What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hardcore Diaries
A three-time WWE champion shares first-person testimony about competing in the ring, in a personal account that describes one of his most important and challenging matches, his training methods, and some of his more dangerous wrestling stunts.
372 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2007
74 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
About the author
Mick Foley
44 books385 followersMick Foley is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several memoirs, a WWE Hall of Famer, and the author of numerous books for children. He has appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Late Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Good Morning America, Family Feud, Fox News, and has made several appearances on The Today Show. He was featured in a story on ABC’s World News Tonight for his work as an online volunteer with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. Foley was also recognized for his work with RAINN at the famous "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" – where he was awarded the Medal of Reasonableness from "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart. Follow him at @RealMickFoley.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 24, 2013
Mick Foley has gotten old and it shows in this third installment of his memoirs. The rambling style that seemed so engaging and so HIM, that made his first memoir such a joy to read now just seems. . . confused and distracted and maybe a bit bitter and weary. It's still read-able but also very disjointed. While he always rambled, he still kept the picture tight. . . you knew where you were going. Now, well he tends to skip around the timeline so much it gets really confusing. It's supposed to follow his activities in 2006, specifically two "epic" matches and angles he proposed to do and it does do that to some extent but he also jumps around so much that he loses the thread along the way.
There are still some great anecdotes here. Insights into the business as well as the mind of Mick Foley great guy and family man. The passages that deal with his charity work are nice and his political views are interesting but. . . it just kinda clutters up the narrative. I think it might have been better if everything he talked about/wanted to say in this book were presented as a series of essays instead of trying to. . . cram them into some sorta timeline. As a series of essays, all the different things he wants to talk about come off fine. As part of a memoir it just seems awfully, unnecessarily off tangent.
There are still some great anecdotes here. Insights into the business as well as the mind of Mick Foley great guy and family man. The passages that deal with his charity work are nice and his political views are interesting but. . . it just kinda clutters up the narrative. I think it might have been better if everything he talked about/wanted to say in this book were presented as a series of essays instead of trying to. . . cram them into some sorta timeline. As a series of essays, all the different things he wants to talk about come off fine. As part of a memoir it just seems awfully, unnecessarily off tangent.
July 27, 2024
Oof, this was a rough book.
Have a Nice Day, Mick's first autobiography, is definitely one of the best autobiography I've ever read and certainly the best one from a professional wrestler. Despite being such a big fan of that book and of Mick Foley's wrestling career, I was shocked to find out that apparently he's written two more (possibly even more I'm not sure), and this third one being avaliable at my library, I instantly picked it up and dove in.
However, the creative spark that made for gutsy storytelling and gripping writing in Have a Nice Day is somewhat absent from this book. A fact that Foley himself seems to acknowledge much later on in this one. At its core, this book feels like its missing a story, as Mick often rambles off on random tandems and stories that have nothing to do with the core of this book. And the differences in emotional tone between these tandems, whether its pervy, simply uncomfortable stories about his female co-workers that are designed to make you laugh (but are just old pervy jokes that make you feel uncomfortable), or its the very emotional heavy stories of his philanthropist work, gives you such an emotional whiplash that its hard to recover from. he can go from telling a pervy story one second to describing visiting an injured orphan in Iraq who's lost both of his legs due to an IED. I'm certainly not against exploring his philanthropic work, but its just too much emotional whiplash. And seemingly so, the main story here is about the behind the scenes story pitching and workings of a major wrestling promotion. These side stories have no real meaning and often serve as major distractions.
On one hand, this certainly captures the title of this book, as each chapter definitely has a 'diary entry' like feeling to it. This is a book, in a way, that doesn't tell a story but simply provides you on a day to day insight in the working mind of a WWE Legend. Because of which, not all diary entries are going to be good or gripping. They are just that, diary entries.
However, it could be said that this book is the best example of how 'art imitates life', because what Foley is capturing here (On the behind the scenes of WWE bringing back the ECW brand), is one of the most polarizing and confusing moments of major wrestling production. It is well known today that ECW was buried from the start by Vince Mcmahon, as Chris Jericho once put it, "He bought ECW so he could bury it and kill the 'ECW' Chants at WWE shows'. And it shows here, it the constant meddling Vince and others on creative take towards Foley's ideas and pitches regarding the brand. Even the fact that Foley suspects as much, but doesn't ever fully declare that this sabotage is happening, really captures the zeitgeist of this book. It is messy, unclear, confusing, and frustrating. Foley, in much the same way that he loses his spirit to work with WWE, seems to also lose interest in this book. The first half in full of fire and forced joy, that slowly sinks into depression and de-attachment even when not fully aware by the author. Although he does say a couple of times that he feels that he shouldn't have written this book.
But regardless it still makes for a rough entry into Foley's writing. This book, when not creeping me out with its more pervy chapters (I'm sure Foley didn't mean them to come off that way, he was probably trying to be comedic but was waaaaay off the mark and just made his fellow female wrestlers look like objects), is just simply depressing at times. Though it is still an interesting and important work, especially because it captures the personal insights of someone who was there on the ground during this important moment in wrestling history. Those insights alone give this book a three star rating. It is an interesting work of literally art, as it captures the true inside thoughts of a wrestler as he goes through a rough time in his career.
