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The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling
Grantland and Deadspin correspondent presents a breakthrough examination of the professional wrestling, its history, its fans, and its wider cultural impact that does for the sport what Chuck Klosterman did for heavy metal.
The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker’s writing for Deadspin, where he started the column “Dead Wrestler of the Week” (which boasts over 1 million page views) -- a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to -- and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro wrestling world, and its place in the pop culture mainstream. Shoemaker’s sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who—like him—grew up worshipping a sport often derided as “fake” in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world.
Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is the first book to acknowledge both the sport’s broader significance and wrestling fans’ keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period’s preeminent wrestlers, and the sport’s influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art.
Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence—but also offering a compelling look at the sport’s rightful place in pop culture—The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.
The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker’s writing for Deadspin, where he started the column “Dead Wrestler of the Week” (which boasts over 1 million page views) -- a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to -- and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro wrestling world, and its place in the pop culture mainstream. Shoemaker’s sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who—like him—grew up worshipping a sport often derided as “fake” in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world.
Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is the first book to acknowledge both the sport’s broader significance and wrestling fans’ keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period’s preeminent wrestlers, and the sport’s influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art.
Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence—but also offering a compelling look at the sport’s rightful place in pop culture—The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
November 7, 2013
As a wrestling fan, it can be difficult to find intelligent wrestling commentary. I became familiar with The Masked Man, aka David Shoemaker, mainly through his work at Grantland, and have always found him to be an interesting and thought provoking read on the subject.
There is a lot of interesting history and stories in the book. However, I think it suffers from the format. Chapters focus on a particular wrestler, similar to his Dead Wrestler of the Week columns, but as a result, there's a lot of repeated material as the histories of various wrestlers intersect. This is fine for columns that stand by themselves, but in a book, it becomes off-putting. Since it's all told from a third party perspective, there isn't much gained from hearing the same story in a different context.
I think, to some degree, the book would be improved if it cut the number of wrestlers it focused on, and went longer form on a small number. Andre the Giant may be the last person who is as much legend as reality. People spinning yarns about Andre the Giant is probably a very good book unto itself, but here he's just the guy between Junkyard Dog and Lou Albano (that's a little unfair: Andre is never "just the guy" to a wrestling fan and Shoemaker is no different. But it illustrates the point). I don't mean to say either in particular should have been cut, but I don't think thought was given to the fact including more wrestlers implicitly cut the attention given to any individual.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would be eager to have more by Shoemaker. I'm somewhat critical only because there is so little quality content on the subject, and I know what he's capable of delivering. Any wrestling fan should definitely pick this one up.
There is a lot of interesting history and stories in the book. However, I think it suffers from the format. Chapters focus on a particular wrestler, similar to his Dead Wrestler of the Week columns, but as a result, there's a lot of repeated material as the histories of various wrestlers intersect. This is fine for columns that stand by themselves, but in a book, it becomes off-putting. Since it's all told from a third party perspective, there isn't much gained from hearing the same story in a different context.
I think, to some degree, the book would be improved if it cut the number of wrestlers it focused on, and went longer form on a small number. Andre the Giant may be the last person who is as much legend as reality. People spinning yarns about Andre the Giant is probably a very good book unto itself, but here he's just the guy between Junkyard Dog and Lou Albano (that's a little unfair: Andre is never "just the guy" to a wrestling fan and Shoemaker is no different. But it illustrates the point). I don't mean to say either in particular should have been cut, but I don't think thought was given to the fact including more wrestlers implicitly cut the attention given to any individual.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would be eager to have more by Shoemaker. I'm somewhat critical only because there is so little quality content on the subject, and I know what he's capable of delivering. Any wrestling fan should definitely pick this one up.
September 18, 2022
David Shoemaker's "Dead Wrestler of the Week" column written in the early 2010s on Deadspin is adapted into a who's who gallery of dead wrestlers, detailing their rises to fame and tragic demises. As a diehard wrestling fan, this is all information I already knew, but was still detailed decently enough and analyzed in a unique point of view that looked at the character standpoint as well as the performer behind it. This DRAGGED though. You'll find it in many other reviews here, but the book's scattered format is its worst enemy. The main adapted article is accompanied by countless footnotes that come and go so often that they're interrupting the flow. In between most entries is an oral history of a certain topic that corresponds with that wrestler - for example, racism in wrestling for The Junkyard Dog & S.D. Jones - that at times is really interesting and others is noticeably rushed and filler. The book also divides wrestling history into three key eras and categorizes its dead wrestlers into those parts. I wish I enjoyed this more than I did, but it was mainly all information I already knew and could find much more enjoyably and in more detail in standalone biographies or other wrestling books. The Squared Circle is unfortunately a slog to get through, and probably translated much better on the web than it did here.
January 11, 2014
David Shoemaker rose to prominence with his weekly Deadspin column, “Dead Wrestler of the Week”. At first glance, the column’s title seems unnecessarily harsh but Shoemaker writes with a real passion for those who entertained us during their sometimes short lived career. At some point, he decided to adapt this into a book about the history of pro wrestling and those who’ve passed before their time. Cramming over one hundred years of history into a tight four hundred pages isn’t an easy task but Shoemaker does a surprisingly comprehensive job.
For someone who has read countless wrestling biographies and viewed dozens of documentaries on the subject, this book may not be a necessary read. Shoemaker covers ground that many have in the past with extensive write-ups on the collapse of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance), the poaching of top territory stars by Vince McMahon in his ambitious attempt to bring the WWF to a national audience as well as the Monday Night War between WWF and WCW and the era-defining moment of the Montreal Screwjob. Of course, no attempt to tell the history of pro wrestling should be without these subjects but there’s only so much to say about it before it sounds repetitive.
That being said, while I’m sure I’m aware of ninety percent of what Shoemaker is writing, I still found it to be an engaging and entertaining read. One thing worth noting is his exhaustive research into the days before professional wrestling was a performance art and still maintained a certain sense of legitimacy. Prior to its move to a more entertainment based spectacle, matches could last hours with one in fact lasting nearly five and a half hours before one for the participants just gave up due to exhaustion! Shoemaker traced the evolution of the sport back to legendary promoter Toots Mondt who is basically responsible for the scripted style that we enjoy today.
