I enjoyed Bret's autobiography more than any other wrestling book, including both of Foley's books. His life story is interesting, and one gets a real insight into the Hart family as a whole (it is NOT a pretty sight, either) as well as Bret and his career. I always enjoyed the Hitman character, and while Bret himself has a little bit of an ego, he really details his faults as well as his high points. He still has a lot of bitterness over how his career ended, and the current day players (HHH and HBK, notably) but that's not entirely unjustified. All in all though, I found this to be a really entertaining read and highly recommend it to any wrestling fan.



4. 
   This book blew away my expectations. Having read many of Bret Hart's articles in the Calgary Sun, I already knew that the "Excellence of Execution" is one who writes with sincerity. However, when I purchased this autobiography, I didn't expect him to be this brutally honest! And that's a good thing.
   
   There is no question about it, this is an R rated book (if there is such thing), which, needless to say, is not suitable for children. Wild stories of sex, drugs, and violence are casually narrated all throughout the book. However, to be fair, this autobiography has much more substance than just a series of wild tales. Bret tells us a great deal about the Hart family, the feuds they had, the good times and bad times they shared. He writes about his childhood and early years working for his father's famous Stampede Wrestling promotion in Calgary. From there he takes us oversees to countries like Puerto Rico and Japan where he nonchalantly recounts some bizarre stories that range from prostitution to narcotics. Some of Hart's recollections are quite funny, actually. However, by the end of the book, it's the tragedies that stand out.
   
   Of course, Hart also elaborates on his illustrious career in the WWE where he became famous, and tells us about the friends he's made, the countries he's travelled to, the contracts he signed, his business relationship with WWE guru, Vince McMahon, and a whole lot more. Because of his many accomplishments in the ring, which he proudly writes about, I think certain readers will interpret that as being arrogant or narcissistic, especially when he writes about the loyalty of his fans and the many great matches he's had. Granted, when you look at it at face value it does appear like he's bragging about himself. But that's not the case. If you watch video footage of his fans' reception of him and the so-called "great matches" he's referring to, you'll see that he isn't bluffing at all. Indeed, many of his fans adored him a great deal and he did have many great matches.
   
   Personally, I found it surprising that Bret Hart reveals so many of his most personal experiences, such as drug use and infidelity, which he discusses very openly. In fact, he seems rather comfortable recounting all the various strip clubs he attended and all the women he's slept with (while still married). I couldn't help but to feel sorry for his ex-wife, who I'm sure has been through hell. And although he does express a small degree of regret and shame over his actions, for the most part, he's not too apologetic. If anything, there are instances where he actually excuses and justifies some of his old immoral conduct, which caught me off guard. But regardless, like him or not, you have to give him credit for being so sincere, instead of sugar-coating his lifestyle and exhilarating his self-image. This, in my opinion, is what makes this autobiography so genuine.
   
   I highly recommend it.



5. I enjoyed this book a great deal. it seems ironic for somebody to experience this amount of triumph and tragedy in a field that is supposed to be "scripted". This book clearly shows his dedication and work ethic and that he is self admitantly a person that has made many mistakes. Millions around the world, like myself will always appreciate the years of entertainment Bret Hart has provided.

5 comments about Wrestling for Fighting: The Natural Way.

1. It is about time that someone put out a comprehensive book of techniques of wrestling takedowns that are useful for MMA/submission grappling. This book teaches the fundamentals of freestyle and greco wrestling takedowns as well as giving applications and adaptions for the cage. It is not just a book packed with unrelated moves. Techniques take logical progressions based on the opponents reactions. It made me a better wrestler the day I opened it.



2. Perhaps the most amazing thing about Randy Couture's career is that he fights in the heaviest weight divisions. Historically, these divisions have been dominated by strikers. Couture has demonstrated that it is possible to fight and beat big, highly skilled strikers with the the right approach to grappling.
   
   As other reviews have pointed out, despite its weaknesses, the book is a must buy for the serious fighter. In a sense, I could say its the book we've all been waiting for. Unlike most other grappling books, Couture places an emphasis on positioning rather than takedowns or submissions skills. He systematically demonstrates that these should follow directly from proper balance, arm and head control. While the book's title makes reference to wrestling, it is in fact a more general guide to basic principles of grappling that would be useful in a wide range of grappling sports.
   
   Regardless of your level, background, or goals, there is something in this book for every serious competitor.



3. This book is awesome. The background on Randy is great and I found the fact he didn't start college until after being in the Army very fascinating. The best part about the book is the color photographs. It looks like they had 3 cameras all synced to the same "switch" so when one button was pushed all three cameras took a picture simultaneously from front, back and side positions.
   
   This is very helpful in letting you see all angles of each move. While the book is called wrestling for fighting the majority of the book can be applied to folk style high school and collegiate wrestling. There is only one small section at the end which covers MMA specific technique. I highly recommend this for either wrestlers or coaches or anyone getting into mma from boxing or karate diciplines.



4. This is a super book and I've really enjoyed it! It's full of some great tips & tons of awesome instructional photos. If you love Randy Couture & are a big fan of his fighting style this book will be most helpful to you. It has helped me out tremendously and has improved my ground game by leaps & bounds! Randy Couture is such a hero to so many people - HE ROCKS! BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! I HIGHLY recommend it!



5. Wrestling for Fighting is an essential addition to anyone's MMA library.
   
   The other reviews have already done a good job of describing the contents of this book but in brief:
   
   The first section of the book covers basic wrestling.
   The second section is Greco wrestling (upper body wrestling/throws).
   The thrid section covers wrestling techniques used in MMA.
   
   This is a very high quality book (as are all the books co-authored by Krauss and Cordoza). It is full of photos showing the techniques from mutliple angles. The written instruction is thorough and easy to understand.
   
   Some things to keep in mind. As the title hints, this is a book about wrestling. What you're getting is a top notch instructional on all aspects of wrestling by one of the greatest wrestling based MMA fighters of all time. Do not buy it expecting to learn submissions (other than a few basic "wrestling" subs) or standup striking (though there is plenty of ground n' pound instruction). This of course does not detract from the book in any way. There are already excellent books that cover striking and submissions. And since wrestling is an important, if not arguably the most important aspect of MMA (deciding where the fight takes place), it deserves its own volume.