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Pure Dynamite: The Price You Pay for Wrestling Stardom
Pure Dynamite is a blow by blow account of the career of Tom Billington, who wrestled solo as The Dynamite Kid, and with Davey Boy Smith as half of the British Bulldogs tag team. Twice world champion, Billington was featured in the pages of Playboy magazine and was an international celebrity. Although he should have been a millionaire when he retired in 1993, after 16 years of professional wrestling, he had little but memories are scar tissue to show for it. As one of the first bona fide superstars in the World Wrestling Federation, Billington's career parallels the development of the WWF, from the early days to the decade following the first Wrestlemaina event at Madison Square Gardens in 1985. He worked with every major promoter, and wrestled with some of the biggest names in the sport. His story is a candid expose of the highs and lows of a cultural phenomenon that is still growing today. Now confined to a wheelchair as a result of serious damage to his back and legs, his years of steroid use have also damages Billington's heart and personal life. Pure Dynamite is as much a cautionary tale as it is a glimpse into the world of a wrestling legend.
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 11, 2011
I have a confession to make. I was big into pro-wrestling back in the day. And by back in the day, I mean 1982-2003. In the course of those years, I probably read 20 books about wrestlers. This one is in the top two.
Pure Dynamite is the story of the Dynamite Kid, best known as one half of the British Bulldogs. The Kid, aka Tom Billington, tells the story of his career, beginning from his training at Wiggan, England as an undersized youth of 16, to Calgary with the Harts, to New Japan and his legendary battles with the original Tiger Mask, to the WWF and beyond.
The thing that really grabs you is Billington's frankness about doing drugs, both steroids and recreational, and his low opinion of many wrestlers. You don't get that from the bios the WWE churns out. Billington is also frank about where his style and drug abuse got him; penniless and in a wheelchair.
It's a gripping read but not for anyone who wants to continue watching wrestling through rose colored glasses. The things these guys do to entertain us takes a gruesome toll on them in the long run.
Pure Dynamite is the story of the Dynamite Kid, best known as one half of the British Bulldogs. The Kid, aka Tom Billington, tells the story of his career, beginning from his training at Wiggan, England as an undersized youth of 16, to Calgary with the Harts, to New Japan and his legendary battles with the original Tiger Mask, to the WWF and beyond.
The thing that really grabs you is Billington's frankness about doing drugs, both steroids and recreational, and his low opinion of many wrestlers. You don't get that from the bios the WWE churns out. Billington is also frank about where his style and drug abuse got him; penniless and in a wheelchair.
It's a gripping read but not for anyone who wants to continue watching wrestling through rose colored glasses. The things these guys do to entertain us takes a gruesome toll on them in the long run.
May 6, 2021
Pure Dynamite is the memoir of professional wrestler Tom “The Dynamite Kid” Billington.
In the years following the 1999 release of Mick Foley’s Have A Nice Day, the marketplace for wrestler memoirs and biographies exploded. While many of those books aren’t worth reading, Tom Billington’s memoir – originally released in 2001 – has long been considered one of the best. Unfortunately, it’s long out-of-print, so the only copies you’re likely going to find are going to be from third-party sellers on the internet (which is how I got my copy).
Tom had an extraordinarily influential career that was tragically cut short as the injuries sustained during his hard-hitting matches caught up to him at a young age. Because of this, I’ve frequently heard that he was a deeply bitter man who often lashed out and blamed others for much of his misfortune.
That being said, in Pure Dynamite, I found Billington took ownership for all of the bad decisions he made during his career. Perhaps people were turned off by his often cutting opinions of both the character of and in-ring talent of his peers, but I found his opinions refreshing. Billington doesn’t pull punches when assessing the bell-to-bell performance of the likes of Hulk Hogan, Brutus Beefcake, the Hart Brothers (Bret & Owen excluded), Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik and many others. It’s hard to blame his stringent assessments when Tom held himself to such an incredibly high standard that anyone who seemingly gave less than 100% in the ring would likely draw his ire.