The format is a little strange with the timeline of major events broken up by what could be considered obituaries for wrestlers who have since passed on and what they had meant to the industry. There’s some great write-ups for such legendary performers as Randy Savage, Junkyard Dog, Owen Hart, Gorgeous George, The Fabulous Moolah and even low level talents like Ray “The Big Bossman” Traylor. While they’re very comprehensive for their length, they often break up the flow of the text and seem inserted randomly with no real timeline or reason for their positioning.
What we’re left with at the end of the day is a pretty extensive look at pro wrestling’s history. It’s not the best that I’ve read on the subject – there are better books that focus on a very specific time or promotion (Heath McCoy’s book about Stampede Wrestling is a great example) but as an overall history of the “sport”, Shoemaker gives us a solid read.
For someone who has read countless wrestling biographies and viewed dozens of documentaries on the subject, this book may not be a necessary read. Shoemaker covers ground that many have in the past with extensive write-ups on the collapse of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance), the poaching of top territory stars by Vince McMahon in his ambitious attempt to bring the WWF to a national audience as well as the Monday Night War between WWF and WCW and the era-defining moment of the Montreal Screwjob. Of course, no attempt to tell the history of pro wrestling should be without these subjects but there’s only so much to say about it before it sounds repetitive.
That being said, while I’m sure I’m aware of ninety percent of what Shoemaker is writing, I still found it to be an engaging and entertaining read. One thing worth noting is his exhaustive research into the days before professional wrestling was a performance art and still maintained a certain sense of legitimacy. Prior to its move to a more entertainment based spectacle, matches could last hours with one in fact lasting nearly five and a half hours before one for the participants just gave up due to exhaustion! Shoemaker traced the evolution of the sport back to legendary promoter Toots Mondt who is basically responsible for the scripted style that we enjoy today.
The format is a little strange with the timeline of major events broken up by what could be considered obituaries for wrestlers who have since passed on and what they had meant to the industry. There’s some great write-ups for such legendary performers as Randy Savage, Junkyard Dog, Owen Hart, Gorgeous George, The Fabulous Moolah and even low level talents like Ray “The Big Bossman” Traylor. While they’re very comprehensive for their length, they often break up the flow of the text and seem inserted randomly with no real timeline or reason for their positioning.
What we’re left with at the end of the day is a pretty extensive look at pro wrestling’s history. It’s not the best that I’ve read on the subject – there are better books that focus on a very specific time or promotion (Heath McCoy’s book about Stampede Wrestling is a great example) but as an overall history of the “sport”, Shoemaker gives us a solid read.
June 13, 2017
Yes, it is true that I have only finished the 6 hour PART 1 of this Audible book, but I am going to split the review in 2 parts, just as the book is split into two parts.
This was GOOD. If you like wrestling, that is. If you are not already a WWE fan, and do not already know a LOT of wrestling history (which, don't worry- I DO) then this book is not going to be a good read for you. The author jumps in without pausing for breath. For example, he will start talking about Wrestlemania matches, assuming that you already know all the outcomes (I do).
This book (so far) has TONS of amazing tidbits of info, biographies, behind the scenes stories, info on deals, ratings, etc. BUT did not discuss the actual topic in the TITLE-- DEATH within the wrestling industry. I mean, I liked re-learning that Andre the Giant drank 2 litres of vodka as his 'one drink', but I kept waiting in vain for the author to discuss the great number of men and women who have died (mainly of heart failure) because of the tole this industry (and the drugs, in cases) take on their bodies. Owen Hart died IN the ring and is not mentioned, Chris Benoit (steroids) not mentioned, Eddie Guerrero (heart attack) not mentioned, yet JunkYard Dog's death was discussed at length, and he died in an un-wrestling related car accident....? So, false advertisement so far. Again, I am 6 hours in, with 6 to go. Currently, the book goes back and forth between the past and present days of wrestling, but at the moment of this section's end, it is focusing on the career of Macho Man (no mention of his death yet) and the advertisements that various wrestlers have done over the years.
Basically, if you like wrestling, you WILL like this book, because it is full of great stuff; it is just not the book that I thought it would be, based on the title.
--Jen from Quebec :0)
This was GOOD. If you like wrestling, that is. If you are not already a WWE fan, and do not already know a LOT of wrestling history (which, don't worry- I DO) then this book is not going to be a good read for you. The author jumps in without pausing for breath. For example, he will start talking about Wrestlemania matches, assuming that you already know all the outcomes (I do).
This book (so far) has TONS of amazing tidbits of info, biographies, behind the scenes stories, info on deals, ratings, etc. BUT did not discuss the actual topic in the TITLE-- DEATH within the wrestling industry. I mean, I liked re-learning that Andre the Giant drank 2 litres of vodka as his 'one drink', but I kept waiting in vain for the author to discuss the great number of men and women who have died (mainly of heart failure) because of the tole this industry (and the drugs, in cases) take on their bodies. Owen Hart died IN the ring and is not mentioned, Chris Benoit (steroids) not mentioned, Eddie Guerrero (heart attack) not mentioned, yet JunkYard Dog's death was discussed at length, and he died in an un-wrestling related car accident....? So, false advertisement so far. Again, I am 6 hours in, with 6 to go. Currently, the book goes back and forth between the past and present days of wrestling, but at the moment of this section's end, it is focusing on the career of Macho Man (no mention of his death yet) and the advertisements that various wrestlers have done over the years.
Basically, if you like wrestling, you WILL like this book, because it is full of great stuff; it is just not the book that I thought it would be, based on the title.
--Jen from Quebec :0)
July 16, 2025
Started off very promising chronicling and talking about wrestling history. Those parts were entertaining.. After a while it meandered into talking about different wrestlers and what they did in the form of a very short retelling.. For awhile i kept thinking:hey, mr writer sir.. When are we coming back to the main part of the book? Spoilers:we dont
Like i said it started very promising and it didnt end living up to my expectations.. The book just sort of ended? It felt like the writer was too lazy to continue and went screw it, the book wont be released.. But it got printed and it was too late to fix it.
Like i said it started very promising and it didnt end living up to my expectations.. The book just sort of ended? It felt like the writer was too lazy to continue and went screw it, the book wont be released.. But it got printed and it was too late to fix it.
January 11, 2025
Artfully illustrates why professional wrestling is the most fascinating industry in the world.
"For wrestling fans, unreality is our passion but reality is our drug."
"For wrestling fans, unreality is our passion but reality is our drug."
March 3, 2015
The ref counts three, the timekeeper rings the bell, the announcer says goodnight, the houselights come up. The promoter counts the night's haul. The wrestler takes a shower, a soak, a painkiller. The fan walks to his car and drives home. The wrestler takes a ride in a rental car to the next town.
July 27, 2023
A fantastically written overview of some of the fallen wrestling pantheon. David Shoemaker writes with a dry wit and knowing wink familiar to many wrestling fans, but within the humor and outsize ridiculousness of pro wrestling, he finds mythical stories, important cultural touchstones, and surprisingly moving moments of pathos. In doing so he expertly straddles the same line that wrestling itself does - high and low culture, trash and art, comedy and tragedy. While it would have been nice to have a more detailed emphasis on the history of wrestling, Shoemaker's voice makes this book a compelling read.
July 3, 2018
Whether you are a die-hard professional wrestling fan or simply a person who repeatedly claims wrestling is “fake” to justify your own ignorance of what lengths these athletes actually go to as an entertainer and to earn a paycheck day in and day out, this book is definitely for you. “The Squared Circle” - intelligently and enjoyably written by a former wrestler in the know - hits the message home of what pro wrestling in modern society is, why this form of artistic performance is so beloved by millions of fans, and why the actors often find themselves in an early grave.
A good amount of time was given in detailing the history of wrestling in the early twentieth century, while the latter chapters focused on individual characters - many of whom have already died - to shed light on various eras, events, and themes in the industry. For even this early 1990s baby who has watched a fair share of documentaries and matches detailing the pre-2000 era, I was not always familiar with a featured wrestler or a match referenced by the author. However, I still came away with an enjoyable reading experience that reiterated a lot of analysis and conclusions I had heard before but also a few new ones. I also greatly appreciated the footnotes, as this aspect of a book (if present) truly shows to me that the author put great care into researching what they wrote. The final chapter and prologue will really stick in the minds of the reader, as they may finally realize how invested wrestlers are in this profession, and why this profession often takes them away from this world too early. This book is a must-read, must-have, and a must-share to all who have ever had an opinion on what professional wrestling is all about.
A good amount of time was given in detailing the history of wrestling in the early twentieth century, while the latter chapters focused on individual characters - many of whom have already died - to shed light on various eras, events, and themes in the industry. For even this early 1990s baby who has watched a fair share of documentaries and matches detailing the pre-2000 era, I was not always familiar with a featured wrestler or a match referenced by the author. However, I still came away with an enjoyable reading experience that reiterated a lot of analysis and conclusions I had heard before but also a few new ones. I also greatly appreciated the footnotes, as this aspect of a book (if present) truly shows to me that the author put great care into researching what they wrote. The final chapter and prologue will really stick in the minds of the reader, as they may finally realize how invested wrestlers are in this profession, and why this profession often takes them away from this world too early. This book is a must-read, must-have, and a must-share to all who have ever had an opinion on what professional wrestling is all about.
April 24, 2025
I don’t think the author knew what he wanted this book to be. It’s part drama, action, and subtle storytelling.
December 20, 2017
I have a deep relationship with Pro Wrestling that stems from my childhood. I LOVED that shit. Then I got older and didn't love it in the same way anymore. Then I finally realized WHAT it was that these guys do night after night, and that childhood love came rushing back along with a newfound respect for the performers and what they do. These are professional stuntmen/actors and while they are loved, they generally aren't respected in the way that they should be and this book seems to try correct that and pay a little tribute.
I think this is a book every Pro wrestling fan should read, from the casual fan to the super fan. Informative and quite interesting, really happy I read it.
I think this is a book every Pro wrestling fan should read, from the casual fan to the super fan. Informative and quite interesting, really happy I read it.
March 19, 2022
A Who's Who of Who's Dead
It isn't one of my favorite wrestling history books, but it does a commendable job compiling the most notorious tragedies and illustrating the cruel reality of the business. It is excellent reference source for newer wrestling fans, but aside from the first 50 pages, I'm not sure many seasoned fans will discover anything new here. If you've watched "Dark Side of the Ring", this book is basically it's precursor, a third-party perspective on the industry with occasional quotations from various talents and executives. Gorgeous George, Bruiser Brody, Owen Hart, Chris Benoit... they're all here and more.
The book begins with a brief history of North American professional wrestling and eventually the chapters split off by different wrestlers' names, documenting their individual careers and tragedies that eventually befell them. Some wrestlers died as a result of dangerous work environments, some were victims of their own self-destructive lifestyles. There is a very wide variety of subjects to explore here, but Shoemaker's only real constant is the Grim Reaper. Many of these stories have their own books that go far deeper than the 10-page chapters in "The Squared Circle", so I'm afraid you're only seeing the tips of the icebergs. I do not think this book was intended for long-time fans though. It's an ambitious idea, gathering all these stories together as the "ultimate cautionary tale" of the business, but it's basically a very well-written obituary that offers no explanation for anything.
Shoemaker's research is solid and lists various sources throughout. One of the books referenced more than once is "Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George?" by Joe Jares, which is a very similar type of exposé on paper. The difference is there were a lot more secrets in 1974 and the information Joe Jares divulged was more revealing at the time. Nothing in "The Squared Circle" hasn't been publicized before, but Shoemaker certainly dug deep to compile his information and engineered a modern-day equivalent.
New information is always surfacing in regards to some of these stories, so a few things are already out-of-date, particularly "The Fabulous Moolah" chapter. Shoemaker refers to the allegations of sex trafficking as "rumors", shrugging off her victims as "very, very unreliable", but I want to believe that was due to a lack of public record in 2013. Regardless, the whole point of writing this type of book is to get it right, so if Shoemaker just wasn't sure, he probably should have just omitted the chapter. It's not like Moolah died young anyway, so if the story wasn't "reliable" to Shoemaker, I'm not sure why he even documented her. That's literally the only tragedy associated with her life.
"The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling" is a quick and easy read for not just wrestling fans, but also non-wrestling fans who are just interested in the horror stories. I definitely think the latter would be more entertained by it. The book is a useful reference for other authors and wrestling historian beginners. There was nothing I disliked about this book other than the litany of footnotes, but I recommend you take advantage of the various sources cited in the "Notes" section if any of these topics truly interest you.
It isn't one of my favorite wrestling history books, but it does a commendable job compiling the most notorious tragedies and illustrating the cruel reality of the business. It is excellent reference source for newer wrestling fans, but aside from the first 50 pages, I'm not sure many seasoned fans will discover anything new here. If you've watched "Dark Side of the Ring", this book is basically it's precursor, a third-party perspective on the industry with occasional quotations from various talents and executives. Gorgeous George, Bruiser Brody, Owen Hart, Chris Benoit... they're all here and more.
The book begins with a brief history of North American professional wrestling and eventually the chapters split off by different wrestlers' names, documenting their individual careers and tragedies that eventually befell them. Some wrestlers died as a result of dangerous work environments, some were victims of their own self-destructive lifestyles. There is a very wide variety of subjects to explore here, but Shoemaker's only real constant is the Grim Reaper. Many of these stories have their own books that go far deeper than the 10-page chapters in "The Squared Circle", so I'm afraid you're only seeing the tips of the icebergs. I do not think this book was intended for long-time fans though. It's an ambitious idea, gathering all these stories together as the "ultimate cautionary tale" of the business, but it's basically a very well-written obituary that offers no explanation for anything.
Shoemaker's research is solid and lists various sources throughout. One of the books referenced more than once is "Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George?" by Joe Jares, which is a very similar type of exposé on paper. The difference is there were a lot more secrets in 1974 and the information Joe Jares divulged was more revealing at the time. Nothing in "The Squared Circle" hasn't been publicized before, but Shoemaker certainly dug deep to compile his information and engineered a modern-day equivalent.
New information is always surfacing in regards to some of these stories, so a few things are already out-of-date, particularly "The Fabulous Moolah" chapter. Shoemaker refers to the allegations of sex trafficking as "rumors", shrugging off her victims as "very, very unreliable", but I want to believe that was due to a lack of public record in 2013. Regardless, the whole point of writing this type of book is to get it right, so if Shoemaker just wasn't sure, he probably should have just omitted the chapter. It's not like Moolah died young anyway, so if the story wasn't "reliable" to Shoemaker, I'm not sure why he even documented her. That's literally the only tragedy associated with her life.
"The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling" is a quick and easy read for not just wrestling fans, but also non-wrestling fans who are just interested in the horror stories. I definitely think the latter would be more entertained by it. The book is a useful reference for other authors and wrestling historian beginners. There was nothing I disliked about this book other than the litany of footnotes, but I recommend you take advantage of the various sources cited in the "Notes" section if any of these topics truly interest you.
November 21, 2013
Outstanding. Absolutely essential for any fan of pro wrestling, or for anyone seeking to understand why people are fans of pro wrestling. This book truly captures the spirit of the whole silly business, and the fact that it does so through a chronicle of untimely deaths is not lost on me. Wrestling is dark and fucked up--it's a fixed sport in which people entertain crowds by doing incredibly dangerous things to each other and themselves. By focusing on the negative consequences wrestling had on particular practitioners of its dark arts, Shoemaker tells what I would call the spiritual history of wrestling. I've read a whole bunch of books about the business over the years, and I've heard a lot more detail about some aspects of it than I ever got from this book. But there were a lot of great stories in The Squared Circle that I'd never heard. I felt that the attempts to understand some of the worst things that happened in the wrestling business (the tragedy of the Von Erich family, Chris Benoit's horrible crimes) got closer to summing up how I actually feel about them, as well as providing insight I've often found lacking in more straightforward accounts of pro wrestling's history. So yeah, this book is a must. It won't make you happy--other than The Ultimate Warrior, everyone discussed in detail in this book is dead, for starters--but it will make you think, and tell you stories that'll stick with you for the rest of your life (in particular, I will never forget a story about Fritz Von Erich that I read in here). I'm really glad Shoemaker wrote this book, and I hope he writes more about wrestling before it's all said and done.
P.S. One warning--the hardcover edition I got has a serious error at the beginning of the Brian Pillman chapter, in which it's obvious that at least a paragraph of text has been unintentionally removed. The chapter refers often to Pillman's one-time tag team partner, Steve Austin, but never identifies him by his full name. It also throws you right into the middle of the action, and if you don't already know what is being discussed (I did--I've seen a documentary about Brian Pillman), you might be pretty lost. So hopefully this error will get fixed in time for the paperback.
P.S. One warning--the hardcover edition I got has a serious error at the beginning of the Brian Pillman chapter, in which it's obvious that at least a paragraph of text has been unintentionally removed. The chapter refers often to Pillman's one-time tag team partner, Steve Austin, but never identifies him by his full name. It also throws you right into the middle of the action, and if you don't already know what is being discussed (I did--I've seen a documentary about Brian Pillman), you might be pretty lost. So hopefully this error will get fixed in time for the paperback.
December 4, 2013
I grew up watching wrestling. I loved Macho Man Randy Savage, the Ultimate Warrior, the Rockers, the Bush Whackers, hell I could go on and on. As I grew older I lost interest, but when Savage died in 2011 I tuned into Monday Night Raw to see what sort of tribute they would do and I was immediately sucked back in. And when CM Punk dropped this pipe bomb a few months later I was hooked.
The next thing you know I'm looking for some good wrestling writers online and I stumble across Shoemaker's work first with his Dead Wrestler of the Week column on Deadspin and then his Grantland stuff. I enjoyed his writing so I was excited when I learned he was writing this book.
Though I liked this book for the most part, it's reliance on material from the Deadspin articles hindered my enjoyment somewhat. First, I had already read the Deadspin stuff and because many of the chapters were originally intended to stand alone, Shoemaker often covers the same ground in multiple spots. Also, by keeping the focus on dead wrestlers, wrestlers that played such a vital role in the industry but are still alive (Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, etc.) are only mentioned when they cross the paths of the dead ones.
The next thing you know I'm looking for some good wrestling writers online and I stumble across Shoemaker's work first with his Dead Wrestler of the Week column on Deadspin and then his Grantland stuff. I enjoyed his writing so I was excited when I learned he was writing this book.
Though I liked this book for the most part, it's reliance on material from the Deadspin articles hindered my enjoyment somewhat. First, I had already read the Deadspin stuff and because many of the chapters were originally intended to stand alone, Shoemaker often covers the same ground in multiple spots. Also, by keeping the focus on dead wrestlers, wrestlers that played such a vital role in the industry but are still alive (Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, etc.) are only mentioned when they cross the paths of the dead ones.
January 4, 2014
This book is, for the most part, written about all the lives that have been lost to pro wrestling. From Owen Hart and Mr. Perfect, to Chris Benoit. The beginning of the book was very descriptive, as the author takes you through the territorial era. There was much to learn from the first 1/3 of the book, with many wrestlers I knew next to nothing about.
However, it seemed midway through the book, Shoemaker's descriptions became less and less in depth. In talking about the more popular wrestlers - you would think there would be more information - instead those chapters seemed quick and only hit on the most common points. As a fan, there isn't much to learn from these chapters, which is unfortunate. In fact, many of the references Shoemaker pulls are directly credited to Wikipedia, which is not the best source of truthful material, and all generally only holds the high points.
Overall, it was a solid but underwhelming read. The marriage between death and pro wrestling is long and stories. I feel as though there was so much more Shoemaker could have done with this concept - the first of its kind. In the end, it fell a bit short in details, and even for the average wrestling fan, won't provide much new information.
However, it seemed midway through the book, Shoemaker's descriptions became less and less in depth. In talking about the more popular wrestlers - you would think there would be more information - instead those chapters seemed quick and only hit on the most common points. As a fan, there isn't much to learn from these chapters, which is unfortunate. In fact, many of the references Shoemaker pulls are directly credited to Wikipedia, which is not the best source of truthful material, and all generally only holds the high points.
Overall, it was a solid but underwhelming read. The marriage between death and pro wrestling is long and stories. I feel as though there was so much more Shoemaker could have done with this concept - the first of its kind. In the end, it fell a bit short in details, and even for the average wrestling fan, won't provide much new information.
January 14, 2016
This book is enjoyable, but if you're already a pretty dedicated wrestling fan then you will probably have heard many of the stories it contains. It's valuable for the early stars it covers, the pre-WWII era wrestling world where people would pay to watch a 3 hour match end in a draw. The bits of history it contains is intriguing to a modern fan, specifically the fact that people have been in on the "fake" sport since the very beginning (and we don't really care).
Shoemaker definitely has an intelligent approach to the material. The guy hasn't met a reference he didn't like, and has a really big hang up on Barthes in particular. At times it can get a bit tiring, the over-intellectualizing of the entire thing but it is a nice change of pace from other books I've read.
Another downfall of the book is that it is a compilation (mostly) of pieces he had written previously, and as such there are some moments when things are repeated. It's not a big deal, but can be a bit repetitive when you've just read about the event a chapter before and it comes up again ten pages later.
Shoemaker definitely has an intelligent approach to the material. The guy hasn't met a reference he didn't like, and has a really big hang up on Barthes in particular. At times it can get a bit tiring, the over-intellectualizing of the entire thing but it is a nice change of pace from other books I've read.
Another downfall of the book is that it is a compilation (mostly) of pieces he had written previously, and as such there are some moments when things are repeated. It's not a big deal, but can be a bit repetitive when you've just read about the event a chapter before and it comes up again ten pages later.
July 12, 2014
Started really well, tons of good history about the early days of wrestling and a good bios of wrestlers that i did't even know about. Newer stuff seems like they were too short or missing important bits and some cases just referencing Wikipedia entrys. I was especially disappointment in the Ludvig Borga chapter, as he was a Finnish wrestler, i was looking forward to read about him more than others, but chapter was just short snippet without any real information. Anyway, early parts of the book makes this 3 ½ stars book and it's still hard to read anything about Eddie Guerrero or Chris Benoit, they were my favorite wrestlers back in the day.
November 23, 2013
If you pick this up expecting a bunch of shoot interviews you'll be disappointed. After spending about a third of the book on the early (pre-TV) beginnings of wrestling it soon morphs into a well footnoted book on the deaths of famous wrestlers.
The over-riding theme is that the physical abuse and lifestyle results in a toxic cocktail of PEDs, painkillers and recreational drugs leading to an early death.
As such it ends up reading like a very good college thesis, but not a worthwhile read.
The over-riding theme is that the physical abuse and lifestyle results in a toxic cocktail of PEDs, painkillers and recreational drugs leading to an early death.
As such it ends up reading like a very good college thesis, but not a worthwhile read.
June 23, 2014
I wanted to like this. I devoured ever other wrestling book that I have read but this book comes off more like an encyclopedia or text book instead of a book. As a wrestling fan, I was hoping to read something new and exciting but instead I got almost 400 pages of stuff that I could find on wikipedia.
June 5, 2018
One of my aims this year was to read more about things 'I' am interested in and not things that 'they' tell you to read. Pro-Wrestling isn't considered the most high-brow of pursuits but another note-to-self was to stop being defensive about things you enjoy as long as you recognize them for what they are (hey I know too many adults who enjoy Superhero comics and Govinda movies instead of being embarrassed by them, so to each our own...)
The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling exceeded all my expectations of what a deep-dive into pro-wrestling history would be like. Initially apprehensive of reading a book around dead wrestlers, I remember starting off thinking this would be fun anyways other than that. After I read the list of chapters I had another moment of 'do I really want to know about the history of American wrestling in the early 1900's and details of grapplers and promotions I'd never heard off'? Or should I just go to the parts with the meat - I was here for 'modern pro-wrestling history' what with myself being a proud product of the Attitude Era who was 'born-again' many years later. So the temptation to skip to chapters about periods and people you knew little about was high. I'm glad I did nothing of that sort and proceeded in order.
Shoemaker is not just a wrestling buff and historian but he's also a very intelligent man and an skilled writer. I always feel that the ability to share your opinions without sounding like you're opinionated is like walking a tightrope between two skyscrapers. To top that off by bringing philosophy and musings about life into something as visceral as professional wrestling is like walking the same tightrope while having a cup of tea. Lest I have not been clear, Shoemaker does this with aplomb. Intertwined with pop culture, the cultural zeitgeist of the times (mostly American), through-out contrasting the real v/s reel aspect of pro-wrestling, understanding how the average fan would 'see' things in that age to explain actions - there is so much to learn. Sex, Lies & Headlocks for the 18-35 male looking for nostalgia this is not.
Shoemaker's blogposty style is also perfect for this manner of teaching history as he jumps between a lens from far-away & many years later about the industry at large and it's evolution; to closer analyses of the individual men, women and families (these are the titular dead wrestlers so to speak) which provide a different lens (sometimes even allowing the same incident to be viewed from different points of view).
In pro-wrestling speak, this is one book which breaks kayfabe and is yet over with both the marks and smarks.
The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling exceeded all my expectations of what a deep-dive into pro-wrestling history would be like. Initially apprehensive of reading a book around dead wrestlers, I remember starting off thinking this would be fun anyways other than that. After I read the list of chapters I had another moment of 'do I really want to know about the history of American wrestling in the early 1900's and details of grapplers and promotions I'd never heard off'? Or should I just go to the parts with the meat - I was here for 'modern pro-wrestling history' what with myself being a proud product of the Attitude Era who was 'born-again' many years later. So the temptation to skip to chapters about periods and people you knew little about was high. I'm glad I did nothing of that sort and proceeded in order.
Shoemaker is not just a wrestling buff and historian but he's also a very intelligent man and an skilled writer. I always feel that the ability to share your opinions without sounding like you're opinionated is like walking a tightrope between two skyscrapers. To top that off by bringing philosophy and musings about life into something as visceral as professional wrestling is like walking the same tightrope while having a cup of tea. Lest I have not been clear, Shoemaker does this with aplomb. Intertwined with pop culture, the cultural zeitgeist of the times (mostly American), through-out contrasting the real v/s reel aspect of pro-wrestling, understanding how the average fan would 'see' things in that age to explain actions - there is so much to learn. Sex, Lies & Headlocks for the 18-35 male looking for nostalgia this is not.
Shoemaker's blogposty style is also perfect for this manner of teaching history as he jumps between a lens from far-away & many years later about the industry at large and it's evolution; to closer analyses of the individual men, women and families (these are the titular dead wrestlers so to speak) which provide a different lens (sometimes even allowing the same incident to be viewed from different points of view).
In pro-wrestling speak, this is one book which breaks kayfabe and is yet over with both the marks and smarks.
September 5, 2020
Overall, a very enjoyable book for those who love wrestling. If I had the time, I would subscribe to the WWE Network and watch several of the matches mentioned in the book.
As mentioned in other reviews, the weakness of the book is also a partial strength - the book is not a chronological history, but a run-through of an individual wrestler(s) or movement which contributes to several overlapping histories. This can be confusing at times, but it does allow for a specific history of different wrestlers.
My biggest issue with the book is that it is too short. "The Death of WCW" by Reynolds and Alvarez is 336 pages to "The Squared Circle" being only 400 pages. I understand the depth is going to be greater in a specific angle, but there is more to want to know about the history. It feels more of a history of the popular periods of wrestling, specifically the 1980's and early 1990's - which may indeed have been the intention. There was very little mention of WWE's Aggressive era. Also the Attitude Era had a great lead-in, but was glossed over and virtually nothing regarding the Hardy Boyz. Slight mentions of various wrestlers with no follow-up was also frustrating. This is specifically the case when one of my favorite tag teams, "The Killer Bees" was mentioned for two sentences and not mentioned again. There was also glaring weaknesses in talking about Dusty Rhodes and Sting. Heck, even the Fabulous Moolah gets several pages of attention to brief mentions of Bob Backlund - which is weird considering Backlund was a champion for over five years.
Despite several of these weaknesses, this is a fun book. There is a lot of ground to cover, and Shoemaker helps bring lots of wrestling history to the forefront. The book starts strong, is a fun read and contains several gems. The last chapter ends strong, but it feels abrupt considering he is transitioning from Benoit and Guererro deaths as a way to end the book.
I still enjoyed this book greatly. Shoemaker writes well and the stories are great. He has a way of both demythologizing and mythologizing the content at the same times, which fits the subject matter.
As mentioned in other reviews, the weakness of the book is also a partial strength - the book is not a chronological history, but a run-through of an individual wrestler(s) or movement which contributes to several overlapping histories. This can be confusing at times, but it does allow for a specific history of different wrestlers.
My biggest issue with the book is that it is too short. "The Death of WCW" by Reynolds and Alvarez is 336 pages to "The Squared Circle" being only 400 pages. I understand the depth is going to be greater in a specific angle, but there is more to want to know about the history. It feels more of a history of the popular periods of wrestling, specifically the 1980's and early 1990's - which may indeed have been the intention. There was very little mention of WWE's Aggressive era. Also the Attitude Era had a great lead-in, but was glossed over and virtually nothing regarding the Hardy Boyz. Slight mentions of various wrestlers with no follow-up was also frustrating. This is specifically the case when one of my favorite tag teams, "The Killer Bees" was mentioned for two sentences and not mentioned again. There was also glaring weaknesses in talking about Dusty Rhodes and Sting. Heck, even the Fabulous Moolah gets several pages of attention to brief mentions of Bob Backlund - which is weird considering Backlund was a champion for over five years.
Despite several of these weaknesses, this is a fun book. There is a lot of ground to cover, and Shoemaker helps bring lots of wrestling history to the forefront. The book starts strong, is a fun read and contains several gems. The last chapter ends strong, but it feels abrupt considering he is transitioning from Benoit and Guererro deaths as a way to end the book.
I still enjoyed this book greatly. Shoemaker writes well and the stories are great. He has a way of both demythologizing and mythologizing the content at the same times, which fits the subject matter.
November 16, 2020
Alright, time to admit it.
I like Pro Wrestling. I do. I always have. I probably always will. It is deeply problematic. It is often disgusting and offensive. It is something I don't talk much about because of those problematic and offensive roots. It is also really fascinating.
With two young kids, a full time job, and a passion for public policy in the midst of an election year I don't watch much. I picked this book up to do some research for a novel I have kicking around my head, and what started as an assignment became a genuine treat. Shoemaker's love of the subject and sincere study of what it means both in the artistic moment and within the cultural context makes each chapter insightful and engaging. It captures the pathos of all the lives lost in a quest for the next thrill and the thrill of each near brush with mortality.
In between, Shoemaker gives lay fans a guide to the history of the "sport". A timeline that tracks American art from the carnival side show to the internet commentariat and million dollar arena event. He works in both Roland Barthes and countless memes in the making. Anyone pondering a 9 part Ken Burns-esque series on the history of Wrestling would do well to study his scope and tweak it slightly.
My only complaint, for an artform as robustly physical as pro-wrestling, there's little physicality in his descriptions. It may be because writing about the physical craft of wrestling matches is a little like dancing about architecture, but it's something I could do with more of.
Still it was enjoyable to read, deeply educational, easy to gobble up into research nuggets, and fun enough to make me ponder just never returning it to the library. (Instead I settled for finally outing myself as a fan on social media so....there's that)
I like Pro Wrestling. I do. I always have. I probably always will. It is deeply problematic. It is often disgusting and offensive. It is something I don't talk much about because of those problematic and offensive roots. It is also really fascinating.
With two young kids, a full time job, and a passion for public policy in the midst of an election year I don't watch much. I picked this book up to do some research for a novel I have kicking around my head, and what started as an assignment became a genuine treat. Shoemaker's love of the subject and sincere study of what it means both in the artistic moment and within the cultural context makes each chapter insightful and engaging. It captures the pathos of all the lives lost in a quest for the next thrill and the thrill of each near brush with mortality.
In between, Shoemaker gives lay fans a guide to the history of the "sport". A timeline that tracks American art from the carnival side show to the internet commentariat and million dollar arena event. He works in both Roland Barthes and countless memes in the making. Anyone pondering a 9 part Ken Burns-esque series on the history of Wrestling would do well to study his scope and tweak it slightly.
My only complaint, for an artform as robustly physical as pro-wrestling, there's little physicality in his descriptions. It may be because writing about the physical craft of wrestling matches is a little like dancing about architecture, but it's something I could do with more of.
Still it was enjoyable to read, deeply educational, easy to gobble up into research nuggets, and fun enough to make me ponder just never returning it to the library. (Instead I settled for finally outing myself as a fan on social media so....there's that)
September 25, 2025
The author admits right up front that this book was intended to focus on wrestling’s many early deaths, but also confesses that it veers into being part history book. That split in purpose ends up defining the read: it feels caught between being a study of tragedy and a straight retelling of wrestling’s past, without fully committing to either.
That said, there’s plenty of substance. The book is loaded with stories from the territorial days to modern times, covering the lives (and often the deaths) of countless wrestlers. I learned a lot of new details and appreciated that the author wasn’t writing from an insider’s bias—his perspective is clear and often refreshing.
The drawback is structure. While it tries to march chronologically, it mostly reads as a patchwork of anecdotes. The stories themselves are entertaining and sometimes fascinating, but they don’t always connect into a cohesive whole. At times, it feels less like one book and more like dipping into a collection of loosely tied tales.
Still, the “meat” is there. For anyone interested in wrestling’s darker side—the human cost behind the spectacle—this is a dense, informative, and often gripping read. Just know that it wavers between tragedy and history, and in doing so, never quite decides what kind of book it truly wants to be.
That said, there’s plenty of substance. The book is loaded with stories from the territorial days to modern times, covering the lives (and often the deaths) of countless wrestlers. I learned a lot of new details and appreciated that the author wasn’t writing from an insider’s bias—his perspective is clear and often refreshing.
The drawback is structure. While it tries to march chronologically, it mostly reads as a patchwork of anecdotes. The stories themselves are entertaining and sometimes fascinating, but they don’t always connect into a cohesive whole. At times, it feels less like one book and more like dipping into a collection of loosely tied tales.
Still, the “meat” is there. For anyone interested in wrestling’s darker side—the human cost behind the spectacle—this is a dense, informative, and often gripping read. Just know that it wavers between tragedy and history, and in doing so, never quite decides what kind of book it truly wants to be.
April 16, 2022
Det här är en bok som i hög grad upprepar saker som redan har sagts av många av andra. Ansatsen att gå igenom var som definierar en "riktig" wrestler och sedan räkna upp "riktiga" wrestlers utifrån dessa kriterier är väl ingen dum idé. Men det blir töntigt när kvinnor utelämnas helt (nästan), med motiveringen att kvinnlig wrestling är för ny. Redan där inser jag att jag är mer kunnig än författaren av den här boken eftersom det har funnits högprofilerade kvinnliga wrestlers ända sedan 1800-talets cirkusera. Efter den dåliga starten retar jag mig även på beskrivningarna av många av männen, eftersom Shoemaker verkar ha en bild av att wrestligen var mer på riktigt förr, bara för att det var en mer exklusivt manlig statusgrej som folk verkligen trodde på, men så var det ju inte heller. Därför känns urvalet, som exkluderar nästan alla kvinnor och många av de mest framgångsrika manliga brottarna, som mer av en personlig favorit-lista skriven av en som inte gillar hur underhållningsformen har utvecklats de senaste 40 åren.
September 30, 2024
A solid primer on pro wrestling told through the stories of people who didn't make it out.
I didn't love the way Shoemaker writes though. Like, why is he saying shit like "Caliban forever straining at Prospero's leash" in a chapter about the Road Warriors? I don't know what the overlap between wrestling fans and The Tempest is, but it can't be high. The same goes for his references to The Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter in the chapter about Macho Man.
It can sometimes read like someone trying to stretch a thought to meet a word count. Like when he describes Randy Savage's promos as:
"The wrestling promo as scripted by David Foster Wallace—main text in a high-volume snarl, footnotes in a lupine, maniacal whisper. His oratorical style was a mesmerizing experiment in free associative thought."
To me, that reads like someone trying to prove how smart they are. Like a high school kid abusing a thesaurus. Or like someone ashamed to be writing about what they're writing about
I didn't love the way Shoemaker writes though. Like, why is he saying shit like "Caliban forever straining at Prospero's leash" in a chapter about the Road Warriors? I don't know what the overlap between wrestling fans and The Tempest is, but it can't be high. The same goes for his references to The Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter in the chapter about Macho Man.
It can sometimes read like someone trying to stretch a thought to meet a word count. Like when he describes Randy Savage's promos as:
"The wrestling promo as scripted by David Foster Wallace—main text in a high-volume snarl, footnotes in a lupine, maniacal whisper. His oratorical style was a mesmerizing experiment in free associative thought."
To me, that reads like someone trying to prove how smart they are. Like a high school kid abusing a thesaurus. Or like someone ashamed to be writing about what they're writing about
February 22, 2022
The world of professional wrestling goes back to the days of freestyle, bare knuckle fights. At the time, both sports had the same level of legitimacy. That is to say that everyone knew promoters decided who would win, but the blood and broken bones were real. As wrestling progressed, matches continued in that format for a long time. The only thing that has really changed is the safety that wrestlers take with each other to try and avoid serious injury or death.
This book walks through the early years of professional wrestling from the territory days to the NWA, the Monday night wars, and the formation of the WWE as we know it today. Each era is defined through discussion of wrestlers who defined the time. Lou Thesz, Glorious George, Killer Kowalski, Eddie Guerrero, Brian Pillman, and even Chris Benoit, among others. Each story is told with honesty and respect, including the Chris Benoit tragedy.
I would highly recommend this book to any wrestling fan. Even those curious about the sport (you can debate me, but the gymnastics and strength are very real) will find this to be an interesting and insightful read.
This book walks through the early years of professional wrestling from the territory days to the NWA, the Monday night wars, and the formation of the WWE as we know it today. Each era is defined through discussion of wrestlers who defined the time. Lou Thesz, Glorious George, Killer Kowalski, Eddie Guerrero, Brian Pillman, and even Chris Benoit, among others. Each story is told with honesty and respect, including the Chris Benoit tragedy.
I would highly recommend this book to any wrestling fan. Even those curious about the sport (you can debate me, but the gymnastics and strength are very real) will find this to be an interesting and insightful read.
October 8, 2019
I actually own this book, but I never read it. I opted for the audio version from the online library as a way to pass time during my commute. The narrator was decent enough. I've certainly heard way worse. But, it's always nicer if the actual author is doing the reading...if they are capable that is. They, of course, always know the exact inflection they are looking for when they write/narrate.
The writing is good. It's essentially a history of professional wrestling with focuses on various key wrestlers and events/story lines. I was most interested in the 80s/90s stuff as that was my height of wrestling fandom, but the other sections were well done, too. Shoemaker can tell a good story.
It's an easy book to read (listen to) and is broken up in such ways that you could easily flip to whatever section or wrestler really interests you and jump around from there.
The writing is good. It's essentially a history of professional wrestling with focuses on various key wrestlers and events/story lines. I was most interested in the 80s/90s stuff as that was my height of wrestling fandom, but the other sections were well done, too. Shoemaker can tell a good story.
It's an easy book to read (listen to) and is broken up in such ways that you could easily flip to whatever section or wrestler really interests you and jump around from there.
September 9, 2025
I am reminded of a line from Catherynne Valente's book, Space Opera: "Life is beautiful. Life is stupid."
Wrestling is life.
Shoemaker occasionally overindulges his inner writer with talk of the "unspoken story" or "deeper truth," but his account of the history of professional wrestling, as told through a review of the men who have died in service to it, is a story of people aspiring to...well, weird aspirations, and sacrificing much, sometimes too much, in pursuit of them.
But he tells the story with humor and pathos, and (most of the time) sympathy. We do crazy things in pursuit of dreams, and wrestlers are, at the end of the day, dreamers who tell stories with scripted violence.
My best recommendation? It will make you think about what's important and what you're giving up for what you consider important.
Wrestling is life.
Shoemaker occasionally overindulges his inner writer with talk of the "unspoken story" or "deeper truth," but his account of the history of professional wrestling, as told through a review of the men who have died in service to it, is a story of people aspiring to...well, weird aspirations, and sacrificing much, sometimes too much, in pursuit of them.
But he tells the story with humor and pathos, and (most of the time) sympathy. We do crazy things in pursuit of dreams, and wrestlers are, at the end of the day, dreamers who tell stories with scripted violence.
My best recommendation? It will make you think about what's important and what you're giving up for what you consider important.
July 22, 2018
The Squared Circle is the emotional and physiological history of professional wrestling from David Shoemaker. The book is an examination of the wrestlers, fans, and cultural impact of the sport. I’ve been a big fan of Shoemaker since his writing back at Grantland, and wanted to finally read his book.
While not being a wrestling devotee myself, I did want to expand my knowledge and understanding why folks are so passionate about it. Large chunks of the book are devoted to the alarming number of dead wrestlers and it felt like I was reading the same story over and over again; simply with different characters. Despite this, I think this is a book every sports fan should read. The history of wrestling, culture, and entertainment are informative and quite interesting.
While not being a wrestling devotee myself, I did want to expand my knowledge and understanding why folks are so passionate about it. Large chunks of the book are devoted to the alarming number of dead wrestlers and it felt like I was reading the same story over and over again; simply with different characters. Despite this, I think this is a book every sports fan should read. The history of wrestling, culture, and entertainment are informative and quite interesting.
January 23, 2019
An invaluable primer into the wild and complicated world of professional wrestling, David Shoemaker's epic story examines not just the historical significance of wrestling but attempts to explore why this pantomime show of larger-than-life figures hurting each other has proven so enduring. Shoemaker, who covered wrestling for Deadspin for many years, takes a look at the history of the "sport," from the early touring circuits to the major TV breakthrough of the WWF in the 1980s, and also focuses on some of the key, deceased figures that defined wrestling throughout the generation. As a non-wrestling fan, the biggest takeaway I got from this book is that while wrestling is indeed staged, there's nothing fake about the physical toll it takes on the performers.
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