Have a Nice Day, Mick's first autobiography, is definitely one of the best autobiography I've ever read and certainly the best one from a professional wrestler. Despite being such a big fan of that book and of Mick Foley's wrestling career, I was shocked to find out that apparently he's written two more (possibly even more I'm not sure), and this third one being avaliable at my library, I instantly picked it up and dove in.
However, the creative spark that made for gutsy storytelling and gripping writing in Have a Nice Day is somewhat absent from this book. A fact that Foley himself seems to acknowledge much later on in this one. At its core, this book feels like its missing a story, as Mick often rambles off on random tandems and stories that have nothing to do with the core of this book. And the differences in emotional tone between these tandems, whether its pervy, simply uncomfortable stories about his female co-workers that are designed to make you laugh (but are just old pervy jokes that make you feel uncomfortable), or its the very emotional heavy stories of his philanthropist work, gives you such an emotional whiplash that its hard to recover from. he can go from telling a pervy story one second to describing visiting an injured orphan in Iraq who's lost both of his legs due to an IED. I'm certainly not against exploring his philanthropic work, but its just too much emotional whiplash. And seemingly so, the main story here is about the behind the scenes story pitching and workings of a major wrestling promotion. These side stories have no real meaning and often serve as major distractions.
On one hand, this certainly captures the title of this book, as each chapter definitely has a 'diary entry' like feeling to it. This is a book, in a way, that doesn't tell a story but simply provides you on a day to day insight in the working mind of a WWE Legend. Because of which, not all diary entries are going to be good or gripping. They are just that, diary entries.
However, it could be said that this book is the best example of how 'art imitates life', because what Foley is capturing here (On the behind the scenes of WWE bringing back the ECW brand), is one of the most polarizing and confusing moments of major wrestling production. It is well known today that ECW was buried from the start by Vince Mcmahon, as Chris Jericho once put it, "He bought ECW so he could bury it and kill the 'ECW' Chants at WWE shows'. And it shows here, it the constant meddling Vince and others on creative take towards Foley's ideas and pitches regarding the brand. Even the fact that Foley suspects as much, but doesn't ever fully declare that this sabotage is happening, really captures the zeitgeist of this book. It is messy, unclear, confusing, and frustrating. Foley, in much the same way that he loses his spirit to work with WWE, seems to also lose interest in this book. The first half in full of fire and forced joy, that slowly sinks into depression and de-attachment even when not fully aware by the author. Although he does say a couple of times that he feels that he shouldn't have written this book.
But regardless it still makes for a rough entry into Foley's writing. This book, when not creeping me out with its more pervy chapters (I'm sure Foley didn't mean them to come off that way, he was probably trying to be comedic but was waaaaay off the mark and just made his fellow female wrestlers look like objects), is just simply depressing at times. Though it is still an interesting and important work, especially because it captures the personal insights of someone who was there on the ground during this important moment in wrestling history. Those insights alone give this book a three star rating. It is an interesting work of literally art, as it captures the true inside thoughts of a wrestler as he goes through a rough time in his career.
May 26, 2023
I’ve heard his other books are better but I enjoyed this one. Fell into a reading slump so it took me a while to finish. Hopefully I’m out of it now.
July 27, 2023
not great - some interesting bits but it’s not much material stretched too thin.
August 23, 2019
Es el primer libro que leo relacionado con la lucha libre, y como muchos saben Mick Foley tiene el talento y la imaginación para crear historias, y este libro nos cuenta como fue que desarrolló varios de los guiones para la WWE, por esa parte le doy 5 estrellas, pero por otro lado hay varios capítulos sobre su vida personal que me parecieron bastante cursis y un tanto repetitivas, sobre esto le doy 1 estrella.
March 13, 2015
“The Hardcore Diaries” by Mick Foley, published by World Wrestling Entertainment.
Category – Sports/Wrestling Publication Date – April 01, 2008
Mick Foley is a breath of fresh air, not only for the wrestling fans but for one who enjoys an entertaining and honest autobiography. Actually this is Foley’s third autobiography. His first two books, “Mankind, Have A Nice Day” and “Foley Is Good, And The Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling”, both were on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Foley makes no qualms about wrestling being an entertainment industry and that matches are predetermined. He also makes no qualms about the blood being real, not blood capsules or ketchup, and broken bones. Foley should know, he has probably shed more blood than any other wrestler. He has been involved with matches that included both barbed wire and fire. He has taken some incredible falls and if proof is needed just Google You Tube Mick Foley Hell in a Cell Undertaker.
I am not a fan of Professional Wrestling and only became acquainted with Mick due to a friend constantly badgering me to view his DVD, “Mankind”. I was completely taken in by his devotion to his “sport”, his honesty, and his life outside of wrestling. He is a devoted husband and father and is involved in several charities.
Although I found “The Hardcore Diaries” somewhat of a let down from his first two books, it still is an interesting and worthwhile read.
