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A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex
Chris Jericho is the first undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the WWE and WCW, and has been called one of the fifty greatest wrestlers of all time. Now retired, he is writing his memoir, telling the story of his journey from wrestling school in Canada to his time in leagues in Mexico and Japan to his big break in the WCW. He'll dish the dirt on how he worked his way through the ranks alongside major wrestling stars like Chris Benoit and Lance Storm to become a major superstar.
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
178 people are currently reading
2325 people want to read
About the author
Chris Jericho
8 books208 followersChris Jericho lives in Los Angeles and Florida. He has been named one of the 50 greatest wrestlers of all time by the WWE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 326 reviews
December 17, 2013
A Lion's Tale is the biography of wrestler Chris Jericho, going from childhood to his moments right before walking through the curtain in his WWF debut.
Right off, this is the most entertaining wrestling book I've ever read. More entertaining than Foley's two books, more entertaining even than Terry Funk's book. Chris Jericho isn't afraid to poke fun at himself or throw in pop culture references. I laughed out loud a few times at his wordplay.
The book itself is a quick read and should be used as the template for most wrestling books. The pre-wrestling stuff doesn't take up much room and the rest is packed with road stories. Chris's journey takes him from wrestling in front of a handful of people in tiny Canadian towns to Mexico, the Smokey mountains, Europe, Japan, ECW, and finally WCW.
Unlike a lot of wrestling books, Chris doesn't toot his own horn constantly. In fact, he's not afraid to reveal some things that make him look like kind of a dork. Like not losing his virginity until he was 20, saying dumb things when meeting other wrestlers, or soiling himself after drinking the water in Mexico. He also admits he's had his share of bad matches, like the Super Liger debacle.
Jericho spends as much time talking about what happens behind the curtain as he does about the matches, making for an entertaining book. He talks about going out drinking, the difficulties of adjusting to working Japan, and hanging with guys like Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero.
Once he gets to WCW, he focuses on what a disorganized mess the company was and who were jerks backstage, though after reading several other biographies from the same time period, I already knew who they were.
If you're a wrestling fan and only want to buy one wrestling book, you could do a lot worse than this one. 4.5 out of 5. Good thing I have Jericho's second book on deck.
Right off, this is the most entertaining wrestling book I've ever read. More entertaining than Foley's two books, more entertaining even than Terry Funk's book. Chris Jericho isn't afraid to poke fun at himself or throw in pop culture references. I laughed out loud a few times at his wordplay.
The book itself is a quick read and should be used as the template for most wrestling books. The pre-wrestling stuff doesn't take up much room and the rest is packed with road stories. Chris's journey takes him from wrestling in front of a handful of people in tiny Canadian towns to Mexico, the Smokey mountains, Europe, Japan, ECW, and finally WCW.
Unlike a lot of wrestling books, Chris doesn't toot his own horn constantly. In fact, he's not afraid to reveal some things that make him look like kind of a dork. Like not losing his virginity until he was 20, saying dumb things when meeting other wrestlers, or soiling himself after drinking the water in Mexico. He also admits he's had his share of bad matches, like the Super Liger debacle.
Jericho spends as much time talking about what happens behind the curtain as he does about the matches, making for an entertaining book. He talks about going out drinking, the difficulties of adjusting to working Japan, and hanging with guys like Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero.
Once he gets to WCW, he focuses on what a disorganized mess the company was and who were jerks backstage, though after reading several other biographies from the same time period, I already knew who they were.
If you're a wrestling fan and only want to buy one wrestling book, you could do a lot worse than this one. 4.5 out of 5. Good thing I have Jericho's second book on deck.
September 6, 2022
Mick Foley’s first book gave birth to a whole genre of wrestling autobiographies and many big name wrestlers have quickly followed suit. And it’s clear people love to read them. It’s no surprise, given the incredibly fascinating lives these superstars have lived, inside and outside of the ring.
Chris Jericho does a really good job of mixing things up here. It’s the ups and downs in all aspects of his life, leading up to his debut in the WWE (then WWF). His wrestling matches, his travels around the world and in many different wrestling organizations. The interactions with all the amazing wrestlers he’s ever met and all the people he didn’t like along the way. Both inside and outside the ring. And all is told in Chris Jericho’s own conversational and entertaining style, with lots of pop culture references and little gems of comedy.
If you didn’t already know, I’m a huge pro wrestling fan. So yeah, this gets five stars. No discussion. This and Mick Foley’s first autobiography are just very easy recommendations for anyone who loves pro wrestling. Very easy and entertaining read.