The most shocking aspects of the book dealt with his drug and steroid abuse as well as how he handled his mounting injuries. For example, after tearing ligaments in his shoulder during a match in Japan, rather than take time off, Tom began injecting himself with cortisone before heading to the ring. Little did he know, habitual cortisone use would lead to deterioration of his ligaments, muscles and bones. However, Tom said had he known that, he still likely wouldn’t have changed his behavior as it worked for him at the time.
This is the key thread that runs through the bulk of the book. Tom seemingly has no regrets. Everything he did allowed him to be successful, so although his career was cut short, it’s hard to imagine him getting to the level he did in his era without the sacrifices he made. This is such a departure from what I’ve read in many other wrestling books where performers are more focused on playing the victim and finding excuses rather than admitting fault.
The Dynamite Kid was a wrestler who seemingly stepped out of a time machine into the 1970s and 80s. His in-ring work was far ahead of its time and I could only imagine the performances he would put on with today’s wrestler. This is one of the most raw, honest and open wrestling memoirs you’re likely to read and it’s a shame it isn’t more widely available.
In the years following the 1999 release of Mick Foley’s Have A Nice Day, the marketplace for wrestler memoirs and biographies exploded. While many of those books aren’t worth reading, Tom Billington’s memoir – originally released in 2001 – has long been considered one of the best. Unfortunately, it’s long out-of-print, so the only copies you’re likely going to find are going to be from third-party sellers on the internet (which is how I got my copy).
Tom had an extraordinarily influential career that was tragically cut short as the injuries sustained during his hard-hitting matches caught up to him at a young age. Because of this, I’ve frequently heard that he was a deeply bitter man who often lashed out and blamed others for much of his misfortune.
That being said, in Pure Dynamite, I found Billington took ownership for all of the bad decisions he made during his career. Perhaps people were turned off by his often cutting opinions of both the character of and in-ring talent of his peers, but I found his opinions refreshing. Billington doesn’t pull punches when assessing the bell-to-bell performance of the likes of Hulk Hogan, Brutus Beefcake, the Hart Brothers (Bret & Owen excluded), Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik and many others. It’s hard to blame his stringent assessments when Tom held himself to such an incredibly high standard that anyone who seemingly gave less than 100% in the ring would likely draw his ire.
The most shocking aspects of the book dealt with his drug and steroid abuse as well as how he handled his mounting injuries. For example, after tearing ligaments in his shoulder during a match in Japan, rather than take time off, Tom began injecting himself with cortisone before heading to the ring. Little did he know, habitual cortisone use would lead to deterioration of his ligaments, muscles and bones. However, Tom said had he known that, he still likely wouldn’t have changed his behavior as it worked for him at the time.
This is the key thread that runs through the bulk of the book. Tom seemingly has no regrets. Everything he did allowed him to be successful, so although his career was cut short, it’s hard to imagine him getting to the level he did in his era without the sacrifices he made. This is such a departure from what I’ve read in many other wrestling books where performers are more focused on playing the victim and finding excuses rather than admitting fault.
The Dynamite Kid was a wrestler who seemingly stepped out of a time machine into the 1970s and 80s. His in-ring work was far ahead of its time and I could only imagine the performances he would put on with today’s wrestler. This is one of the most raw, honest and open wrestling memoirs you’re likely to read and it’s a shame it isn’t more widely available.
April 9, 2022
Absolutely one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. The man is nothing if not honest. One of the greatest wrestlers ever, tells the story bare bones and all, doesn't hide anything. Doesn't make excuses, and despite ending up with almost nothing (he left England in the late 70s/early 80s with hardly anything, and he returns home with the exact same amount of money in his pocket, despite being one of the most influential wrestlers to ever live. It's a tragic tale that the man doesn't regret.
Amazing story from start to finish. However you want to feel about the man, the wrestler was *perfect*. His story is very close to being that, too
Amazing story from start to finish. However you want to feel about the man, the wrestler was *perfect*. His story is very close to being that, too
November 24, 2017
This is one of the best wrestler bios I've read and I've read a lot of them. Ignore what Bret Hart, Honkey Talk, and others say in shoot interviews on Youtube about the Dynamite Kid and his book. He's no more bitter and disillusioned than any of the guys putting him down across the Internet and in their own books.