Category – Sports/Wrestling Publication Date – April 01, 2008
Mick Foley is a breath of fresh air, not only for the wrestling fans but for one who enjoys an entertaining and honest autobiography. Actually this is Foley’s third autobiography. His first two books, “Mankind, Have A Nice Day” and “Foley Is Good, And The Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling”, both were on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Foley makes no qualms about wrestling being an entertainment industry and that matches are predetermined. He also makes no qualms about the blood being real, not blood capsules or ketchup, and broken bones. Foley should know, he has probably shed more blood than any other wrestler. He has been involved with matches that included both barbed wire and fire. He has taken some incredible falls and if proof is needed just Google You Tube Mick Foley Hell in a Cell Undertaker.
I am not a fan of Professional Wrestling and only became acquainted with Mick due to a friend constantly badgering me to view his DVD, “Mankind”. I was completely taken in by his devotion to his “sport”, his honesty, and his life outside of wrestling. He is a devoted husband and father and is involved in several charities.
Although I found “The Hardcore Diaries” somewhat of a let down from his first two books, it still is an interesting and worthwhile read.
November 8, 2015
Not as good as the first two. I still think it's ok, it still has Mick Foley's tone and writing style, except in this book he tends to ramble more and loses the main point he's trying to say. Whether it's intentional or not, I just didn't have the feel for it. I read another review that surmises it might have been better if Mick wrote this book in a form of essay/chapters, maybe like what Anthony Bourdain did in his books. I would have to agree with that suggestion, it's definitely more suited to Mick's writing style.
Not as much wrestling anecdotes and back stories as his previous two books but it's still pretty good. My personal favorite is Candice Michelle's spot on assessment of Shawn Michael being a handshake guy as opposed to hugs.
If you're a wrestling fan then the book offers a look on how a wrestling angle comes into fruition. The way you have to sell it to Vince, then the writing staff and the wrestlers you'll be involving into the angle. The revisions it'll undergo and the possible scenario that it'll be canceled without any good reason. Mick does a good job of venting his frustrations on the whole process and it'll certainly make you appreciate just how much work goes into an angle, whether it sucks or draws money.
There are a lot more wrestling autobiographies I'd rather recommend for the ones who are just starting out. I don't need to convince the more seasoned ones since they'll most likely read this anyway on their own volition.
Not as much wrestling anecdotes and back stories as his previous two books but it's still pretty good. My personal favorite is Candice Michelle's spot on assessment of Shawn Michael being a handshake guy as opposed to hugs.
If you're a wrestling fan then the book offers a look on how a wrestling angle comes into fruition. The way you have to sell it to Vince, then the writing staff and the wrestlers you'll be involving into the angle. The revisions it'll undergo and the possible scenario that it'll be canceled without any good reason. Mick does a good job of venting his frustrations on the whole process and it'll certainly make you appreciate just how much work goes into an angle, whether it sucks or draws money.
There are a lot more wrestling autobiographies I'd rather recommend for the ones who are just starting out. I don't need to convince the more seasoned ones since they'll most likely read this anyway on their own volition.
February 8, 2020
Foley's third (!) autobiography is a mixed experience.
On one hand, it accomplishes its stated goal - offering a rare insight into the creative process behind a wrestling storyline. Despite having read a number of wrestling books, this level of insight was new to me.
On the other, it's a tough slog to get through at times. Foley's ramblings are not mere scenic detours, but complete derailments. Having not followed wrestling in this period, I found myself lost several times as he jumped back and forth between stories. Many of these feel like mere padding.
His writing style is particularly grating; the attempts at humour are not merely witless, but often recycled from his previous books - he acknowledges this several times, but there are plenty more instances.
The editing is also rather sloppy; it's littered with typos.
If you don't mind getting through the poor parts with gritted teeth, there's enough to make it a worthwhile read.
On one hand, it accomplishes its stated goal - offering a rare insight into the creative process behind a wrestling storyline. Despite having read a number of wrestling books, this level of insight was new to me.
On the other, it's a tough slog to get through at times. Foley's ramblings are not mere scenic detours, but complete derailments. Having not followed wrestling in this period, I found myself lost several times as he jumped back and forth between stories. Many of these feel like mere padding.
His writing style is particularly grating; the attempts at humour are not merely witless, but often recycled from his previous books - he acknowledges this several times, but there are plenty more instances.
The editing is also rather sloppy; it's littered with typos.
If you don't mind getting through the poor parts with gritted teeth, there's enough to make it a worthwhile read.
January 2, 2019
Hey Mick,
Book #3 is no walk in the park, but this one spent more time lost in the woods than Bill Bryson.
I may be alone here but this book was scattered to say the least. IN fairness I enjoy the writing style, musings, and overall direction the book delivered as promised from the onset. Foley openly admitted he wasn't sure how to tackle another book and his hesitation to use his Blog posts to bolster (nearly 30% i think) of the content of this book. We went from "I want to pitch this ___ " all the way to Fruition so i'll give you 3 stars and spend 2 minutes listing some likes/dislikes and call it a day (not a "nice day...")
Liked-
Behind scenes, honesty, touching stories about visiting less fortunate and our military.
Family struggles/religion/setbacks
Response to other books/backlash from other wrestlers (i.e. Ric Flair's autobio, the Rock and other wrestlers who went on record at times anti-Foley)
Humility in what he can/can't do for Wrestling and how he plays a role on the team
Conversations with Vince and modeling how to 'agree to disagree' and move on professionally.
