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Breaking Kayfabe
Growing up in a council house in Leeds, Wes Brown dreamed of becoming a 'real' man like the ones in his ex-pro wrestler dad's tales of heroes and villains, gods and monsters. The only problem was he never told him they were fake. In this modern-day Pinocchio story, Wes follows in his father's footsteps in the hope of coming to terms with the fictions that make a man.
285 pages, Paperback
Published May 25, 2023
5 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Wes Brown
17 books5 followersWes was born in Leeds in 1985. He started writing when he was sixteen and joined The Writing Squad soon after. He enjoyed editorial placements at Penguin and Route before founding Cadaverine Magazine and continuing to publish and perform his work widely. He is currently the Young Writers' Hub Coordinator and Information Manager for the National Association for Literature Development. He is Director of Dead Ink Publications and his debut novel, Shark, was published by Dog Horn in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 8, 2023
In Wes Brown’s Breaking Kayfabe (Bluemoose, 2023), Brown lays down an engaging account of his serious foray into becoming a professional wrestler in Britain. True to the autofiction genre, Brown uses (sometimes) true names, places, and events, and crafts them into a semi-fictional arc that even includes a well-timed climax. The term kayfabe roughly translates into the communal fiction maintained by wrestlers and their fans, that everything happening in and around the ring is real. Breaking kayfabe is when the magician (wrestler) shows you how the trick (wrestling) is performed: a highly choreographed stage-play that is equal parts theater, violence and marketing.
The true autobiographical portion of Breaking Kayfabe is that Author Brown is the son of legendary Australian wrestler, Earl Black, who landed in England after a career cut short by a broken back. Brown recounts growing up in a council house in Leeds, where his father, marginally employed as a bouncer and estranged from Brown’s mother, poured the entirety of his wrestling knowledge into his son, Wes.
Brown’s first novel, Shark, is a stylistic character-study about a haunted, jobless, pool-hustling ex-British soldier, much of it written phonetically in a Leeds dialect. Breaking Kayfabe constructs a wrestler's Bildungsroman with fluid, workman-like prose. It follows Brown’s ascent/descent into the wrestling life, all the while fighting the demons of a problematic childhood, alcohol, and violence. He also nestles a love interest into the storyline, providing a much needed counterbalance to the ocean of testosterone that is the wrestling business.
So, about that: the wrestling business. I’m not a fan, and I hadn’t much regard for the medium. But over the years, I’ve come to understand it as a performance genre: part acting, clowning, choreography, and stage combat. While I cannot say I fully understand it now (especially the spectator allure), Brown’s book immerses us in the lingo, the moves, the brutal physical training, the camaraderie and the rockstar lifestyle of those who participate. We also get a firsthand look at the other half of the story: a cutthroat business filled with a sadistic, backstabbing clique of ego-damaged community theater actors who happen to be dangerously muscled and irretrievably macho. Still, Brown portrays many of these guys as hard-working stuntmen, generous actors, and seriously talented performers. A massive sense of history and lore pervade both the scene and this book.
Though Brown clearly has wrestling talent, he is treated brutally by the seasoned wrestlers, promoters and rabid fans, keeping Brown in a permanent state of anxiety that affects his in-the-ring performance and often leads to massive drinking binges. The core struggle for Brown throughout is: what part of himself is fiction—a mask—and what part of him is the real Wes Brown? And, most importantly—does it matter?
But these are just elements, just props for Wes Brown’s journey that begins with him being a disenchanted writer and suicidally alcoholic brawler. He is wracked with insecurities about his ability to do anything—especially wrestling, living in the shadow of Earl Black. It helps that Brown’s narrative voice is not as arrogant and aggressive as the community he is joining; he is self-deprecating, unsure, searching, funny. Highlights of the book are Brown’s accounts of spending time with his father: from the sweet reminiscence of playing Big Time Wrestling with his little brother, to detailing the salty, broke-down shell-of-a-man Earl Black has become. Once in a while, there are gaps in the narrative. His relationship with his girlfriend, Grace (and soon-to-be baby-mama), goes from first date to co-habitation to step-fathering without much development, even as this relationship is a source of solace and consistency in his otherwise chaotic existence.
