Heroes & Friends - Pro Wrestling Remembrances

by Jim Cornette

This 100-page, 8 1/2 X 11 perfect-bound collector's book contains remembrances of a dozen pro wrestling superstars that Jim Cornette was either a fan of, a friend of, or both. Part career profiles, part personal interactions, part historical essays, each of these chapters tells the fascinating story of the man and the wrestler, for twelve of the most interesting and unique individuals JC has ever known. Bobby Heenan, The Sheik, Bruno Sammartino, Ray Stevens, the Dream Machine, Paul Bearer, Vader, Boo Bradley, Pat Malone, Sputnik Monroe, Lance Russell and Ron Wright are profiled, and the book features 100 photos and pieces of memorabilia from Cornette's Collection, many not seen in decades and some never before seen by the public!

100 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2025

About the author

James Mark Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, booker and podcaster.

As a manager, commentator, member of the booking committee and member of the creative team, he has worked for Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (now WWE), and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He has also worked as an on-screen character in an authoritative role; as "Commissioner" of Ring of Honor (in a previous stint with the company) and "Management Director" (and off-screen road agent) for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of mine sent me this for Christmas. It's a collection of articles Jim Cornette wrote after the passing of some wrestlers and wrestling personalities he'd met - Bruno Sammartino, Bobby Heenan, Sputnik Monroe, Vader, Dream Machine, Pat Malone, Lance Russell, Ron Wright, Paul Bearer, Boo Bradley, Ray Stevens, and the Sheik. The articles are accompanied by great photos, photos of wrestling memorabilia, and things of that nature. Cornette's writing is top notch and the presentation is great with high quality glossy paper. It's a slim book at around 100 pages but packed with information from days gone by. Great read.

[Tony Farinella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you love him or hate him (I'm in the first category and a card-carrying member of the Cult of Cornette), very few men or women alive today know as much about professional wrestling history as Jim Cornette. He has put together an amazing book that pays tribute to some of the most legendary figures in professional wrestling history, such as Bobby Heenan, The Sheik, Bruno Sammartino, Ray Stevens, Vader, Pat Malone, Sputnik Monroe, Lance Russell, and Ron Wright, to name a few. He also includes high-resolution photos from his personal collection. This book is a pro-wrestling fan's dream.

What makes Cornette's book stand out is his love of professional wrestling and his respect and admiration for the professional wrestlers he's writing about in his book. With each and every page, you can tell how much these men meant to him and the impact they had not only on professional wrestling but also on his own career. I don't think there is any human being out there who loves professional wrestling and preserving its history as much as Jim Cornette, and he has written a book that educated me on central figures in wrestling history.

My one complaint? I wish it was longer. It's shaped more like a magazine than a book, but he makes the most out of each and every page with his writing style, which is highly entertaining, intelligent, and personable. This book is highly recommended for diehard professional wrestling fans who are looking to learn more about the history of professional wrestling.

[John Schorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is one of the great historians of wrestling, a fact easily proven through his weekly podcasts. While his excellence over the airwaves is documented, Cornette also has a great record of writing about wrestling, one that is difficult to find. If you can ever read his column about the links between the Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl and the rise of extreme wrestling, it is definitely worth a look. This slim volume offers tributes to some of the great names in wrestling. All are worth reading, and if there's a complaint here, it's that there isn't enough. For God's sake, man, write a damn history of your career.

[Tony Cottam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but perfectly formed. Exceptional historical content, the chapters about The Green Shadow, Sputnik Monroe and Lance Russell especially are some of the best short form writing about pro wrestling - indeed, America - in the 40s, 50s and 60s you will ever read. Fantastic. We need volume 2 ASAP, Mr. Cornette!

[Alex Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love not only did Jim Cornette teach us history of the 10 wrestlers he wrote about, but his love for them. He pulled from his resources and his memory to show us why these wrestlers were great!