Disliked-
Organization, rabbit hole digressions, tangents that not only "didnt' fit" but also dead ended and distracted from completing his thought. He excuses this by literally writing "what was i saying... i've had too many concussions..." but after the 10th time it's a cop out.
Moral vs Immoral (objective obviously) sentiments sharing the same pages THROUGHOUT
Constant Christy Canyon references and this whole 'what if'... lewd stories where I don't think you needed any of it. You did her interview. Cool. no need to revisit it or insert a story about asking a hitchhiker to hook up with her boyfriend asleep in the backseat while you drove... just no need in my opinion.
more likes than dislikes, but compared to his other books this is sub par. Compared to other BIO worthy writings... read only if you have some time to kill and want to read SOMETHING. If I'd read this over the span of 2 months instead of 2 weeks I'm pretty sure I would have happily returned it after only 25% to the library without attempting to renew it.
Book #3 is no walk in the park, but this one spent more time lost in the woods than Bill Bryson.
I may be alone here but this book was scattered to say the least. IN fairness I enjoy the writing style, musings, and overall direction the book delivered as promised from the onset. Foley openly admitted he wasn't sure how to tackle another book and his hesitation to use his Blog posts to bolster (nearly 30% i think) of the content of this book. We went from "I want to pitch this ___ " all the way to Fruition so i'll give you 3 stars and spend 2 minutes listing some likes/dislikes and call it a day (not a "nice day...")
Liked-
Behind scenes, honesty, touching stories about visiting less fortunate and our military.
Family struggles/religion/setbacks
Response to other books/backlash from other wrestlers (i.e. Ric Flair's autobio, the Rock and other wrestlers who went on record at times anti-Foley)
Humility in what he can/can't do for Wrestling and how he plays a role on the team
Conversations with Vince and modeling how to 'agree to disagree' and move on professionally.
Disliked-
Organization, rabbit hole digressions, tangents that not only "didnt' fit" but also dead ended and distracted from completing his thought. He excuses this by literally writing "what was i saying... i've had too many concussions..." but after the 10th time it's a cop out.
Moral vs Immoral (objective obviously) sentiments sharing the same pages THROUGHOUT
Constant Christy Canyon references and this whole 'what if'... lewd stories where I don't think you needed any of it. You did her interview. Cool. no need to revisit it or insert a story about asking a hitchhiker to hook up with her boyfriend asleep in the backseat while you drove... just no need in my opinion.
more likes than dislikes, but compared to his other books this is sub par. Compared to other BIO worthy writings... read only if you have some time to kill and want to read SOMETHING. If I'd read this over the span of 2 months instead of 2 weeks I'm pretty sure I would have happily returned it after only 25% to the library without attempting to renew it.
April 16, 2019
This was a book that my husband picked from the library and to make sure that he tried to read it I chose to read it along with him. After about not even a hundred pages I could tell that he wasn't going to finish it and it was left to me if we were to say the book had been read.
Not being a wrestling fan I barely know anything about the man let alone any of his wrestling promos . The only thing I do know is that Mankind and Socko did show up on Boy Meets World towards the end while that was only since I made my husband re-watch the whole series with me just recently. As a result this book did give me a bit more information on how the world of WWE works, the thoughts of one of its entertainers and most of all how much work it can take to get an idea off the ground. Whether the McMahons are more decent people than they ever pretend to be seems to still be up in the air for Mick Foley would sing their praises at one point and than gripe around them the next plus their own actions.
You can tell that Mick isn't an author by any vocational training but his writing is still genuine at least for him. And although there is sometimes no direction everything comes back around to click even if it takes a while to make the connection. The only other thing about his writing in general is that this isn't an autobiography but more a memoir but who is really looking into the details.
Furthermore even for the book being so big there are a lot of pictures whether they are black-and-white or the colored collection in the center. These are followed by captions for the most part giving the reader an idea who is being shown or when the picture was taken. And yes the pictures can be quite as random as the writing itself.
All in all the writing was slow and didn't really hold my attention but then again I am not a fan of it. There were some slightly deep parts, some educational parts and definitely family moments but at the same time the book is definitely PG13. For those who like the man it can make for a good read but otherwise I don't know who else would want to read it.
Not being a wrestling fan I barely know anything about the man let alone any of his wrestling promos . The only thing I do know is that Mankind and Socko did show up on Boy Meets World towards the end while that was only since I made my husband re-watch the whole series with me just recently. As a result this book did give me a bit more information on how the world of WWE works, the thoughts of one of its entertainers and most of all how much work it can take to get an idea off the ground. Whether the McMahons are more decent people than they ever pretend to be seems to still be up in the air for Mick Foley would sing their praises at one point and than gripe around them the next plus their own actions.
You can tell that Mick isn't an author by any vocational training but his writing is still genuine at least for him. And although there is sometimes no direction everything comes back around to click even if it takes a while to make the connection. The only other thing about his writing in general is that this isn't an autobiography but more a memoir but who is really looking into the details.
Furthermore even for the book being so big there are a lot of pictures whether they are black-and-white or the colored collection in the center. These are followed by captions for the most part giving the reader an idea who is being shown or when the picture was taken. And yes the pictures can be quite as random as the writing itself.