Finally, Breaking Kayfabe is often hilarious, and no matter how you feel about professional wrestling, you'll appreciate Brown's strong style of the storytelling and gritty no-holds-barred details. The book made me less sympathetic to the world of professional wrestling, but for the right reasons: it made wrestling feel real and three-dimensional, an irony that would not be lost on Mr. Brown.
The true autobiographical portion of Breaking Kayfabe is that Author Brown is the son of legendary Australian wrestler, Earl Black, who landed in England after a career cut short by a broken back. Brown recounts growing up in a council house in Leeds, where his father, marginally employed as a bouncer and estranged from Brown’s mother, poured the entirety of his wrestling knowledge into his son, Wes.
Brown’s first novel, Shark, is a stylistic character-study about a haunted, jobless, pool-hustling ex-British soldier, much of it written phonetically in a Leeds dialect. Breaking Kayfabe constructs a wrestler's Bildungsroman with fluid, workman-like prose. It follows Brown’s ascent/descent into the wrestling life, all the while fighting the demons of a problematic childhood, alcohol, and violence. He also nestles a love interest into the storyline, providing a much needed counterbalance to the ocean of testosterone that is the wrestling business.
So, about that: the wrestling business. I’m not a fan, and I hadn’t much regard for the medium. But over the years, I’ve come to understand it as a performance genre: part acting, clowning, choreography, and stage combat. While I cannot say I fully understand it now (especially the spectator allure), Brown’s book immerses us in the lingo, the moves, the brutal physical training, the camaraderie and the rockstar lifestyle of those who participate. We also get a firsthand look at the other half of the story: a cutthroat business filled with a sadistic, backstabbing clique of ego-damaged community theater actors who happen to be dangerously muscled and irretrievably macho. Still, Brown portrays many of these guys as hard-working stuntmen, generous actors, and seriously talented performers. A massive sense of history and lore pervade both the scene and this book.
Though Brown clearly has wrestling talent, he is treated brutally by the seasoned wrestlers, promoters and rabid fans, keeping Brown in a permanent state of anxiety that affects his in-the-ring performance and often leads to massive drinking binges. The core struggle for Brown throughout is: what part of himself is fiction—a mask—and what part of him is the real Wes Brown? And, most importantly—does it matter?
But these are just elements, just props for Wes Brown’s journey that begins with him being a disenchanted writer and suicidally alcoholic brawler. He is wracked with insecurities about his ability to do anything—especially wrestling, living in the shadow of Earl Black. It helps that Brown’s narrative voice is not as arrogant and aggressive as the community he is joining; he is self-deprecating, unsure, searching, funny. Highlights of the book are Brown’s accounts of spending time with his father: from the sweet reminiscence of playing Big Time Wrestling with his little brother, to detailing the salty, broke-down shell-of-a-man Earl Black has become. Once in a while, there are gaps in the narrative. His relationship with his girlfriend, Grace (and soon-to-be baby-mama), goes from first date to co-habitation to step-fathering without much development, even as this relationship is a source of solace and consistency in his otherwise chaotic existence.
Finally, Breaking Kayfabe is often hilarious, and no matter how you feel about professional wrestling, you'll appreciate Brown's strong style of the storytelling and gritty no-holds-barred details. The book made me less sympathetic to the world of professional wrestling, but for the right reasons: it made wrestling feel real and three-dimensional, an irony that would not be lost on Mr. Brown.
May 31, 2023
I’m not a wrestling fan, and never have been. But for the three days during which I read this gripping novel, I loved being sucked into this colourful world.
Many years ago, when I read Muhammad Ali’s ‘The Greatest: My Own Story’, I gained a new respect for the athleticism of boxing, and realised what went in to those often-brief bouts. Wes Brown is of course no Muhammad Ali, but the way he throws himself into the wrestling world, at great physical and emotional expense, and the way he bares his soul when writing about it, made me realise that there is indeed a lot of pain, sacrifice, artistry and talent needed to make a pro wrestler.