Chris Jericho does a really good job of mixing things up here. It’s the ups and downs in all aspects of his life, leading up to his debut in the WWE (then WWF). His wrestling matches, his travels around the world and in many different wrestling organizations. The interactions with all the amazing wrestlers he’s ever met and all the people he didn’t like along the way. Both inside and outside the ring. And all is told in Chris Jericho’s own conversational and entertaining style, with lots of pop culture references and little gems of comedy.
If you didn’t already know, I’m a huge pro wrestling fan. So yeah, this gets five stars. No discussion. This and Mick Foley’s first autobiography are just very easy recommendations for anyone who loves pro wrestling. Very easy and entertaining read.
October 17, 2014
Next to "Hitman", Jericho's autobiography is one of the most entertaining looks at the world of professional wrestling. I might sound like a terrible person in saying this but I'm happy that it was not censored by the actions of Chris Benoit in mid-2007 - I feel that it would not have been all that accurate in depicting Jericho's early career if that had happened.
January 3, 2015
I have this urge, to call this the single best pro-wrestling book ever written, but [unfortunately] I myself read only a few of those. Still, it's the best one I laid my filthy little hands on. Chris just hijacks your attention and takes you on a ride of your (or his, to be exact) life. I live a boring existence: a gray apartment, some basic education to stand on and an office job situated in the district of HELL. Basically a recipe for a suicide that's waiting to happen. This guy, on the other hand, illustrates what a roller-coaster of a ride a life of a PW'er is. And not today, when many future "superstars" get a cozy developmental deal with WWE and then travel the world locked in a plane-rental-hotel-arena-home circle. No, Y2J travels the world, developing his craft all around the globe - getting a wrestling bachelors degree in Mexico and then earning his masters in Japan. Making numerous friends and collecting a truck-load of interesting stories in the process. I swear, when I were to look back at my life in 80 years with my sad gray ballsack hanging by my ankles, I will not have 5% of the stories that Chris already has in this book. Fighting off airport security with the beast Haku, having been robbed in Mexico by a girl and being left in the woods... And all of these adventures are presented in such an entertaining way with all of the jokes so fluidly intertwining with the story. No wonder he is one of the greatest promos in the business today. I highly recommend this book to any pro-wrestling fan or simply a fan of great literature, because - guess what - this is GREAT LITERATURE. I swear.
June 16, 2016
From humble beginnings in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to landing his dream job in the WWE, Chris Jericho details the many hardships and hilarious moments he went through on his quest to be a well-known professional wrestler. As a child, he would watch Hulk Hogan, The British Bulldogs, and the Hart Family on TV and in the arenas dominating their competition and putting on a show. This prompted Jericho to want to train at the infamous Hart Dungeon, where students were pushed to their breaking point with painful submission holds and wrestling tactics. Jericho would continue to gain experience around the world in places like Mexico, Japan, Germany, and eventually in the good old US of A. It was only a matter of time until the Titan Tron counted down the seconds before Y2J’s official entrance into the WWE. A legend was born that night.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what the wrestling business was like behind the curtain, Chris Jericho was more than happy to tell you in his memoir. Every aspiring wrestler had to have an extreme amount of physical and mental toughness in order to take as many athletic risks as they do. Jericho didn’t even have a breaking point when it came to the abuse he took. Knowing how to wrestle was only the first half. The second half of what the industry entails is having the business sense and creativity to negotiate yourself into winning predicaments and having a good gimmick to go with them. Chris Jericho comes off as an encyclopedia of this kind of knowledge, which is one of the reasons he’s a respected legend in the industry today.
Of course, the other thing that made this book memorable was his quick-paced, humorous writing style. He can get away with using pop culture references and one-liner jokes, because neither of those two things bogs down the storytelling. Even the laziest reader could get through all five-hundred plus pages of this book and feel like a champion afterwards. Chris Jericho knows what the people want and it’s a chuckle-worthy and delightfully-honest memoir. An example of his sense of humor comes when he gets in a brawl with a former convict and says, “I’m going to throw hands with you Winnipeg style!” What the hell does that even mean? Yes, the ex-convict was laughing too. If the reader was to flip to a random page in the book, he would find a lighthearted line somewhere in there, even during some of the dour moments of the book. Never a dull moment!