All in all the writing was slow and didn't really hold my attention but then again I am not a fan of it. There were some slightly deep parts, some educational parts and definitely family moments but at the same time the book is definitely PG13. For those who like the man it can make for a good read but otherwise I don't know who else would want to read it.
August 8, 2021
As with Mick's previous memoir, Foley Is Good, I'm noticing a trend of readers frustrated with Mick's habit of seemingly going off topic, jumping into a somewhat random subject about which he's passionate, and THEN returning to his wrestling-related shenanigans.
I wholeheartedly understand this criticism.
(It's exactly how I felt halfway through Foley Is Good)
But as with Foley Is Good, I began to understand and appreciate Foley's penchant for side-stories. The Hardcore Diaries benefits tremendously from Foley's many, MANY narrative explorations of his never-ending charity work, his relationship with children (Divas and Ric Flair included), his relationship with American politics and political figures, and the insecurities that weigh heavily on the shoulders of our beloved hardcore muppet.
It's called depth.
Understanding the narrative arc (Foley pitches idea ⇢ idea is diluted by writers & Vince ⇢ Foley feels betrayed yet responsible to right the wrongs ⇢ Foley compromises in search for the common goal of creating something meaningful) is made even more meaningful when Foley allows his readers to share in his insecurities and vulnerabilities. Of course Vince doesn't understand the power of Mick walking away from a fight with Randy Orton. "Nuance" might as well be a burrito to VKM.
But the more we learn about the fire that burns inside of Foley – the never-ending charity work, his passionate belief in empathy, the disappointment he feels for his coworkers when they continuously fail to reciprocate the same kindness – the more the narrative arc weighs on OUR shoulders, too.
Maybe it's the journaling format, but compared to Foley Is Good, The Hardcore Diaries is far more focused and efficient with the overall story.
I'm excited to read Countdown to Lockdown!
(Anyone else feels Mick seems a little too fixated on the WWE Divas? Thou doth protest too much, Mr. Foley?)
I wholeheartedly understand this criticism.
(It's exactly how I felt halfway through Foley Is Good)
But as with Foley Is Good, I began to understand and appreciate Foley's penchant for side-stories. The Hardcore Diaries benefits tremendously from Foley's many, MANY narrative explorations of his never-ending charity work, his relationship with children (Divas and Ric Flair included), his relationship with American politics and political figures, and the insecurities that weigh heavily on the shoulders of our beloved hardcore muppet.
It's called depth.
Understanding the narrative arc (Foley pitches idea ⇢ idea is diluted by writers & Vince ⇢ Foley feels betrayed yet responsible to right the wrongs ⇢ Foley compromises in search for the common goal of creating something meaningful) is made even more meaningful when Foley allows his readers to share in his insecurities and vulnerabilities. Of course Vince doesn't understand the power of Mick walking away from a fight with Randy Orton. "Nuance" might as well be a burrito to VKM.
But the more we learn about the fire that burns inside of Foley – the never-ending charity work, his passionate belief in empathy, the disappointment he feels for his coworkers when they continuously fail to reciprocate the same kindness – the more the narrative arc weighs on OUR shoulders, too.
Maybe it's the journaling format, but compared to Foley Is Good, The Hardcore Diaries is far more focused and efficient with the overall story.
I'm excited to read Countdown to Lockdown!
(Anyone else feels Mick seems a little too fixated on the WWE Divas? Thou doth protest too much, Mr. Foley?)
June 7, 2021
This is Mick Foley's third memoir/autobiography telling about his life in professional wrestling. I would rate it between Have a Nice Day and Foley is Good in terms of quality. I think after reading it Foley might also rate it at that level. This is the somewhat rambling story of a few months in Foley's career after he retired from full time performance. Most of the times he rambles into another area it is good and informative, but sometimes it takes away from the story he is trying to tell. This hurt my enjoyment at times. It was an easy read and many of the chapters flowed well into one another, but sometimes a chapter would be taken up by a remembrance from the past that I had a hard time placing when it occurred and what the purpose of the story was in the grand scheme of the entire work this time
June 29, 2025
I adore Mick Foley, I'll start with that. I think he's hilarious, thoughtful, compassionate and sweet. I love his literary voice; I can hear him speaking so clearly in my head when I read one of his books. He's just so himself on the page.
And that's also the biggest issue here. Foley says it himself in the book: he's not a writer, he's a wrestler who writes. So while I very much enjoy his writing, I enjoy hearing about all of the WWE BTS drama and I enjoy his far more artistic view of the profession than most wrestlers have, he does ramble on and on.
TBH, if you've read one Mick Foley autobiography, you've read them all. He's a delight, he's a genius in the ring, and I am a big fan, but I didn't need to read this. Don't get me wrong, I had a ton of fun reading this, it just didn't amount to a whole lot once I reached the end.
And that's also the biggest issue here. Foley says it himself in the book: he's not a writer, he's a wrestler who writes. So while I very much enjoy his writing, I enjoy hearing about all of the WWE BTS drama and I enjoy his far more artistic view of the profession than most wrestlers have, he does ramble on and on.