Wes Brown was raised in Leeds in the shadow of a larger-than-life father who had toured the world as a wrestler and now never missed a chance to tell tales of his heyday. Despite being on a more intellectual career path, Brown (who is the protagonist of his own novel) becomes dissatisfied with the world of literature, and in his late 20s decides to try and become a wrestler, just like his dad. The following years are the subject of this book, as the demanding wrestling routine helps him re-shape his life, and try to mend his relationship with his parents.
This struggle with what is real is a central theme, as the protagonist tries to separate the fact from the fiction - a common debate in wrestling, as well as an intriguing element of this novel. Brown clearly states in his acknowledgements that much of this is auto-fiction, and as I read I found myself looking up wrestler names and events, fascinated to find that these colourful characters were real, or based on reality. The stage fright is also real, as are some of the injuries.
Brown’s unflinching honesty, both when discussing his own demons and vices, as well as when showing the exchanges with his father and mother, manages to be moving without crossing into manipulative territory. The scenes with his father are especially brilliant, and the meta nature of them at the end leads to a couple of highlight scenes.
This seems like an incredibly difficult way to write a novel, but maybe that’s why the end result feels so unique. Wrestling might be fake, but this novel is vivid and real.
Many years ago, when I read Muhammad Ali’s ‘The Greatest: My Own Story’, I gained a new respect for the athleticism of boxing, and realised what went in to those often-brief bouts. Wes Brown is of course no Muhammad Ali, but the way he throws himself into the wrestling world, at great physical and emotional expense, and the way he bares his soul when writing about it, made me realise that there is indeed a lot of pain, sacrifice, artistry and talent needed to make a pro wrestler.
Wes Brown was raised in Leeds in the shadow of a larger-than-life father who had toured the world as a wrestler and now never missed a chance to tell tales of his heyday. Despite being on a more intellectual career path, Brown (who is the protagonist of his own novel) becomes dissatisfied with the world of literature, and in his late 20s decides to try and become a wrestler, just like his dad. The following years are the subject of this book, as the demanding wrestling routine helps him re-shape his life, and try to mend his relationship with his parents.
“Cars passed. People waited at the lights. Life went on all around me. Then there was me, some lunatic with a crew cut retching outside a pub because he was about to have a pretend fight with somebody, which would somehow help me become real.”
This struggle with what is real is a central theme, as the protagonist tries to separate the fact from the fiction - a common debate in wrestling, as well as an intriguing element of this novel. Brown clearly states in his acknowledgements that much of this is auto-fiction, and as I read I found myself looking up wrestler names and events, fascinated to find that these colourful characters were real, or based on reality. The stage fright is also real, as are some of the injuries.
“Jack said that nobody normal becomes a wrestler. Everybody has a mental health problem. And so do most of the people who come to these shows. Issues with self-esteem. A void they were trying to fill. What was it they were trying to find in a wrestling ring?”
Brown’s unflinching honesty, both when discussing his own demons and vices, as well as when showing the exchanges with his father and mother, manages to be moving without crossing into manipulative territory. The scenes with his father are especially brilliant, and the meta nature of them at the end leads to a couple of highlight scenes.
This seems like an incredibly difficult way to write a novel, but maybe that’s why the end result feels so unique. Wrestling might be fake, but this novel is vivid and real.
June 22, 2023
It’s Fight Club meets Trainspotting meets Of Mice and Men, but that doesn’t do Breaking Kayfabe justice. There’s more tenderness, humility, and wrestling history than in those comps (masterpieces though they may be).
This is the first book I’ve read straight through the night because it was so unputdownable. The writing couldn’t be more uncomplicated and readable, but it’s laced with rich literary prose that’s authentic for this protagonist who’s an everyman of common birth but uncommon intelligence — an oikish street fighter with postgraduate qualifications in creative writing — a sensitive hardcase who becomes a loving stepfather to a disabled child.
It’s about being authentic to oneself and with one’s creativity. Faking the things one needs to fake, but doing so with respect and honour. Faking things for the benefit of others and for the sake of art. It’s about being a man. It’s about the two most important people in many men’s lives — his mother and his spouse (in this instance a woman). It’s about a son’s relationship with his dad, especially when there’s a broken home. It's about how the journey changed the protagonist.