The only gripe I have about this book is so minor that it doesn’t take away from the four stars I plan on giving it. I would have liked to see him go into a little more detail about some of his wrestling matches. I’m sure a few descriptions of the choreography and storytelling wouldn’t have slowed the pace down at all. When I read Ronda Rousey’s memoir earlier this year, she went into full detail about how she beat the crap out of her opponents on the judo mats and in the MMA cage. While Chris Jericho could easily be just as descriptive, it’s not the biggest flaw this book has. In fact, any reader will enjoy it no matter what walk of life he comes from.
Do you like stories about overcoming adversity, toughing it out, and making dreams come true in the end? Look no further than “A Lion’s Tale” by Chris Jericho. It’s fast, intelligent, and hilarious throughout the whole thing. The sorrowful moments are few and far between, but they’re still important to this man’s story and the writing about them was executed perfectly. There are a few people who would be uncomfortable with Chris Jericho constantly praising Chris Benoit (a wrestler who murdered his wife and son before committing suicide in 2007). However, as the author’s not clearly states, this book was published before Chris Benoit’s double murder-suicide, so Jericho had no way of knowing what the hell was going to happen. If you’re really bothered that much Benoit’s presence in the book, toughen up like Chris Jericho has throughout his career. This is an awesome book and you shouldn’t expect anything less from the former six-time WWE Champion and nine-time Intercontinental Champion.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what the wrestling business was like behind the curtain, Chris Jericho was more than happy to tell you in his memoir. Every aspiring wrestler had to have an extreme amount of physical and mental toughness in order to take as many athletic risks as they do. Jericho didn’t even have a breaking point when it came to the abuse he took. Knowing how to wrestle was only the first half. The second half of what the industry entails is having the business sense and creativity to negotiate yourself into winning predicaments and having a good gimmick to go with them. Chris Jericho comes off as an encyclopedia of this kind of knowledge, which is one of the reasons he’s a respected legend in the industry today.
Of course, the other thing that made this book memorable was his quick-paced, humorous writing style. He can get away with using pop culture references and one-liner jokes, because neither of those two things bogs down the storytelling. Even the laziest reader could get through all five-hundred plus pages of this book and feel like a champion afterwards. Chris Jericho knows what the people want and it’s a chuckle-worthy and delightfully-honest memoir. An example of his sense of humor comes when he gets in a brawl with a former convict and says, “I’m going to throw hands with you Winnipeg style!” What the hell does that even mean? Yes, the ex-convict was laughing too. If the reader was to flip to a random page in the book, he would find a lighthearted line somewhere in there, even during some of the dour moments of the book. Never a dull moment!
The only gripe I have about this book is so minor that it doesn’t take away from the four stars I plan on giving it. I would have liked to see him go into a little more detail about some of his wrestling matches. I’m sure a few descriptions of the choreography and storytelling wouldn’t have slowed the pace down at all. When I read Ronda Rousey’s memoir earlier this year, she went into full detail about how she beat the crap out of her opponents on the judo mats and in the MMA cage. While Chris Jericho could easily be just as descriptive, it’s not the biggest flaw this book has. In fact, any reader will enjoy it no matter what walk of life he comes from.
Do you like stories about overcoming adversity, toughing it out, and making dreams come true in the end? Look no further than “A Lion’s Tale” by Chris Jericho. It’s fast, intelligent, and hilarious throughout the whole thing. The sorrowful moments are few and far between, but they’re still important to this man’s story and the writing about them was executed perfectly. There are a few people who would be uncomfortable with Chris Jericho constantly praising Chris Benoit (a wrestler who murdered his wife and son before committing suicide in 2007). However, as the author’s not clearly states, this book was published before Chris Benoit’s double murder-suicide, so Jericho had no way of knowing what the hell was going to happen. If you’re really bothered that much Benoit’s presence in the book, toughen up like Chris Jericho has throughout his career. This is an awesome book and you shouldn’t expect anything less from the former six-time WWE Champion and nine-time Intercontinental Champion.
June 3, 2013
I started watching wrestling at a young age. I don't watch it as much anymore, but in the 90's I used to love tuning into Monday Night Nitro to see what Chris Jericho would do next. Back then, he was my favorite wrestler. I ran across an autographed copy of his autobiography at Bardstown Booksellers a couple years back, read the book off and on and finished the book in May of this year.
The book tells his story from the beginning of his career through his days at WCW, before he became a star in the WWE. He started off wrestling in Canada, then wrestled for awhile in Germany, Japan, Mexico, then the United States. I thought it fun to read about how he came up with some of his moves and gimmicks. He was more creative than most wrestlers with some of the more outrageous stuff he came up with in WCW.