TBH, if you've read one Mick Foley autobiography, you've read them all. He's a delight, he's a genius in the ring, and I am a big fan, but I didn't need to read this. Don't get me wrong, I had a ton of fun reading this, it just didn't amount to a whole lot once I reached the end.
January 20, 2019
It's taken me a while to pick this one up but me and my other half started watching old wwe shows so I figured it was time!
I actually really liked it, I enjoyed micks writing style it for with the diary style entries were he is rambling but I often enjoyed the walks down memory lane he took.
I expected this book to be a lot of wrestling memories and I did enjoy the way scenes I remember seeing on screen were really brought together behind the scenes. But I mostly.enjoyed micks more personal stories of his family and friends and the different things he is involved in helping people.
I was already a huge mick Foley fan as a.true hard-core wrestler but after reading this book in also more of a fan of the man mick Foley instead of just the legend.
I actually really liked it, I enjoyed micks writing style it for with the diary style entries were he is rambling but I often enjoyed the walks down memory lane he took.
I expected this book to be a lot of wrestling memories and I did enjoy the way scenes I remember seeing on screen were really brought together behind the scenes. But I mostly.enjoyed micks more personal stories of his family and friends and the different things he is involved in helping people.
I was already a huge mick Foley fan as a.true hard-core wrestler but after reading this book in also more of a fan of the man mick Foley instead of just the legend.
October 24, 2022
Mick Foley's third memoir is incredibly different in tone than his first two - while he detailed his rise to fame and felt forever indebted to the WWE for giving him many opportunities, even defending the company's criticisms for entire chapters, this one is tired, frustrated, and fed up with the WWE system. A burnt out older Foley is more jaded in his writing style, brash and blunt in describing the ridiculous creative hardships that the Vince regime insisted on - it's interesting that a WWE published book is so critical of its process done for decades, but is refreshing to see Foley offer a different perspective. Written throughout the periods of 2004 to mid-2006, the book mainly chronicles the creative process and frustration behind Foley's tag team bout at ECW One Night Stand 2006, a bold and flawed decision to center the book primarily around a singular match and its buildup. He does touch upon his feuds with Ric Flair and Randy Orton briefly, but this book is pretty much the making of Foley's thoughts on the match's buildup. The Hardcore Diaries' formatting is its own worst enemy. Foley mastered how to jump between old stories, family life, and his career in his first two books, but here he tends to be a bit rambly and gets caught off track often. Often too little or too much time is spent on one topic, then we jump back to the ECW parts. This one is also different in the fact that it's written in the form of real time diary entries rather than chapters, neat in concept but ultimately his former writing styles suits him better. Foley still keeps his comedic wit, charm, and likability, but The Hardcore Diaries suffers from off kilter formatting and a rambly writing style that pales in comparison to his previous releases.
July 18, 2023
This one was not as good as Have A Nice Day. Mick Foley has a big heart and I shows. The stories of the kids he visits, the wounded soldiers he sees, the other wrestlers he tries to get over, the old friends he talks about, and the genuine feelings of hurt and betrayal at the hands of other wrestlers and the business underscores it time and time again.
I didn't enjoy his political comments because they don't align with mine, but I do respect him for standing up for them. It's hard for someone famous to do so 20 years ago when you would alienate many of your fans.
I did like his honest talks and comments about religion and his belief in God. It's refreshing.
I didn't enjoy his political comments because they don't align with mine, but I do respect him for standing up for them. It's hard for someone famous to do so 20 years ago when you would alienate many of your fans.
I did like his honest talks and comments about religion and his belief in God. It's refreshing.
August 11, 2025
As brilliant as Foley’s first couple of books were, and as interesting as the diary concept following his 2006 WWE run was… it was ultimately quite a disappointment.
Huge focus on Melina- which despite Foley’s assertions to the contrary, came off incredibly creepy. Then much of the book was dedicated to his charitable endeavours. In itself, that would be okay, but along with his general creepiness towards women, came across as a lot of self back-patting, saying, “I’m a good person, honest.”
And finally, the jarring time jumps between events really threw me off. Is it too much to ask a book in diary format to be in more of a chronological order?
Huge focus on Melina- which despite Foley’s assertions to the contrary, came off incredibly creepy. Then much of the book was dedicated to his charitable endeavours. In itself, that would be okay, but along with his general creepiness towards women, came across as a lot of self back-patting, saying, “I’m a good person, honest.”
And finally, the jarring time jumps between events really threw me off. Is it too much to ask a book in diary format to be in more of a chronological order?
February 6, 2015
Supposedly, at the tender age of around 20, Wayne Rooney signed a deal to provide his autobiography in three volumes. Quite how interesting the next one is going to be given that he's spent most of the following year getting injured is anyone's guess. By contrast, Mick Foley has published a third volume of his autobiography, after reaching his forties. Admittedly, he has also spent quite a long time in his career being injured, but he's managed to get a far wider range of injuries.
I've followed Mick Foley's career as both wrestler and writer, seeing both the highs and the lows. He has won titles, lost titles and produced an autobiography I found impossible to put down, as well as a second part which wasn't nearly as good and felt a little forced. How would he manage the third time around; both in terms of autobiographies and in wrestling comebacks?