Wrestling is storytelling. Kayfabe is wrestling culture — the conventions and fiction of the sport’s performances both on and off stage. This book reveals how make-believe can cause real harm. Illusions can do more damage than reality. I won’t delve deep into details, so as not to spoil the plot.
This novel is an education (perhaps a masterclass) in novel writing. Early in the book, the protagonist explains he becomes a pro wrestler so he can write about it. Late on in the book, the protagonist explains how he’d like to structure a wrestling novel and it seems to me that’s exactly how Breaking Kayfabe is structured. That’s particularly helpful to any aspiring novelist. This novel could be the ultimate novel writing tutorial. It’s written like a memoir and left to the reader to decide how much is biographical and how much is fictional with authorial self-insertion that Martin Amis might be proud of. Acknowledgments at the end give clues as to the proportion of fiction in this excellent piece of writing.
This is the first book I’ve read straight through the night because it was so unputdownable. The writing couldn’t be more uncomplicated and readable, but it’s laced with rich literary prose that’s authentic for this protagonist who’s an everyman of common birth but uncommon intelligence — an oikish street fighter with postgraduate qualifications in creative writing — a sensitive hardcase who becomes a loving stepfather to a disabled child.
It’s about being authentic to oneself and with one’s creativity. Faking the things one needs to fake, but doing so with respect and honour. Faking things for the benefit of others and for the sake of art. It’s about being a man. It’s about the two most important people in many men’s lives — his mother and his spouse (in this instance a woman). It’s about a son’s relationship with his dad, especially when there’s a broken home. It's about how the journey changed the protagonist.
Wrestling is storytelling. Kayfabe is wrestling culture — the conventions and fiction of the sport’s performances both on and off stage. This book reveals how make-believe can cause real harm. Illusions can do more damage than reality. I won’t delve deep into details, so as not to spoil the plot.
This novel is an education (perhaps a masterclass) in novel writing. Early in the book, the protagonist explains he becomes a pro wrestler so he can write about it. Late on in the book, the protagonist explains how he’d like to structure a wrestling novel and it seems to me that’s exactly how Breaking Kayfabe is structured. That’s particularly helpful to any aspiring novelist. This novel could be the ultimate novel writing tutorial. It’s written like a memoir and left to the reader to decide how much is biographical and how much is fictional with authorial self-insertion that Martin Amis might be proud of. Acknowledgments at the end give clues as to the proportion of fiction in this excellent piece of writing.
November 17, 2024
Full disclosure, I've been a professional wrestling fan since childhood and I've spent many of my formative years in Leeds. So, when I saw this book sat in the 'local writers' section of Leeds' Hold Fast bookshop, I was instantly intrigued. The blurb wasn't exactly inspiring but I thought the subject matter should be enough to justify a purchase if all else failed.
Well, I felt compelled to leave a review because this book floored me. It's raw and reassuringly relatable, even though it largely takes place in the oh-so-surreal setting of indie wrestling.
The author, Wes Brown (a.k.a. Earl Black Jr.), takes the reader on a compelling journey from wrestling obsessed adolescent, idolising his larger than life father, to his own stint in the business, continuing on the family legacy. Wrestling fans will be familiar with many of the names and terms used but the author does a commendable job of filling in the blanks for the uninitiated.
Along the way, Wes grapples with balancing his childhood dream of forging his own path as wrestler with his later, ostensibly more grounded ambitions of becoming a teacher or writer; all while behaving in a manner typically befitting the British youth culture, i.e. overindulging in booze and substances.
His somewhat unconventional familial relationships make for an enthralling read, with Wes' father, the original Earl Black, taking centre stage, who you can't help but admire despite his many idiosyncrasies. Wes does a great job of allowing the reader to see his father as he does, a form of deity, mythic and flawed.
Figuratively and literally, a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the crafting of this book. It's absolutely my favourite book of the year so far. I couldn't be happier to recommend it to anyone even vaguely interested in the inner workings of professional wrestling, and/or the idea of a young man trying to fill his father's boots. There's nothing else quite like it. Cheers, Wes!
Well, I felt compelled to leave a review because this book floored me. It's raw and reassuringly relatable, even though it largely takes place in the oh-so-surreal setting of indie wrestling.
