BOOKER T: MY RISE TO WRESTLING ROYALTY by Booker T.
Huffman
and Andrew William Wright chronicles the career of
wrestling superstar Booker T. Huffman. Booker T. Huffman's
personal narratives about his experience in the wrestling
business are interesting and highly entertaining. The
conversational style flows smoothly and is easy to follow.
As a fan of Harlem Heat from back in the days of WCW, I
found the anecdotes about other wrestlers and announcers
amusing and sometimes surprising. The stories about other
wrestlers are told in a matter-of-fact style without any
trash talking and I appreciate that. One of the most
interesting things about BOOKER T: MY RISE TO WRESTLING
ROYALTY is the relationships between wrestlers and the
sense of community. This behind-the-scenes look at figures
that are often larger-than-life provides a rare POV.
Another thing that makes BOOKER T: MY RISE TO WRESTLING
ROYALTY a compelling story is seeing how a life on the
road
and in the public eye affects a wrestler's family. The
stories about Booker T. Huffman's relationship with his
son
have moments of poignancy. Another aspect of this
autobiographical tale that catches the reader's attention
is Booker T. Huffman's experiences with racial hostility
while touring playing some venues. BOOKER T: MY RISE TO
WRESTLING ROYALTY also takes a real and uncompromising
look
at the rigors of professional wrestling and the injuries
that some athletes risk in the quest to entertain. I read
about Mick Foley's injuries in his autobiographical book,
but it's interesting to see it through the eyes of
somebody
who was a colleague.
BOOKER T: MY RISE TO WRESTLING ROYALTY is a fascinating
collection of wrestling lore that will appeal to the hard-
core fan, as well as a follower of popular culture. In
many
ways, as Booker T. Huffman describes it, professional
wrestlers operate like dancers. The ability to properly
read your opponent or partner is crucial to success.
BOOKER
T: MY RISE TO WRESTLING ROYALTY is an eclectic and
enjoyable mix of personal and professional vignettes.
Booker T. Huffman, 2013 WWE Hall of Famer and winner of thirty-five championship titles within WWE, WCW, and TNA, has once again paired up with best-selling coauthor Andrew William Wright to uncover Booker T’s story from his humble pro wrestling beginnings to becoming a global superstar and icon. Booker T: My Rise To Wrestling Royalty is Huffman’s highly anticipated follow-up to the 2012 award-winning Booker T: From Prison To Promise, in which Booker detailed his turbulent coming-of-age on the streets of Houston, Texas. Revisit two hard-hitting decades with Booker T as he journeys through World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). During this time he blazed a trail of pro wrestling success on a road that took him from his tag team days in Harlem Heat, with brother Stevie Ray (Lash), to his unparalleled singles career that drew millions around the world to WCW’s Monday Nitro, and onward through his unforgettable matches that led to his taking the throne as King Booker and becoming the FIVE- TIME, FIVE-TIME, FIVE-TIME, FIVE-TIME, FIVE-TIME (and eventually six-time) world heavyweight champion.