He still wrestles in WWE now but I don't like his current gimmick of cocky, catch phrase saying, fan favorite. My favorite gimmick of his was ultra serious, condescending asshole of a few years back. None of that is mentioned in this book, which covers his early years, which were entertaining to read about.
The book tells his story from the beginning of his career through his days at WCW, before he became a star in the WWE. He started off wrestling in Canada, then wrestled for awhile in Germany, Japan, Mexico, then the United States. I thought it fun to read about how he came up with some of his moves and gimmicks. He was more creative than most wrestlers with some of the more outrageous stuff he came up with in WCW.
He still wrestles in WWE now but I don't like his current gimmick of cocky, catch phrase saying, fan favorite. My favorite gimmick of his was ultra serious, condescending asshole of a few years back. None of that is mentioned in this book, which covers his early years, which were entertaining to read about.
September 19, 2025
One of my first wrestling figures when i was young was Chris Jericho and he had this really sticky and kinda fleshy quality about him.
July 31, 2012
I am severely disappointed by Jericho's biography. I know this is the first installment of a three part series, the other two parts probably focusing on his WWE and music career, but considering that challenges and his ascent to the top would be the most fascinating, this effort falls flat hard and essentially decides that I should not bother with parts two and three. I am mostly disappointed because Jericho truly is a versatile star in various fields (wrestling, music, entertainment) and as his moniker goes, "best in the world at what I do." I am hardly blaming him for this dull book; I am primarily blaming the ghost writer, who can claim to be a 'Jericholic' but is a uninteresting git most likely. He managed to make the life of Chris Jericho a struggle to read. Wrestling biographies do not need to herald a standard of literary excellence because they should be concerned on highlighting the necessary aspects of an individual's life and readability, but others have shown that strong and intelligent wrestling writing is possible. See Mick Foley (twice), Ric Flair; Edge's book is in the same conversational tone and is a striking success. I am very surprised by this botch of a book, and I think I am correct in expecting much better. Jericho lead a very interesting life that is not emulated anymore, where he had to prove himself through small time shows, Japan, Mexico, Germany; work in places that did not appreciate his talent, etc. He was not given the meteoric push and backing that some of the talentless goons receive in today's business. He earned it, worked for it, and achieved a multiplicity of his dreams. I am giving this more than one star just because I am an eight year Jericholic and admirer of his life. The writing is just that abysmal and lamentable.
October 6, 2011
An interesting and fun biography about one of the most colorful wrestlers in the last 10 years. Learning of Chris Jericho's path from a kid with a dream to the bright lights of the then WWF was fun, he has seen a lot and done a lot in this business all of which contribute to the showman he is now.
I did find the stories a little disjointed and they were told by territory not by chronology so its hard to gauge were he is in relation to this wrestling.
In all thought a good fun story, light enough to pick up and read a couple of chapters here and there, and engaging enough to keep you turning pages.
I did find the stories a little disjointed and they were told by territory not by chronology so its hard to gauge were he is in relation to this wrestling.
In all thought a good fun story, light enough to pick up and read a couple of chapters here and there, and engaging enough to keep you turning pages.
November 29, 2017
In one of the greatest sporting autobiographies ever written, the man known across the world as "Y2J" Chris Jericho takes the reader on an incredible, no-holds-barred journey in highlighting his humble beginnings from wrestling in bingo halls and bowling alleys to years spent in promotions in Mexico, Germany, and Japan - as well as ECW and WCW - all of which finally granted him entrance into the granddaddy of them all: the WWE. Though I was not able to follow Jericho's wrestling career as it happened (or at least as in-depth as my fellow Millennials), I saw enough of Y2J that I admired his technical prowess in the ring and his promo and speaking ability. After reading several of the noted wrestling autobiographies that were published in the 2000s - including those of Mick Foley, Bret Hart, and Ric Flair - I knew there was just one author left that I HAD to read but who I had deliberately held off as I had not connected with him as much as these other wrestlers: Jericho.
Chris Jericho's three (soon to be four) books are all New York Times Bestsellers and come highly recommended to both the hardcore and casual wrestling fan, alike. Even if you do not know Jericho that well, you will find great joy in his entertaining style of writing and his openness and vivid memory in relaying years' worth of daily events and emotions. I cannot tell you how many times I literally LAUGHED OUT LOUD because of something Jericho dared to say, or simply his way in saying it. This truly is not an "as told to" book - Jericho was completely hands-on in creating this autobiography and poured his very personality into every single word. Everyone will surely find great joy in reading through this all-but-common journey of professional wrestlers of the 1990s. Sadly, Jericho is likely the last notable wrestler to experience such a journey, now with the end of regional promotions in North America and more opportunities to develop closer to home and from the ground floor up within the WWE via NXT. Thus, Jericho's tale is that much more unique, admirable, and entertaining.