The author, Wes Brown (a.k.a. Earl Black Jr.), takes the reader on a compelling journey from wrestling obsessed adolescent, idolising his larger than life father, to his own stint in the business, continuing on the family legacy. Wrestling fans will be familiar with many of the names and terms used but the author does a commendable job of filling in the blanks for the uninitiated.
Along the way, Wes grapples with balancing his childhood dream of forging his own path as wrestler with his later, ostensibly more grounded ambitions of becoming a teacher or writer; all while behaving in a manner typically befitting the British youth culture, i.e. overindulging in booze and substances.
His somewhat unconventional familial relationships make for an enthralling read, with Wes' father, the original Earl Black, taking centre stage, who you can't help but admire despite his many idiosyncrasies. Wes does a great job of allowing the reader to see his father as he does, a form of deity, mythic and flawed.
Figuratively and literally, a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the crafting of this book. It's absolutely my favourite book of the year so far. I couldn't be happier to recommend it to anyone even vaguely interested in the inner workings of professional wrestling, and/or the idea of a young man trying to fill his father's boots. There's nothing else quite like it. Cheers, Wes!
May 31, 2023
I've been a reader of autobiographies more than fiction for most of my life, sports stars, musicians, comedians and wrestlers being the main bulk of my consumption.
With most of them the tales told and images painted are often alien to me as they are lives I've never lead or experiences out of my wheelhouse and it's that unfamiliarity that makes them so interesting.
This book was an entirely different beast, a huge chunk of this book takes place during a period where I was a die hard fan of British wrestling and contains places and people that I cheered, supported and on occasion socialised with, Wes being one of them.
The curtain lifted on a man I saw perform in ring, the polite and funny guy who was courteous or pissed enough to sit for a chat with my now wife and I in the pub post show and it's absolutely brilliant.
The stories laid out by Wes, interspersed with his internal struggles sometimes make for uncomfortable reading, being able to see the cogs turn on someone that looked comfortable and confident while performing and knowing that no matter who you are or what you do, we are all suffering internally.
Without any spoilers the variation throughout made this a great read, from the tales of his Dad, to the struggle to climb out from substance abuse and anxiety, right down to the characters and matches within wrestling, they all kept me reading.
I've read books by some of the best wrestlers to have stepped in the ring, but often these stories are softened or simply relayed without the inner feeling, this had it all.
If you are a wrestling fan, or are simply curious about what sort of character it takes to become a wrestler then this will definitely not disappoint.
With most of them the tales told and images painted are often alien to me as they are lives I've never lead or experiences out of my wheelhouse and it's that unfamiliarity that makes them so interesting.
This book was an entirely different beast, a huge chunk of this book takes place during a period where I was a die hard fan of British wrestling and contains places and people that I cheered, supported and on occasion socialised with, Wes being one of them.
The curtain lifted on a man I saw perform in ring, the polite and funny guy who was courteous or pissed enough to sit for a chat with my now wife and I in the pub post show and it's absolutely brilliant.
The stories laid out by Wes, interspersed with his internal struggles sometimes make for uncomfortable reading, being able to see the cogs turn on someone that looked comfortable and confident while performing and knowing that no matter who you are or what you do, we are all suffering internally.
Without any spoilers the variation throughout made this a great read, from the tales of his Dad, to the struggle to climb out from substance abuse and anxiety, right down to the characters and matches within wrestling, they all kept me reading.
I've read books by some of the best wrestlers to have stepped in the ring, but often these stories are softened or simply relayed without the inner feeling, this had it all.
If you are a wrestling fan, or are simply curious about what sort of character it takes to become a wrestler then this will definitely not disappoint.
July 3, 2023
A fascinating book, I couldn't put it down. I'm not an avid wrestling fan but the premise of a wrestling writer (or a writing wrestler) drew me in. The result of that juxtaposition is an eye-opening exploration into the macho subculture of UK live wrestling, and a metafiction about the stories we tell about ourselves and to ourselves. If this makes the book sound convoluted, it isn't. The prose is in a "no-nonsense, realistic style" which matches Brown's 'strong style' in wrestling. And the story progresses at pace following Brown from a "strawb" in training to becoming a UK champion. The fight scenes are dramatic and accessible - and his fellow wrestlers are depicted with care and humour.