May 21, 2024
I must preface the following review by saying that this was a difficult book to rate, and I’ve given lesser ratings to books that were both longer and perhaps better written in a technical or structural sense. However, although it was only 200 pages and he never reflects too deep on any subject (including his seperation from his wife), I really felt as though I knew Tom Billington a bit better after reading this book, and not just learned facts about his career that I could’ve looked up on Wikipedia.
This book reads like a transcript from a lengthy shoot interview. Billington’s personality, which is very clearly shaped by his upbringing in the North of England, comes jumping off the page as he riffs on a number of subjects, from his humble beginnings in Ted Bentley’s garage to the bright lights of WrestleMania, as well as his various sojourns to Japan and everything else in between.
One of the fun aspects of this book is that it also features a number of anecdotes about some of wrestling’s biggest stars from the 1980’s, as Billington gives his opinions on most wrestlers he came across whether he was close to them or not.
It’s also clear that he is still trying to protect kayfabe at times as he is hesitant to talk about the behind the scenes machinations that go into putting a match together. He talks about several matches as though they were shoot contests. Rather than detract from the book, it adds a sense of charm and serves as a reminder of a bygone era when wrestlers were more careful about protecting the industry secrets.
Although one would expect Tom Billington to look back on his life in wrestling with a mixture of bitterness and regret, neither are evident in this book. Instead, he is frank and honest throughout, revealing a more thoughtful side to one of the most groundbreaking wrestlers of his time.
This book reads like a transcript from a lengthy shoot interview. Billington’s personality, which is very clearly shaped by his upbringing in the North of England, comes jumping off the page as he riffs on a number of subjects, from his humble beginnings in Ted Bentley’s garage to the bright lights of WrestleMania, as well as his various sojourns to Japan and everything else in between.
One of the fun aspects of this book is that it also features a number of anecdotes about some of wrestling’s biggest stars from the 1980’s, as Billington gives his opinions on most wrestlers he came across whether he was close to them or not.
It’s also clear that he is still trying to protect kayfabe at times as he is hesitant to talk about the behind the scenes machinations that go into putting a match together. He talks about several matches as though they were shoot contests. Rather than detract from the book, it adds a sense of charm and serves as a reminder of a bygone era when wrestlers were more careful about protecting the industry secrets.
Although one would expect Tom Billington to look back on his life in wrestling with a mixture of bitterness and regret, neither are evident in this book. Instead, he is frank and honest throughout, revealing a more thoughtful side to one of the most groundbreaking wrestlers of his time.
September 17, 2011
A very interesting read. I always loved Dynamite Kid and the British Bulldogs; they probably are my favorite all time tag team right there with The Rockers and The Heart Foundation just to name a few during a time when tag teams were so popular. This book is one of the best ones I've read and it seemed to be brutally honest about a lot of things including wacky things that boggle the mind. This guy was great in the ring and was tough, but he was a bully and easily unlikable as he admits some of the mean things he did to people. (From other accounts he left out some of the meanest pranks but he wrote enough in my mind) This guy was something else and he probably doesn't know why he did some of the things he did. Still I recommend this book just to get some insight into this man. Like I said he was something and this is the guy Chris Benoit idolized. That's something Chris father now admits was a mistake and he regrets allowing it. But hey who could have guessed? All in all I would say I enjoyed this book though some of the things he did left me shaking my head.
A.M Torres author of Love Child.
A.M Torres author of Love Child.
August 27, 2020
Not nearly as good at Bret Hart's book, but not nearly as bad as some others that have been published. This is a fairly short account of one of wrestling's brightest stars of the 70s and 80s. Although I never watch pro wrestling now and haven't for many years, as a kid in the 80s I lived for it. Other than the Olympics, professional wrestling of the eighties is as close as I ever got to caring about anything that even resembles a sport. And I had a bit of a gay-kid crush on the Dynamite Kid and his partner Davey Boy Smith, truth be told. I saw the British Bulldogs wrestle live and in person twice in Richfield, Ohio, in 1987 and 1988, and they didn't disappoint.