Though I may have to re-read "Have a Nice Day!" and "Hitman" before I am absolutely certain about what I am about to say, I am under the impression right now that Chris Jericho is the best wrestling autobiographer who ever lived. His willingness to exploit the scene of professional wrestling, even more than his predecessors Mick Foley and Bret Hart had, and sharing every last detail of his inspirational journey from bingo hall to the WWE, helps put this first of Jericho's trilogy over the top in my mind. I cannot wait to read the rest of Jericho's trilogy and to continue to be entertained as well as surprised by what professional wrestling is really like!
Chris Jericho's three (soon to be four) books are all New York Times Bestsellers and come highly recommended to both the hardcore and casual wrestling fan, alike. Even if you do not know Jericho that well, you will find great joy in his entertaining style of writing and his openness and vivid memory in relaying years' worth of daily events and emotions. I cannot tell you how many times I literally LAUGHED OUT LOUD because of something Jericho dared to say, or simply his way in saying it. This truly is not an "as told to" book - Jericho was completely hands-on in creating this autobiography and poured his very personality into every single word. Everyone will surely find great joy in reading through this all-but-common journey of professional wrestlers of the 1990s. Sadly, Jericho is likely the last notable wrestler to experience such a journey, now with the end of regional promotions in North America and more opportunities to develop closer to home and from the ground floor up within the WWE via NXT. Thus, Jericho's tale is that much more unique, admirable, and entertaining.
Though I may have to re-read "Have a Nice Day!" and "Hitman" before I am absolutely certain about what I am about to say, I am under the impression right now that Chris Jericho is the best wrestling autobiographer who ever lived. His willingness to exploit the scene of professional wrestling, even more than his predecessors Mick Foley and Bret Hart had, and sharing every last detail of his inspirational journey from bingo hall to the WWE, helps put this first of Jericho's trilogy over the top in my mind. I cannot wait to read the rest of Jericho's trilogy and to continue to be entertained as well as surprised by what professional wrestling is really like!
November 20, 2023
When I was a kid, Chris Jericho was my favourite wrestler. I still recall some of his most entertaining moments in and out of the ring and he was just delightful to watch, whether he was a heel or a babyface (the bad guy and the good guy, respectively, in wrestling terms). I'd sit every Friday night waiting on Y2J to come out and do what he did best; be a star. So, this was a book I have been wanting to read for a very long time, which meant the expectations were high.
A Lion's Tale is pretty much Jericho's own Episode IV, starting off with a description of his childhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and following his journey to become a Jedi... I mean, a wrestler (I believe Y2J would appreciate the Star Wars humour). It's your typical underdog tale of a young boy with big dreams told by Jericho's captivating voice, a story that is funny and grabs your attention and takes you on an amazing journey. There's a lot in wrestling that is staged, yes, but the people are real. The connections are real. The personas are real to the audience. And the physical part is definitely real, as Chris talks about in his book, describing a couple of life-threatening moments.
This book is entertaiment from page one; then again, Chris Jericho is entertainment. I'm hoping to read his other books and to know more about other ventures and see what other anecdotes he's got for us.
A Lion's Tale is pretty much Jericho's own Episode IV, starting off with a description of his childhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and following his journey to become a Jedi... I mean, a wrestler (I believe Y2J would appreciate the Star Wars humour). It's your typical underdog tale of a young boy with big dreams told by Jericho's captivating voice, a story that is funny and grabs your attention and takes you on an amazing journey. There's a lot in wrestling that is staged, yes, but the people are real. The connections are real. The personas are real to the audience. And the physical part is definitely real, as Chris talks about in his book, describing a couple of life-threatening moments.
This book is entertaiment from page one; then again, Chris Jericho is entertainment. I'm hoping to read his other books and to know more about other ventures and see what other anecdotes he's got for us.
September 20, 2024
I love wrestling books from those who have spent time in the three major promotions in the 90’s along with working in Japan and Mexico. Jericho’s book has some great stories and behind the scenes information. I especially enjoyed the stories about his time in WCW and his struggles to get noticed in the poorly run yet hugely successful company. If you are looking to learn about his early career all the way up until his 1999 WWF debut, you will enjoy this book. My two issues with the book are 1) I’m not a huge fan of his sense of humor and his jokes throughout the book are cringe-worthy and not in a good way. 2) I wanted more details about his three years in WCW, as there was a lot of drama and backstage politics. I also wanted more stories from his time in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. This is a good book but not a great book.
February 19, 2020
A brilliant journey through Jericho's early years, right through to his debut in WWF/E. Great pacing, funny anecdotes.
April 9, 2023
Often funny and always honest, Jericho proves himself as not just a great wrestler and musician, but as a compelling writer with a great story to tell.
June 9, 2020
So, my fiancé is a huge wrestling fan, and I knew Chris Jericho from randomly watching wrestling with him and listening to podcasts, etc. I REALLY enjoyed hearing about how hard he worked in his youth in order to reach his success in the wrestling business. Plus, he is SO funny! Can’t wait to read his other books.
February 5, 2017
A Lion's Tale is Chris Jericho's first venture in the world of authorship and he does a phenomenal job. There are so many instances where I'm shaking with laughter. Others moments where I am close to tears, specifically when he speaks about his moms accident. This book, as well as all of Jericho's books, are a must read for any wrestling fan.
August 20, 2017
Great Read
This is a wonderful book that chronicles the beginnings of Chris's personal and professional life. There are quite a few nuggets of wisdom for life, soaked in wrestling, and they are greatly appreciated. Cannot wait to read the next book!
This is a wonderful book that chronicles the beginnings of Chris's personal and professional life. There are quite a few nuggets of wisdom for life, soaked in wrestling, and they are greatly appreciated. Cannot wait to read the next book!
October 28, 2007
After reading 2 fairly brainy books in a row, I was struggling to start a third when my roomate handed this to me. I figured I could use a good garbage read before I went on with more heavy stuff.
This is the latest in a too-long line of cookie cutter "wrestler's life" tomes issued after the fantastic success of Mick Foley's first book. However, Mick can write, and Mick is funny. Mick appears on the back cover, lamenting that this book might be better than his. He shouldn't worry: this book is garbage even by wrestling book standards. At least my initial fears of a book that largely dealt with his Christianity were unfounded.
Now, I like Chris as a wrestler. Back when I watched wrestling, he was one of the highlights: great humor, great personality, great gimmicks. But his sense of humor, dutifully preserved by the ghost writer, doesn't play on the page very well. And Chris himself comes off as a total dork - even more so than he intended.
This is a badly strung-together set of anecdotes. The narrative presents itself as linear, with Chris having set goals, and telling the stories of the sidetracks he went through on the way to the goals. Then you reach the chapter where the goal was fulfilled and you'd find that it actually happened somewhere in the middle of the sidetrack. At points, characters appear out of nowhere referred to by only their first names, as though they'd been introduced a page or 2 ago when actually their first and only mention happened 100 pages ago (or not at all, as in the case of cancer-stricken WCW ref Brian Hildebrand, whose full name is mentioned in the caption of a picture in the middle, but whose only appearance in the book is by way of a first-name only anecdote about smoking his prescription weed.)
I could rant about this book's awfulness all day, so I'll just say that this book is highly recommended if you're such a wrestling mark that you'll consume any product you can get your hands on.
This is the latest in a too-long line of cookie cutter "wrestler's life" tomes issued after the fantastic success of Mick Foley's first book. However, Mick can write, and Mick is funny. Mick appears on the back cover, lamenting that this book might be better than his. He shouldn't worry: this book is garbage even by wrestling book standards. At least my initial fears of a book that largely dealt with his Christianity were unfounded.
Now, I like Chris as a wrestler. Back when I watched wrestling, he was one of the highlights: great humor, great personality, great gimmicks. But his sense of humor, dutifully preserved by the ghost writer, doesn't play on the page very well. And Chris himself comes off as a total dork - even more so than he intended.
This is a badly strung-together set of anecdotes. The narrative presents itself as linear, with Chris having set goals, and telling the stories of the sidetracks he went through on the way to the goals. Then you reach the chapter where the goal was fulfilled and you'd find that it actually happened somewhere in the middle of the sidetrack. At points, characters appear out of nowhere referred to by only their first names, as though they'd been introduced a page or 2 ago when actually their first and only mention happened 100 pages ago (or not at all, as in the case of cancer-stricken WCW ref Brian Hildebrand, whose full name is mentioned in the caption of a picture in the middle, but whose only appearance in the book is by way of a first-name only anecdote about smoking his prescription weed.)
I could rant about this book's awfulness all day, so I'll just say that this book is highly recommended if you're such a wrestling mark that you'll consume any product you can get your hands on.