But Breaking Kayfabe is about more than wrestling. Brown writes openly about his early successes and failings as a writer, his feelings on the literary circuit of being "a coward, an imposter", and his turning to drinking and fighting, all of which ultimately led him to pursue his childhood dream: to become a wrestler like his dad.
This book has a lot to say about masculinity: in it, men's bodies and minds are battered and bruised, they seek self-destruction often without knowing why, and they are often tender and violent simultaneously. By exploring the real situations within the 'fake' world of wrestling, it's also thought provoking on ideas of identity: are the roles we play in our lives (as employees at work, as husbands, as fathers) really just different masks we wear? In wrestling, kayfabe exists in a creative space between fake and real; in writing, autofiction exists between autobiography and fiction. Brown navigates this deftly, leaving the reader with questions and impressions which will last long beyond the page.
But Breaking Kayfabe is about more than wrestling. Brown writes openly about his early successes and failings as a writer, his feelings on the literary circuit of being "a coward, an imposter", and his turning to drinking and fighting, all of which ultimately led him to pursue his childhood dream: to become a wrestler like his dad.
This book has a lot to say about masculinity: in it, men's bodies and minds are battered and bruised, they seek self-destruction often without knowing why, and they are often tender and violent simultaneously. By exploring the real situations within the 'fake' world of wrestling, it's also thought provoking on ideas of identity: are the roles we play in our lives (as employees at work, as husbands, as fathers) really just different masks we wear? In wrestling, kayfabe exists in a creative space between fake and real; in writing, autofiction exists between autobiography and fiction. Brown navigates this deftly, leaving the reader with questions and impressions which will last long beyond the page.
May 31, 2023
The date is 21 June 2015. This is the beginning of the golden era of British Indy wrestling and I’m at my first show at the Garage in Islington. My boyfriend tells me about someone on the show! This guy Earl Black jr he looks like the default character in the WWE games but he’s great! You’ll love him!
After the show we walk over to the White Swan for drinks and I’m excitedly introduced to Earl Black Sr! He tells stories of when he was a wrestler, telling me to Google him and proudly showing his tiger tattoo for verification 😁
To read the story of these 2 men was a real treat and for sure a rollercoaster ride! Within the first 30 pages I had laughed and cried!
I read this book in one day which is very rare for me but I couldn’t put it down, desperate to see where the story would end!
This is a must read for any wrestling fan, especially anyone who was around in 2014-2016!!
After the show we walk over to the White Swan for drinks and I’m excitedly introduced to Earl Black Sr! He tells stories of when he was a wrestler, telling me to Google him and proudly showing his tiger tattoo for verification 😁
To read the story of these 2 men was a real treat and for sure a rollercoaster ride! Within the first 30 pages I had laughed and cried!
I read this book in one day which is very rare for me but I couldn’t put it down, desperate to see where the story would end!
This is a must read for any wrestling fan, especially anyone who was around in 2014-2016!!
April 28, 2025
A terrific book about… so many things… the search for one’s self, for integrity, for authenticity… oh — and about wrestling. I love the irony and the humour that come with the mise-en-abime kind of realisation the author has when he rationalises that he may be inauthentically pursuing a sport in which inauthenticity is key. For me, it was an eye-opener of a book, about wrestling and about the bigger picture within one’s self. Admirable.
May 25, 2023
A tremendous debut and, in my opinion, the first great pro wrestling novel. But it's so much more than that, tackling aspects of masculinity, transformation and family tensions in an autobiographical form that deftly walks the line between fact and fiction. A writer to watch.
April 17, 2024
3.5 stars
This book is all about wrestling - the British version of the WWE. Wes Brown's father was a famous one of these wrestlers and Wes decides to give it a shot. He gets into shape and into the system. The book was entertaining. The "sport" less so.
This book is all about wrestling - the British version of the WWE. Wes Brown's father was a famous one of these wrestlers and Wes decides to give it a shot. He gets into shape and into the system. The book was entertaining. The "sport" less so.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews