The Last Wrestlers: A Far Flung Journey In Search of a Manly Art

by Marcus Trower

The Last Wrestler is the story of one man's rebellion against the office-bound constraints of the modern world. Vivid, comic and often moving, it reveals a testosterone-fuelled world you never knew existed.

Marcus Trower hated WWF. He hated Hulk Hogan, Big Daddy and all the other spandex-clad musclemen who over the years had made a mockery of his beloved sport. For him, wrestling - real wrestling - was a means of expression, both physical and mental. It was also, in Britain at least, a dying art.

Then tragedy struck. Chronic health problems prevented him doing what he loved most. Unwilling to let go, he travelled to India, Mongolia, Nigeria and Brazil in an attempt to uncover some deeper, perhaps spiritual, dimension to wrestling. Amid incredible scenery and a cast of colourful characters, Marcus discovered the true origins of wrestling appeared to have little to do with spirituality and everything to do with seduction...

Genres: Sports

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2007

About the author

I'm the author of The Last Wrestlers: A Far-Flung Journey in Search of a Manly Art.

"Fascinating, funny, tragic and inspiring." Arena

"This is a genuinely exciting and entertaining book, and if it doesn't win Trower a sports-writing gong of some sort, then I'll change my byline to Big Daddy." Dan Jones, the Literary Review

"For sheer ambition, The Last Wrestlers ought to be considered one of the sporting books of the year...cracking stuff...a triumph in both its aspiration and, in many respects, its execution." The Times

"Chatwinesque...anecdotal and poetic." Sunday Times

"An absolutely fascinating, heartfelt and original book that deserves a wide audience." Robert Twigger, author of Angry White Pyjamas

Reviews

[Conor Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading for the chapter where Indian wrestlers were showing the author their dicks and bragging about how small they are, which means they are excellent wrestlers in their culture.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really is a stunning piece of sports writing. I found myself learning a lot about various Asian cultures (Indian, Mongolian...) through the author's accounts of their wrestling practices. To be quite honest, it's summer, and I don't have the energy to read a book that teaches me as much as this book has already. So I didn't finish it. Which is why it only got 3 stars. But I'm sure it would be 4 if I had stuck it out.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book about wrestling culture and history. Not terribly deep, and I think he oversells the anti-masculinity of modern culture somewhat, but definitely worth a read. It'll give you something to think about in between takedown attempts.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, even as I felt bad for the author's inability to practice the art he was reduced to preaching.