People have said how "honest" Billington was in this book. I suppose so - but he also seems to have a huge blind spot when it comes to his own ego and some of his more toxic personality traits. The common denominator in all of his failed relationships, be they personal or professional, is him. He doesn't seem to ever make that connection. But he does at least admit to the steroid and drug abuse that wrecked his body, along with his refusal to lay off the hard-hitting and high-flying stunts that made him famous while (literally) breaking his back. Unfortunately the bitterness and trash-talking are a bit much, even at a mere 200 pages. I was happy that he at least refrains from bashing his ex-wife, which was a glaring problem with Hulk Hogan's autobiography and made it such a slog to get through. This is not that. For the most part, he leaves his marital problems out of it and only mentions them briefly. The most interesting part, for me, was to learn more about the business of sports entertainment - and how exploited its athletes were (or maybe still are).
The book was published in 1999/2000, and it does end on an upbeat note. Billington passed away in 2018 at the age of 60. (Many of the people he talks about in this book have also died since then). I hope his life remained good during the rest of those years.
People have said how "honest" Billington was in this book. I suppose so - but he also seems to have a huge blind spot when it comes to his own ego and some of his more toxic personality traits. The common denominator in all of his failed relationships, be they personal or professional, is him. He doesn't seem to ever make that connection. But he does at least admit to the steroid and drug abuse that wrecked his body, along with his refusal to lay off the hard-hitting and high-flying stunts that made him famous while (literally) breaking his back. Unfortunately the bitterness and trash-talking are a bit much, even at a mere 200 pages. I was happy that he at least refrains from bashing his ex-wife, which was a glaring problem with Hulk Hogan's autobiography and made it such a slog to get through. This is not that. For the most part, he leaves his marital problems out of it and only mentions them briefly. The most interesting part, for me, was to learn more about the business of sports entertainment - and how exploited its athletes were (or maybe still are).
The book was published in 1999/2000, and it does end on an upbeat note. Billington passed away in 2018 at the age of 60. (Many of the people he talks about in this book have also died since then). I hope his life remained good during the rest of those years.
December 27, 2022
Is there a sadder story in professional wrestling than this one?
The answer is yes. Wrestling is a brutal business and there's some horror stories out there.
Having said that, this is a sad one, as it all seems so avoidable.
I went into it knowing a fair bit, but to hear it from the dynamite kid himself was really interesting.
A terrific wrestler, a bit of a bastard behind the scenes, angry and drug addled, he had so many flaws.
He also knew the damage he was doing to himself, but continued for his fans and his love of the business.
Is that heroic? Stupid? Narcissistic? A bit of all of them.
Either way, if you like wrestling, this is a must read.
RIP Dynamite Kid!!
The answer is yes. Wrestling is a brutal business and there's some horror stories out there.
Having said that, this is a sad one, as it all seems so avoidable.
I went into it knowing a fair bit, but to hear it from the dynamite kid himself was really interesting.
A terrific wrestler, a bit of a bastard behind the scenes, angry and drug addled, he had so many flaws.
He also knew the damage he was doing to himself, but continued for his fans and his love of the business.
Is that heroic? Stupid? Narcissistic? A bit of all of them.
Either way, if you like wrestling, this is a must read.
RIP Dynamite Kid!!
January 5, 2021
To say that Tommy really wasn't a nice guy, would be putting it mildly. He didn't mind hurting people to achieve his end; he'd break noses, shoot people up with milk, etc. But he had some legendary matches in Japan, where wrestlers made big money, even today. He was part of the rock n wrestling WWF national expansion as champions with his cousin Davey. You also read his account of getting sucker punched with a roll of quarters. Ultimately, he loses everything. An in depth, but just okay read for pro wrestling fans.
February 17, 2024
I can't say I'm a fan as he was before my time mainly. I read this book for free as I thought it might be interesting to hear his side of some of the dramas over the years. There was the odd tidbit of a story. People in the reviews are saying it's a very honest account. I can't say if it is or not but there are a number of things that happened in Tom's life that he has conveniently missed out. Overall, it could be a good book for those that followed his career and want to hear the inside scoop of the matches but I am glad I didn't pay the £30-£80 this book goes for in the UK.
