Hitman by Hart, Bret [17 January 2009]

by Bret Hart;

Genres: Sports

Hardcover

Reviews

[Lance Cartmell · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Vagabond Odyssey” - Bret
I’ll keep it short but the physical book is probably too dry for anyone to read unless they actually love Bret Hart. Even the audiobook, clocking in at 24 hours, is mind numbingly slow while being read by Bret himself. But if you speed it up to 1.3-1.5 speed the book actually is a fascinating history of the boom in professional wrestling while also a sad truth of the professional lifestyle as a whole especially in the late 80’s to early 90’s. Bret’s career spans from the 70s to the 2000s and the stories he tells are funny, sad, ironic and unfortunately tragic.

[Robert Christophi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great read that has everything from comedy, romance, and heartfelt moments to heartbreak and misery. It takes you on a ride from stampede wrestling final glory days to the hulkamania Era and through the new generation to the beginning of the attitude Era and the death of WCW. It also shows you the life behind the scenes of a wrestler, a husband, a brother, a son, and ultimately a man who has been everywhere and has done it all. It was a very captivating read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've watched alot of Bret Hart documentaries so I knew alot of these soties but I still enjoyed the whole book

[Reyne Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a comprehensive exploration into the life of Bret Hart and his family. I really enjoyed reading a lot of the stories told here, however I have two points of frustration. 1. Is that Bret may have structured this story a little too disproportionately for my liking. The largest section of the story by far is the most boring, that being the pre WWF days. Or the territory days, this is the section where Bret spends the most time discussing his family, but it is also the part of the story I feel shows Bret in his worst light. Too much of this section of the story is him trying to justify his adultery. And I know this was a different time, but I don’t see why he decided to stay with his first wife for as long as he did. It seemed like a really unhealthy relationship and ends as badly as it was. I would have preferred more time with him in the wwf as he skips a lot of stuff especially when it comes to the early attitude era, and I especially disliked how little there was about wcw. I think it’s like 2-3 chapters long out of like 50 chapters. The post wcw stuff just wasn’t interesting at all. Basically much like how Bret hasn’t moved on from the Montreal screw job and his brothers death, the book doesn’t move on either, it just sits there in time and we have to simmer in it.
The other thing I didn’t like was that this book is too long, like way too long. It’s over 500 pages in small text and boy does it get old. I think he adult could have cut out 50-100 pages if he removed every instance of him talking about how a wrestler said he was the best of all time, had a great match or was a good man, and remove even more if he excluded every excruciatingly documented case of adultery in the book. They go from being a flaw of his character to being almost a bragging right. Like, yeah that’s right I fucked a lot of chicks. Also Bret is very high and mighty about his drug use, often making it seem like he thinks he’s better than others because he only took steroids after a knee injury.

The best part of this book though wasn’t bret, but his encounters with the greats of wrestling, whether it be him making Andre laugh with his drawings, Randy and liz looking after his matches at the shows, or him spending time with taker, and the other next gen/attitude legends.

I also especially loved everything with Owen, and him and his story was the heart of this book.

[Ondarious Mateo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essence of a great autobiography is that regardless of whether you end up liking, hating or even respecting the author… after several hundred pages of them essentially talking about themselves, you should really be able to get a sense of who the author is, what their personality is like, and where they are coming from.

In this context, Bret Hart once again proves himself to be: the excellence of execution.

I listen to a lot of his interviews online and people say that he whinges a lot but I get:
Through his eyes, Montreal was his opportunity to finish the story of the Hitman character the way it should have been. One that recognised his body of work, his respect, integrity, ingenuity, the sacrifices he made and the promises that were broken. It’s the story of… and stop me if you’ve heard it before, that person that works their butt off for their boss and really keeps everything together whilst others reap the benefits but that’s okay because you know the boss really sees and values your contribution. And when it’s time for your reward, they screw you!!!

And that stoogery leads to him being kicked in the head and losing the reward that he earned, enduring the shocking death of his brother which he pbly would have stopped if he was there and a huge stroke that changes his life forever.

Bret goes into incredible detail about career, his fractured family relationships, the difficulties he had with his marriage, his infidelities… and of course the whacky world of wrestling. You may like his perspective and opinion on things (I think he’s incredibly fair)… you may think he’s self-absorbed. But if you’ve read this book, you will understand who Bret Hart is and his story shaped him.

[Rey Quraishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitman by Bret Hart is not just a great wrestling book. It is the wrestling autobiography. Honest, detailed, emotional, and brutally real, it goes far beyond what you usually get from celebrity memoirs. This is a deep, personal journey told with sharp memory and raw truth.

Bret takes you inside the wrestling business like no one else ever has. From growing up in the legendary Hart family to traveling the world to becoming a global star in WWE, every chapter feels lived in and unfiltered. He does not hold back when talking about the politics, betrayals, physical toll, and emotional struggles of life in and out of the ring. You feel the highs and you absolutely feel the lows.

What makes it stand above every other wrestling biography is the writing. It is thoughtful and reflective, sometimes heart-breaking, and always grounded in Bret’s sense of pride, loyalty, and identity. He captures the soul of wrestling, the art, the pain, the brotherhood, and the personal cost.

Even if you are not a die-hard fan, this book reads like a life story worth hearing. If you are a fan of wrestling, it is essential. No one has told the truth about the business quite like Bret Hart.

Simply the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be in regards to wrestling autobiographies. Nothing else comes close.

[Ben Rasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend, knowing that I unapologetically remain a wrestling fan, kindly bought this for me a few Christmases ago but, up until now, I was too daunted by the book’s length (550-plus pages) to get started. However, I’m glad I eventually did as this, aside from Hart’s occasional flaunting of some outdated worldviews that are perhaps commonplace in his über masculine industry, is a refreshingly honest retrospective that any fellow fan will enjoy. The Hart family’s impact on the wrestling world is second only to that of the McMahon’s and this is made abundantly clear over the course of this comprehensive autobiography, which covers some major controversies - including the infamous ‘Montreal Screwjob’ and tragic death of Bret’s brother Owen - candidly. Would definitely recommend this to anybody with an interest in the weird, wonderful, and often murky world of professional wrestling.

[Fahd Iqtidar Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like his wrestling career, bret hart delivers big time in his autobiography. As a lifelong wrestling fan it is mesmerizing to walk through the key moments in brets career with such intricate detail and behind the scenes perspective. This books makes your appreciate the risks and tolls of wrestling, the impact that profession has on families and lives and how bret tried to be different from the rest of the wrestlers of his era. This book also depicts what an observant and intelligent mind bret had and it reflected in his wrestling and this writing. For all of Bret Hart fans and wrestling fans in general this is a good book to read. Its nostalgia, tragedy and exclusive behind the scenes information all in one.

[Alex]

Oof.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

best wrestling book out there explains his whole career

[Ross Sturrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best autobiography I have ever read. Phenomenal

[Dalton Lexicon]

To some Bret might seem bitter, but he has every right to be. My goat.