"The Hardcore Diaries" is more a biography of a wrestling storyline than it is of the wrestler himself. After a little while out of wrestling, Foley approaches his boss with an idea, both for a wrestling storyline and for another book. Foley is sure that his idea for the wrestling will work, but wonders how people will approach yet another book, especially as it's not the first time he has done something like this?
As it turns out, the basic idea for the book is actually fresher than the idea for the wrestling. The wrestling angle pitches him back into the hardcore style of wrestling - hence the title - an area where he made his name. It also pits him up against Terry Funk, an old friend and opponent of Foley's and a man whose name featured prominently in many sections of Foley's first autobiography, "Have a Nice Day".
The idea for the book, however, is based around a diary - hence the rest of the title - so that some of the entries can be phrased as if they were diary entries. As Foley was already writing a fairly regular column for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) website at the time, these diary entries could then be interspersed with reprints of these columns. After all, even when he wasn't wrestling, Mick Foley tended to be heavily involved in WWE activities outside the ring. So he could write about himself and WWE at the same time and it would, he thought, make for a decent book.
I thought so as well and I was proved correct, although not in the way I thought. Over the last few years I have spent a lot of time without access to Sky Sports and so have very much lost touch with what has been going on in WWE. This meant that for the first time in a Foley autobiography, he was talking about wrestling matches and angles that I wasn't already familiar with, although many of the names seem to have remained the same since I was last watching regularly. I did find that this left me feeling further removed and less involved in that part of things than I have done before with Foley's books.
The rest of the book does make up for this, however. There is more to the life of the average wrestler than just travelling around the US and occasionally to other countries and throwing yourself around a ring for the amusement of others. Foley is involved with sponsoring orphans and visiting sick children and soldiers and the whole of the WWE are very supportive of American troops and various charities both in the US and overseas. Thanks to Foley being on the spot during all these activities, we get a behind the scenes look at them and thanks to Foley's simple writing style I found myself constantly wanting to read all about the next one, even knowing that there was a chance I wouldn't be as involved as with his previous works.
Despite not being as gripping, this is certainly better than the second autobiography, "Foley Is Good". There is a slight preoccupation with his new (at the time of writing the book) novel "Scooter", which gets mentioned frequently enough for it to seem like a little sneaky advertising, but as that book is already on my "to read" pile, that didn't bother me too much. This time around Foley's writing is more fluid and he doesn't descend into lists of things like he did last time out and there isn't the feeling that he's straining to fit the diary concept he's using like he seemed to be squeezing things into the "real world is faker than wrestling" theory last time around.
I did enjoy the book, but more for the insight into the wrestlers as people and celebrities rather than them all as wrestlers, which came as a bit of a surprise. But Foley is always readable and isn't afraid to criticise his WWE bosses when he disagrees with them, which is refreshing as well as unusual for a company that size.
If you've followed wrestling for the last few years and remember Foley's recent battles with Terry Funk, then you'll almost certainly enjoy this book as Foley puts a human face on the in ring bloodshed and describes it as if it's his passion; which to be fair, it probably is. If you've been a wrestling fan in the past and like Foley, you'll find you enjoy this in the same way as I did; slightly detached from parts of it, but still able to enjoy Foley's warmth of character and writing. If you're not a wrestling fan, I really wouldn't bother as no matter how much they talk about the work they do outside the ring and outside the arena, they're still wrestlers and I suspect that would be enough of a turn off to prevent you enjoying the book.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
I've followed Mick Foley's career as both wrestler and writer, seeing both the highs and the lows. He has won titles, lost titles and produced an autobiography I found impossible to put down, as well as a second part which wasn't nearly as good and felt a little forced. How would he manage the third time around; both in terms of autobiographies and in wrestling comebacks?
"The Hardcore Diaries" is more a biography of a wrestling storyline than it is of the wrestler himself. After a little while out of wrestling, Foley approaches his boss with an idea, both for a wrestling storyline and for another book. Foley is sure that his idea for the wrestling will work, but wonders how people will approach yet another book, especially as it's not the first time he has done something like this?
As it turns out, the basic idea for the book is actually fresher than the idea for the wrestling. The wrestling angle pitches him back into the hardcore style of wrestling - hence the title - an area where he made his name. It also pits him up against Terry Funk, an old friend and opponent of Foley's and a man whose name featured prominently in many sections of Foley's first autobiography, "Have a Nice Day".
The idea for the book, however, is based around a diary - hence the rest of the title - so that some of the entries can be phrased as if they were diary entries. As Foley was already writing a fairly regular column for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) website at the time, these diary entries could then be interspersed with reprints of these columns. After all, even when he wasn't wrestling, Mick Foley tended to be heavily involved in WWE activities outside the ring. So he could write about himself and WWE at the same time and it would, he thought, make for a decent book.
I thought so as well and I was proved correct, although not in the way I thought. Over the last few years I have spent a lot of time without access to Sky Sports and so have very much lost touch with what has been going on in WWE. This meant that for the first time in a Foley autobiography, he was talking about wrestling matches and angles that I wasn't already familiar with, although many of the names seem to have remained the same since I was last watching regularly. I did find that this left me feeling further removed and less involved in that part of things than I have done before with Foley's books.