June 22, 2019
I can see why this book has a reputation as being one of the better ones in the genre. It is honest and raw. Dynamite doesn't run from admitting that he was a steroid abusing jerk, and is very forthcoming about the toll his wrestling style took on his body. He ended up in a wheelchair unable to walk again, and still said he would do his career all over again without changing a thing. That really tells you how intoxicating the business can be.
June 7, 2024
Myth of the dynamite kid.
Now, I don't know how much actual insight Billington is offering of himself. But what is written here doesn't show him much of a complex character other than "win or lose but move forward". He doesn't seem to majorly regret any of his decisions both as the dynamite kid and as a cripple. Which is something that shows in the pov of his autobiography.
Maybe, it is because Billington himself doesn't have that introspection or he really did have too much of a blast.
Now, I don't know how much actual insight Billington is offering of himself. But what is written here doesn't show him much of a complex character other than "win or lose but move forward". He doesn't seem to majorly regret any of his decisions both as the dynamite kid and as a cripple. Which is something that shows in the pov of his autobiography.
Maybe, it is because Billington himself doesn't have that introspection or he really did have too much of a blast.
February 1, 2020
I read this in a sum total of approximately four hours. Super breezy. I don't think this would be very enjoyable for anyone who doesn't follow pro wrestling, as it doesn't do a great job of describing people, promotions, wrestling traditions, etc. There's a lot of assumption on the part of the authors. Also, they spell Ozzy, " Ozzie." 🙄
January 28, 2021
Really interesting scope into the life of a wrestler during these times. It’s awesome to know that the locker rooms aren’t like that anymore, because holy fuck these guys are terrible to each other. Dynamite even admits to being a complete ass, which I guess I admire. I would not recommend this from a writing standpoint, but he does write well for a wrestler.
May 8, 2021
An interesting look at the Dynamite Kid from his perspective. Definitely read with a hint doubt when it comes to recalling events like the Rougeau situation and his family life (at one point Bret said in his own book that Dynamite aimed a gun at his wife). A good, quick read about a very underappreciated and ahead of his time wrestler.
August 21, 2018
The ultimate wrestler who put his life on the line to entertain and give the paying public value for their money. No compromises. Pure dynamite. He did it his way and he regrets nothing.
The one and only British Bulldog - The Dynamite Kid.
Great read.
The one and only British Bulldog - The Dynamite Kid.
Great read.
October 28, 2023
This was a great autobiography. Unlike some other wrestling autobiographies, he doesn’t try to simply make himself look good. He comes off as honest and admits both the good and the bad. I especially enjoyed the insight into 80s Japanese wrestling.
December 7, 2021
Pretty good. Straightforward disregard for one’s body leads to great matches, chronic pain and a shortened career. I gotta watch those tiger mask matches again now.
April 3, 2022
Pure, yet hateful
July 7, 2022
Pretty entertaining book from one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Not exactly well written but the stories and opinions are top notch.
March 29, 2024
Meandering but gripping autobiography by the wrestler whose influence on an entire generation of performers cannot be understated. Sad to see such a gifted athlete and performer destroy himself.
March 8, 2022
I've always had a fascination with The Dynamite Kid Tommy Billington. Probably the greatest in ring performer of all time. Nobody could do it quite like Dynamite. His matches against Tiger Mask in Japan are an art form! He also had some serious demons which all makes for a fascinating story. If you watched wrestling in the 80's and early 90's this is a must read.
April 23, 2022
Fairly interesting look at the biz. Weird how Dynamite hates just about everyone. Doesn't shoot when talking about the business and is open about the drug use. Not bad!
April 21, 2023
As an athlete and performer in the ring there is absolutely no denying that the Dynamite Kid is among the small handful of pro wrestlers that influenced not just the generations of wrestlers that followed but his peers as well.
His in ring work was top notch and groundbreaking.
As a human being it’s really hard to find positive stories about the man. Everything you ever hear is that he took liberties with others in and out of the ring. Not caring at all if his actions were harmful physically or mentally to anyone.
This was as far as I remember one of the first biographies of a wrestler that was a big deal upon release. Dynamite just comes across as a bitter old asshole who even when he does have anything positive to say it comes across as either backhanded or insincere. I’ve read more than a few of these wrestling biographies and watched hundreds of interviews and I can honestly say that Dynamite Kid is the most bitter angry asshole former wrestler ever.
His in ring work was top notch and groundbreaking.
As a human being it’s really hard to find positive stories about the man. Everything you ever hear is that he took liberties with others in and out of the ring. Not caring at all if his actions were harmful physically or mentally to anyone.
This was as far as I remember one of the first biographies of a wrestler that was a big deal upon release. Dynamite just comes across as a bitter old asshole who even when he does have anything positive to say it comes across as either backhanded or insincere. I’ve read more than a few of these wrestling biographies and watched hundreds of interviews and I can honestly say that Dynamite Kid is the most bitter angry asshole former wrestler ever.
July 18, 2016
I have been re-reading several of my wrestling books that I haven't picked up in years to see how they stand up. The book is about one half of the former WWF Tag Champions The Birtish Bulldgos, who were one of my favorite teams growing up (I saw them when I attended the 1st ever Survivor Series in Richfield, Ohio, and when I saw a taping of Saturday Nights Main Event at the same arena).
Even though the book is honest about his use of steroids and the pressures on his body and life, the book is full of anger in my opinion. There is maybe 1-2 total wrestlers in the book that Billington speaks highly of, while bashing many on their skills (or lack thereof). He claims that he carried the team of the Bulldogs, that he was supposed to be in a Rocky movie (which I've heard even Kerry Von Erich was to get the role).
Most of the book talks about Japan Wrestling, so if you are looking for more of the WWF era, you would have to skip most of the book, but that's where Dynamite had most of his matches.
Even though it's a shame that Dynamite body gave up on him, the book does little to show sympathy because of his trashing everyone's skills , and even says that his fellow wrestlers told him to cut back on his drug use and his in ring style, but he refused. Nonetheless, reading about his time with Davey Boy Smith and the Hart Family is worth the read for that. Keep in mind there were not many wrestling books out at the time this was released, as opposed to now where any wrestler can get a book out. To me, this is an honest book, but I put it in the ones that seem to bash everyone the author can get away with.
Even though the book is honest about his use of steroids and the pressures on his body and life, the book is full of anger in my opinion. There is maybe 1-2 total wrestlers in the book that Billington speaks highly of, while bashing many on their skills (or lack thereof). He claims that he carried the team of the Bulldogs, that he was supposed to be in a Rocky movie (which I've heard even Kerry Von Erich was to get the role).
Most of the book talks about Japan Wrestling, so if you are looking for more of the WWF era, you would have to skip most of the book, but that's where Dynamite had most of his matches.
Even though it's a shame that Dynamite body gave up on him, the book does little to show sympathy because of his trashing everyone's skills , and even says that his fellow wrestlers told him to cut back on his drug use and his in ring style, but he refused. Nonetheless, reading about his time with Davey Boy Smith and the Hart Family is worth the read for that. Keep in mind there were not many wrestling books out at the time this was released, as opposed to now where any wrestler can get a book out. To me, this is an honest book, but I put it in the ones that seem to bash everyone the author can get away with.
April 2, 2022
As a child of the 80’s, you could say being a WWF fan was my birthright. So I’d always wanted to read this book about Dynamite Kid.
His bona fides were legit, as he was from Lancashire, home of catch-as-catch-can wrestling, the style utilized by the coal miners there, which would be the predecessor to many modern forms. He even trained at Billy Riley’s Snake Pit.
He was also one of the most feared, or crazy, men in the locker room, while standing only 5’8”.
However, this book suffers from rough transitions from one anecdote to another. Not much effort was made from an editing standpoint. You’d think considering how Dynamite labels Dave Schultz as having been one of his best friends that he wouldn’t incorrectly spell Schultz’s name everywhere in the book. There were also random missing periods at the end of sentences, lending a sloppy feel to the book. I lay most of the blame for these issues on the co-writer, as surely it was her responsibility to clean things up and bring some coherence. With a little bit more focus, this could have been a very good book.
His bona fides were legit, as he was from Lancashire, home of catch-as-catch-can wrestling, the style utilized by the coal miners there, which would be the predecessor to many modern forms. He even trained at Billy Riley’s Snake Pit.
He was also one of the most feared, or crazy, men in the locker room, while standing only 5’8”.
However, this book suffers from rough transitions from one anecdote to another. Not much effort was made from an editing standpoint. You’d think considering how Dynamite labels Dave Schultz as having been one of his best friends that he wouldn’t incorrectly spell Schultz’s name everywhere in the book. There were also random missing periods at the end of sentences, lending a sloppy feel to the book. I lay most of the blame for these issues on the co-writer, as surely it was her responsibility to clean things up and bring some coherence. With a little bit more focus, this could have been a very good book.
November 18, 2020
Tom Billington is one of the most talented workers and most flawed men in the history of wrestling. This book does a terrific job at conveying both of those aspects of his character.
From beginning to end it's pretty much unfiltered Dynamite Kid - Brutal honesty with spurts of narcissism mixed in. The writing is somewhat amateur, but that's pretty much any wrestling memoir. As far as wrestling books go, this is in the top tier. While most of them are notorious for whitewashing history, Billington doesn't pull punches about being a jerk and abusing steroids. He's very open about being a less-than-stellar human being.
My biggest wince at this book was the admission that he would do it all over again, despite being an abusive asshole and spending his twilight years in a wheelchair because of the toll drugs and the sport took on his body he claims he'd do it all over again just the same and that's not necessarily a proper message to be conveying here - even if it's an honest one.
From beginning to end it's pretty much unfiltered Dynamite Kid - Brutal honesty with spurts of narcissism mixed in. The writing is somewhat amateur, but that's pretty much any wrestling memoir. As far as wrestling books go, this is in the top tier. While most of them are notorious for whitewashing history, Billington doesn't pull punches about being a jerk and abusing steroids. He's very open about being a less-than-stellar human being.
My biggest wince at this book was the admission that he would do it all over again, despite being an abusive asshole and spending his twilight years in a wheelchair because of the toll drugs and the sport took on his body he claims he'd do it all over again just the same and that's not necessarily a proper message to be conveying here - even if it's an honest one.
December 3, 2021
A raw autobiography, excellent for fans of the dynamite kid, Stampede Wrestling, the Harts and fans of wrestling through the eighties. The book isn't as well write as it could of been but for this reason comes across as Alison Coleman,(Ghost Write) has tried to capture Dynamite direct personality. The stories throughout the book make you laugh, cringe and take note of what it was like for Tom Billington co-ordinating himself throughout the boom of pro-wrestling. One negative would be the way in which the book struggles to clearly explain wrestling is pre-determined as if Tom was almost still trying to protect the business but on the other hand he perfectly gets across that even though it is a work, the bumbs in which top wrestlers put their body through are as real as the best wrestlers make them look.
May 2, 2012
Tom "The Dynamite Kid" Billington's biography is a very interesting story of a wrestler who was a part of the 1980's surge in the popularity of professional wrestling. But, while this era is give some discussion, Billington gives equal billing to the time that he spent learning the craft in England, Canada, and Japan. I never realized what a legitimate tough guy the Kid was as well as a locker room prankster. I also didn't have any idea of the falling out between him and The British Bulldog. Sadly, Billington's story does not end happily as he is wheelchair bound today but his story is an important chapter in the history of professional wrestling. (originally posted on Amazon.com)
October 31, 2022
Very good read. Dynamite Kid was one of my favorite wrestlers, so I enjoyed reading about his life and journey from his own point of view. While this was quite honest about most things, even events that shed negative light on himself, it still feels quite bitter towards certain people, and the business in general at times. If it wasn't for the negativity I probably would have gave this a 5 star. But I feel the bitterness holds it back some. Still a very good read, and properly displays his view on his life and the wrestling business.
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