August 16, 2013
A Lion's Tale:Around the World in Spandex is indeed a very enjoyable read, much if you are a pro-wrestling fan and could be described as a blast is you are a Chris Jericho fan (Jerichoholics!!)
The book describes Chris Jericho's journey from being a wrestling fan to eventually entering his dream venture(WWE).
Readers beware (Y2J fans especially) it's the sequel called Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps that describes his vast venture specifically in the WWE but not this one, A Lion's Tale describes the journey of continents from (North America - South America - Europe - Asia) , the journey of being Jack Action to Lion Heart to Y2J.(Almost being HE-MAN once.. lol!!)
The autobiography gives a personal outlook, has its emotional moments, funny moments (Chunk of them!!), Fun Facts about Wrestling and its business from Jericho himself.
In the journey of reading this book the author humorously mocks himself in his adolescents , Experiments in his prime youth , and further on supports himself and his will as an adult and fights back when looked down as a person who will never make it big in the world of professional wrestling.
The book describes Chris Jericho's journey from being a wrestling fan to eventually entering his dream venture(WWE).
Readers beware (Y2J fans especially) it's the sequel called Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps that describes his vast venture specifically in the WWE but not this one, A Lion's Tale describes the journey of continents from (North America - South America - Europe - Asia) , the journey of being Jack Action to Lion Heart to Y2J.(Almost being HE-MAN once.. lol!!)
The autobiography gives a personal outlook, has its emotional moments, funny moments (Chunk of them!!), Fun Facts about Wrestling and its business from Jericho himself.
In the journey of reading this book the author humorously mocks himself in his adolescents , Experiments in his prime youth , and further on supports himself and his will as an adult and fights back when looked down as a person who will never make it big in the world of professional wrestling.
October 17, 2012
This was a remarkably fun book to read for me. I am 34 years old and haven't watched a wrestling match since I was about 10, but I've seen Chris Jericho on TV (That Metal Show) and found him a likable character.
This book really took me back in time. Reading about some of the wrestlers that I grew up watching as a kid was good fun, and the author's humor was fantastic. He depends on a lot of in-jokes, and I suppose if you aren't up to speed on old movies, heavy metal music, and old school wrestling you may be left scratching your head a few times.
I would highly recommend this book as a great time killer. You aren't going to become a better person or be able to cure cancer after reading it, but you will find yourself waking up your wife while trying not to laugh, and that is always worthwhile!
This book really took me back in time. Reading about some of the wrestlers that I grew up watching as a kid was good fun, and the author's humor was fantastic. He depends on a lot of in-jokes, and I suppose if you aren't up to speed on old movies, heavy metal music, and old school wrestling you may be left scratching your head a few times.
I would highly recommend this book as a great time killer. You aren't going to become a better person or be able to cure cancer after reading it, but you will find yourself waking up your wife while trying not to laugh, and that is always worthwhile!
July 15, 2022
Took me a while to finish this, Jerichos first tale, not that I didn't want to read it, life just got busy.
This was the early stories of how a young Y2J became a wrestling fan and a music fan. He attend the Hart Brothers School and got a rude awakening as to how the wrestling business can put on a facade and not tell anyone what's behind the curtain. Over coming tough matches in Mexico and in Japan's WAR, Jericho made his was to ECW for a short time before signing with WCW. Although he got is name out there to the masses WCW was not the place for Jericho to grow as a performer. He took whatever crappy ideas they came to him with and put his own spin on it and made it work, much to their chagrin. Eventually getting the call he had been waiting for to come apply his trade in the WWE, and the rest they say is history.
This was the early stories of how a young Y2J became a wrestling fan and a music fan. He attend the Hart Brothers School and got a rude awakening as to how the wrestling business can put on a facade and not tell anyone what's behind the curtain. Over coming tough matches in Mexico and in Japan's WAR, Jericho made his was to ECW for a short time before signing with WCW. Although he got is name out there to the masses WCW was not the place for Jericho to grow as a performer. He took whatever crappy ideas they came to him with and put his own spin on it and made it work, much to their chagrin. Eventually getting the call he had been waiting for to come apply his trade in the WWE, and the rest they say is history.
August 12, 2010
OK, it's not high art, but it gets 4 stars for several reasons. First, it was fun to read. Second, it illuminated the behind-the scenes world of pro wrestling in the 80s and 90s, when the industry drew the most interest. Further, it is always fascinating (as someone who just does not have that kind of drive) to read about how an individual's single-minded determination can drive them to the top of their field. Sure, it's an autobio, and things are always left out in the interest of the writer (or subject), but what the heck, I'll also add that I am a fan so that did not matter too much to me.
A fun, quick read that, knowing more about how things turned out where the book leaves off, left me wanting more. Which is good, because I understand a sequel will be out next year.
A fun, quick read that, knowing more about how things turned out where the book leaves off, left me wanting more. Which is good, because I understand a sequel will be out next year.
April 5, 2012
Chris Jericho's book A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex is probably my favorite book in my personal library. I have read it over twelve times, and each time it just gets better.
The thing I love most about this book is that you watch little Christopher Keith Irvine grow up through Jack Action, He-Man, Chris Cherrycoo, and finally, the world famous Chris Jericho.
This book is not all about wrestling, It's a mans's life, and the man just happens to be a wrestler. His unique experiences and colorful wording really make the book what it is. It's very comical, and you will actually be quoting it if you read it enough!
I highly recommend this book to anybody.
The thing I love most about this book is that you watch little Christopher Keith Irvine grow up through Jack Action, He-Man, Chris Cherrycoo, and finally, the world famous Chris Jericho.
This book is not all about wrestling, It's a mans's life, and the man just happens to be a wrestler. His unique experiences and colorful wording really make the book what it is. It's very comical, and you will actually be quoting it if you read it enough!
I highly recommend this book to anybody.
April 28, 2011
Chris Jericho is a funny guy. I enjoyed this book. It was made even more entertaining by going to YouTube and watching some of the things he'd written about. It was a fun book that gave me a deeper respect for Jericho and how hard the business of professional wrestling is. It looks glamorous, but it is a hard way to make it to the top.
If you are a professional wrestling fan, you'll love this. If you aren't, I think you will still like it. I'm not a fan of pro wrestling, but after reading this book, I'm definitely a fan of Chris Jericho.
If you are a professional wrestling fan, you'll love this. If you aren't, I think you will still like it. I'm not a fan of pro wrestling, but after reading this book, I'm definitely a fan of Chris Jericho.
Read
November 15, 2011This is a funny, and enjoyable autobiography of professional wrestler and singer Chris Jericho. It tells his days of being a independent nobody to becoming a international success. Jericho recounts the stories of his training in Japan up until his historic debut in the WWE. He keeps the book light and cheery but doesn’t bring up any media watch topics like steroids. His writing is not impressive as his mic skills but, it is still a great read about one of the most entertaining individuals in pro wrestling.
March 13, 2009
Aside from the fact that Chris Jericho is one deliciously sexy hunk of awesomeness, he's also a witty and intelligent story-teller. This is a must-read for any fans of wrestling before it took on the glitz and glamor of today's firework-whores.
Chris is a talented and humble man who has kept his humor and logical sense while still appreciating the little things that helped catapult him to the top of WWE's superstars. *Swoon*
Chris is a talented and humble man who has kept his humor and logical sense while still appreciating the little things that helped catapult him to the top of WWE's superstars. *Swoon*
October 7, 2011
I liked the sequel more, but that has more to do with the fact that I remember watching many of the matches Chris describes in Undisputed. This book gives a good overview of his early career, and focuses on just wrestling as opposed to the split in Undisputed between his wrestling and music career. The book is humorous throughout which makes for a light read. Reccommended for wrestling fans and especially fans of Jericho.
November 15, 2011
Ny fan of wrestling needs to read this book. Period. Any fan of autobiographies would, I think, really enjoy this book. A story of a childhood dream fulfilled, and all the ups and downs and so forth that go with it. Jericho is a good storyteller and knows how to be both funny and humble while showing people he's one of the best in the world (maybe of all time) at what he does. Read it, you'd dig it for sure.
August 22, 2015
I've always been a fan of Chris Jericho and I have to say after reading this, I'm an even bigger fan of his now. This book is full of hilarious stories from his storied and well traveled career. He shares stories that most would be ashamed and act like they never happened, but he admits them and makes them a part of his life long journey of being a professional wrestler. One of the best Biographies I've read by far.
November 20, 2012
I've now read quite a few of these wrestling (auto)biographies and this is easily one of the best.
Chris' insights into the grappling world are gripping, interesting and comical and he certainly has a story to tell.
This book has made me want to read more and I have already started on the second book in the series. Top effort, Y2J.
Chris' insights into the grappling world are gripping, interesting and comical and he certainly has a story to tell.
This book has made me want to read more and I have already started on the second book in the series. Top effort, Y2J.
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