The rest of the book does make up for this, however. There is more to the life of the average wrestler than just travelling around the US and occasionally to other countries and throwing yourself around a ring for the amusement of others. Foley is involved with sponsoring orphans and visiting sick children and soldiers and the whole of the WWE are very supportive of American troops and various charities both in the US and overseas. Thanks to Foley being on the spot during all these activities, we get a behind the scenes look at them and thanks to Foley's simple writing style I found myself constantly wanting to read all about the next one, even knowing that there was a chance I wouldn't be as involved as with his previous works.
Despite not being as gripping, this is certainly better than the second autobiography, "Foley Is Good". There is a slight preoccupation with his new (at the time of writing the book) novel "Scooter", which gets mentioned frequently enough for it to seem like a little sneaky advertising, but as that book is already on my "to read" pile, that didn't bother me too much. This time around Foley's writing is more fluid and he doesn't descend into lists of things like he did last time out and there isn't the feeling that he's straining to fit the diary concept he's using like he seemed to be squeezing things into the "real world is faker than wrestling" theory last time around.
I did enjoy the book, but more for the insight into the wrestlers as people and celebrities rather than them all as wrestlers, which came as a bit of a surprise. But Foley is always readable and isn't afraid to criticise his WWE bosses when he disagrees with them, which is refreshing as well as unusual for a company that size.
If you've followed wrestling for the last few years and remember Foley's recent battles with Terry Funk, then you'll almost certainly enjoy this book as Foley puts a human face on the in ring bloodshed and describes it as if it's his passion; which to be fair, it probably is. If you've been a wrestling fan in the past and like Foley, you'll find you enjoy this in the same way as I did; slightly detached from parts of it, but still able to enjoy Foley's warmth of character and writing. If you're not a wrestling fan, I really wouldn't bother as no matter how much they talk about the work they do outside the ring and outside the arena, they're still wrestlers and I suspect that would be enough of a turn off to prevent you enjoying the book.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
March 18, 2019
It won't go down as a classic l, even in the wrestling books field, and is probably the worst weakest of Foley's books but it was incredibly insightful into the Backstage politics and inner workings of the creative side that keeps the wrestling machine running. I wasn't that into some of the sections covering sports and politics and some of the writing on the "divas" can be a bit tiring and teenage sounding BUT Mick is a great author and I found it very interesting, might be lost on the casual fan though, this is solely for the wrestling nerds.
March 4, 2022
Glorious in its cheese. Made even better for its rampant imperfections. Mick Foley is a delightful storyteller and an inspiring human being. You will laugh. You will commiserate. You will be grossed out. You will be inspired to start volunteering. You will go back and watch three or four matches again. And by “you will” I mean “I was.” Sometimes I give a book fewer stars than it maybe deserves because it wasn’t what I’d hoped. I have this one more than it deserved because it was just so much fun to read.
May 29, 2023
A light and frothy read, detailing Mick Foley’s attempts to get an angle pitched to Vince MacMahon, and to work out how to set it up and promote it properly, all over a couple of month period. This is interspersed with details of Foley’s daily life and his thoughts on things ranging from politics to faith, charity, war, and much more. Foley comes off as a really good guy in these journal entries (he IS writing them after all!) and a competent writer. I love the behind the scenes stuff, and Foley is very forthright about his thoughts on the WWE business and some of the characters within it.
August 25, 2024
I liked this book more than Foley Is Good. It covers the time period where Mick Foley was preparing to team up with Edge to face Terry Funk and Tommy Dreams at ECW’s second One Night Stand Pay Per View. There are a ton of great behind-the-scenes stories involving all of the politics and changes the WWE and Vince McMahon make on a day to day and week to week basis. I found the book to be very honest, funny, and revealing.
June 16, 2019
What’s excellent about the book is that you can see how a wrestling angle is developed from beginning to end which is fascinating however it does often divert into tangents which, while sometimes entertaining, can be wildly off topic.
I love Mick Foley so for me to spend more time with him and inside his head is great but this one is maybe just for the die hards.
I love Mick Foley so for me to spend more time with him and inside his head is great but this one is maybe just for the die hards.
August 8, 2018
This is my least favorite Mick Foley book, at this point Mick's stories seemed redundant and like this was just going to be a paycheck. I will eventually give it another go, but I don't have very high hopes of liking it any better the second time around.
May 4, 2023
Works cause it Foley and most who read this are already fans but too much of the book feels like a Tazz I digress moment, interesting, even charming and touching but too much ranting and it's clear that Foley was somewhat burnout or tired through it.
January 17, 2025
Indeed, as many reviews here, a bit too much random rambling, but it's kinda expected, given the format of the book - "a diary". Still, enjoyed it enough to enter the world of wrestling and read a bit about some of my favorites through the years.
June 9, 2017
Not bad. Covers a much smaller time span in much more detail than previous books. He'd really like you to know he doesn't like George Bush.
August 27, 2018
Good stories.
September 8, 2022
I read all of his books, they are a lot of fun. He tells stories of life on the road, without embarrassing or humiliating his coworkers. He pokes fun at them, but isn't malicious.
January 27, 2024
very few books make me literally laugh out loud or tear up. it was a refreshing surprise. this is the first book i read from Mick so I look forward to getting his other works.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews