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Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story
This is the autobiography of one the top superstars of the WWE - offering a full and frank account of the charmed life of one of the most controversial characters in wrestling.
345 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 2005
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July 15, 2016
Cheating Death, Stealing Life is the biography of Eddie Guerrero, chronicling his early life up until shortly after he won the WWE Heavyweight title.
Confession Time: I was a big professional wrestling fan for a quarter of a century. Eddie Guerrero was one of my favorites ten of those years and his death was one of the big reasons I quit watching.
One of the early indicators of how much I'll like a pro-wrestling biography is how quickly they make with the wrestling action. This book wasted no time. The wrestling stuff started on page one.
Eddie covered a lot of ground in the early goings, from growing up in a wrestling family and eventually breaking into the business in Mexico. He touches on his partying lifestyle early, which is good since later parts of the book show how much that lifestyle would threaten to destroy his life. In fact, it probably contributed to his early death.
Eddie's story goes from Mexico to Japan, from ECW to WCW, and finally to the WWE and the battles with addiction that eventually got him fired. Unlike in the ring, no punches are pulled. Eddie talks about all the times drugs and alcohol nearly cost him everything, eventually seeing him living in a crappy apartment and wrestling on the independent circuit just to make ends meet. When Eddie finally got his shit together, his life got back and track and he was called back up to the WWE. It was actually pretty hard-warming for a wrestling book.
Other than my usual gripes about there not being enough interesting road stories, this was a solid book. Cheating Death, Stealing Life, frog-splashed its way into my wrestling book top ten. Four out of five stars.
Confession Time: I was a big professional wrestling fan for a quarter of a century. Eddie Guerrero was one of my favorites ten of those years and his death was one of the big reasons I quit watching.
One of the early indicators of how much I'll like a pro-wrestling biography is how quickly they make with the wrestling action. This book wasted no time. The wrestling stuff started on page one.
Eddie covered a lot of ground in the early goings, from growing up in a wrestling family and eventually breaking into the business in Mexico. He touches on his partying lifestyle early, which is good since later parts of the book show how much that lifestyle would threaten to destroy his life. In fact, it probably contributed to his early death.
Eddie's story goes from Mexico to Japan, from ECW to WCW, and finally to the WWE and the battles with addiction that eventually got him fired. Unlike in the ring, no punches are pulled. Eddie talks about all the times drugs and alcohol nearly cost him everything, eventually seeing him living in a crappy apartment and wrestling on the independent circuit just to make ends meet. When Eddie finally got his shit together, his life got back and track and he was called back up to the WWE. It was actually pretty hard-warming for a wrestling book.
Other than my usual gripes about there not being enough interesting road stories, this was a solid book. Cheating Death, Stealing Life, frog-splashed its way into my wrestling book top ten. Four out of five stars.
September 6, 2008
I've been a wrestling fan for about 9 years or so now. I've read a couple of wrestling biographies now, but Eddie Guerrero's has been my favorite.
I didn't know too much about Eddie before I started the book, just what I had seen on wrestling shows plus his death in 2005. Immediately the book hit me with how sad it was going to be to read, knowing how the story ended. Even with the sadness, it's a great book. Eddie speaks openly about his troubles and addictions and owns up to them. He tells you so much about his passion, wrestling. He shares his love for his wife and family with you. And, surprisingly to me, the whole book is a great testament to God's power in a life. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was a great encouragement. I was much more impressed with this book and than I had expected to be.
I didn't know too much about Eddie before I started the book, just what I had seen on wrestling shows plus his death in 2005. Immediately the book hit me with how sad it was going to be to read, knowing how the story ended. Even with the sadness, it's a great book. Eddie speaks openly about his troubles and addictions and owns up to them. He tells you so much about his passion, wrestling. He shares his love for his wife and family with you. And, surprisingly to me, the whole book is a great testament to God's power in a life. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was a great encouragement. I was much more impressed with this book and than I had expected to be.
February 3, 2013
I've been a wrestling fan since I can remember and Eddie Guerrero was a big reason for that. I actually read this a few years back around the time of his death and the book really broke my heart. In wrestling he was loved for being a "heel" but in his personal life he was loved for being a great dad and husband. This was the book that gave me a little more insight into the world of professional wrestling, how things really worked behind the ring, what it takes to be able to reach the top, like he did. Eddie Guerrero will forever be someone I remember till my dying days, he was part of my childhood and in a sense helped make me the person I am today.
March 29, 2010
I've always been a fan of wrestling, and Eddie Guerrero was always an amazing athlete, so reading his auto-biography is a no brainer right? Well, the fact that he has also died since the release inspires me to read it even more. Anyway, the book is really good, it is a very honest inside look on how the business, the wrestlers life, actually is. You see how they are on TV and you think that they must have it great, but when you hear about all the drugs, drinking, and adversity that comes along with it, you truly learn to appreciate the work they do. Hearing all the stories of Eddie's fall into addiction of alcohol and it taking him down to a point where he loses his job and family, it really shows you that addiction is not just a word to be thrown around or something that is not important, it is a real problem. I think that him hitting such a low point, possibly the lowest you could ever hit, and then coming back better from it, winning back exactly what he had except better, it really showed that it is possible to take addiction head on. It also shows that you shouldn't mess with anything involving addiction, it ruins your life to a point where most people can't come back from. Overall, I think that this book is very good for anyone who has any of the problems of addiction to alcohol or is a fan of wrestling. Both stories of Eddie's life are a worth experience and reading from the wrestler and from the human behind the wrestler truly makes you feel like you get a deeper understanding of how much pain comes with the pleasure they can get out of it.
March 16, 2025
12 Recommended Books Challenge Book 3: Cheating Death, Stealing Life by Eddie Guerrero with Michael Krugman
As sad as it may seem to some people, I enjoy WWE. I only had a passing interest when I was younger but now I watch it regularly and enjoy the spectacle of it all. The storylines, the larger than life characters and of course the brawls that push people’s bodies to their limits.
One wrestler that has always been touted as one of the greatest of all time is the legendary Eddie Guerrero. I was aware of Guerrero before I sat down to read this book for my 12 Recommended Book challenge (thank you Shanice for the recommendation this time) but I didn’t know a whole lot about him as a man or wrestler.
The book takes you from before he was born and his family, youngest son of legendary Mexican wrestler, Gory Guerrero, Eddie had large and almost impossible boots to fill. A life of training, wrestling and struggles took him from the independent wrestling scene in Mexico to the passionate and professional world of New Japan Pro Wrestling to the hallowed halls of ECW and the pinnacle of the business that is the WWE, Eddie’s story has everything you would expect from a life such as his. Broken bones, heartbreak and the loss of friends and family, Eddie never stopped doing what he loved, whilst battling his own faith and addictions. Beside him for most of it was his wife, Vickie, his brothers and nephew and the enigmatic (and now unfortunately infamous) Chris Benoit.
Eddie’s story is something that should be made into a movie. It has everything a Bio-pic would need to be great. And the book is all the more poignant the closer you get to the ending, as Eddie talks about his future in the business, a future that unfortunately would never come as he passed away less than a year after he finished writing his book.
The tragic ending of Eddie’s life makes the book even more wonderful a read. You can feel Eddie coming off the page and laying his whole world bare for you to see it. He takes you on this wonderful and heartbreaking journey through the life of a pro-wrestler and doesn’t let you go until the very end.
I know this book is on a very niche subject that not a lot of people will be interested in, but Cheating Death, Stealing Life is hands down the best book I have read so far in 2025, and 20 years after the passing of arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all time, it couldn’t have been read at a more perfect time.
As sad as it may seem to some people, I enjoy WWE. I only had a passing interest when I was younger but now I watch it regularly and enjoy the spectacle of it all. The storylines, the larger than life characters and of course the brawls that push people’s bodies to their limits.
One wrestler that has always been touted as one of the greatest of all time is the legendary Eddie Guerrero. I was aware of Guerrero before I sat down to read this book for my 12 Recommended Book challenge (thank you Shanice for the recommendation this time) but I didn’t know a whole lot about him as a man or wrestler.
The book takes you from before he was born and his family, youngest son of legendary Mexican wrestler, Gory Guerrero, Eddie had large and almost impossible boots to fill. A life of training, wrestling and struggles took him from the independent wrestling scene in Mexico to the passionate and professional world of New Japan Pro Wrestling to the hallowed halls of ECW and the pinnacle of the business that is the WWE, Eddie’s story has everything you would expect from a life such as his. Broken bones, heartbreak and the loss of friends and family, Eddie never stopped doing what he loved, whilst battling his own faith and addictions. Beside him for most of it was his wife, Vickie, his brothers and nephew and the enigmatic (and now unfortunately infamous) Chris Benoit.
Eddie’s story is something that should be made into a movie. It has everything a Bio-pic would need to be great. And the book is all the more poignant the closer you get to the ending, as Eddie talks about his future in the business, a future that unfortunately would never come as he passed away less than a year after he finished writing his book.
The tragic ending of Eddie’s life makes the book even more wonderful a read. You can feel Eddie coming off the page and laying his whole world bare for you to see it. He takes you on this wonderful and heartbreaking journey through the life of a pro-wrestler and doesn’t let you go until the very end.
I know this book is on a very niche subject that not a lot of people will be interested in, but Cheating Death, Stealing Life is hands down the best book I have read so far in 2025, and 20 years after the passing of arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all time, it couldn’t have been read at a more perfect time.
May 19, 2025
Viva La Raza!!!
Great read from one of my all time favourites. A open and honest story Eddie wrote about his life’s ups and downs, struggles with addictions and family. A insight to the behind the scenes of the wrestling world and the end of this book truly encapsulates what a genuine man he was. RIP Latino Heat
Great read from one of my all time favourites. A open and honest story Eddie wrote about his life’s ups and downs, struggles with addictions and family. A insight to the behind the scenes of the wrestling world and the end of this book truly encapsulates what a genuine man he was. RIP Latino Heat
February 5, 2025
Ah, my heart breaks for Eddie and his family. He worked so hard to make it out of his addiction and for him to pass away, shortly after this was written, so sad.
January 24, 2012
This might have been one of the most heartbreaking books I've ever read. For years, Eddie fought the demons of addiction. He lost his family, many friends, and his dream job over it. But, when he hit rock bottom, he was finally able to overcome them and put his life together. But sadly, Eddie only had a few years left before the damage he'd done to his body finally caught up to him taking him at the seemingly impossible young age of 38.
This book, however, is a great first hand account of the career of Eddie. He grew up around the business, with his father and all of his brothers before him wrestling. He wrestled with some of the legends of the business. And what would be a reoccurring theme in his life, saw many of his peers and friends die at a young age. One of the most significant deaths would be that of his tag team partner, Art Barr, who's death was eerily similar to how Eddie's was years later. The other person in Eddie's life that was the closest too him was Chris Benoit. These two were truly like brothers. Eddie talks about how Chris was always there for him and looking out for him. But, I've always felt like Eddie's death and absence from Chris's life may have been a contributing factor in the dark path he took only a little more than a year later.
To quote the last paragraph of the book, "Life turns on a dime. I don't have any idea what tomorrow will bring. I'm just very blessed to have been able to live what I've lived today. Sure, life would be a lot easier if we knew what was going to happen. But, that's not the way it works. You've got to live by faith, one day at a time." Viva La Raza Eddie! Rest In Peace!
This book, however, is a great first hand account of the career of Eddie. He grew up around the business, with his father and all of his brothers before him wrestling. He wrestled with some of the legends of the business. And what would be a reoccurring theme in his life, saw many of his peers and friends die at a young age. One of the most significant deaths would be that of his tag team partner, Art Barr, who's death was eerily similar to how Eddie's was years later. The other person in Eddie's life that was the closest too him was Chris Benoit. These two were truly like brothers. Eddie talks about how Chris was always there for him and looking out for him. But, I've always felt like Eddie's death and absence from Chris's life may have been a contributing factor in the dark path he took only a little more than a year later.
To quote the last paragraph of the book, "Life turns on a dime. I don't have any idea what tomorrow will bring. I'm just very blessed to have been able to live what I've lived today. Sure, life would be a lot easier if we knew what was going to happen. But, that's not the way it works. You've got to live by faith, one day at a time." Viva La Raza Eddie! Rest In Peace!
December 8, 2009
Cheating death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story by Eddie Guerrero. This book deserves only two words to describe it. Those two words would be: "inspirational" and "truthful". Eddie explains the hard life that he lived as a wrestler and a person battling his own demons. Some people would say that Eddie was a bad husband and father because of his drug and alcohol and drug problems but Eddie says that he loves his family more than anything. The book follows Eddie on his journey from wrestling in local promotions to his brush with death and to him winning the WWE championship in 2004. His book is brutally honest. With this book Eddie shows the dark side of the glitz and glamour of the wrestling business. It also gives the person a way to take a look into Eddie's life as he struggles with being far away from his wife and children most of the time as he makes money to support them.
I connected to this book. I connected to this book by relating my father to Eddie. Both my father and Eddie give their bodies to support their families. My father by working in construction and Eddie by wrestling. Both will do anything to support their families. In wrestling one can easily seriously injure themselves like tearing a muscle right of the bone. In construction one can cut their hands off, cut their body parts. I praise Eddie by showing that his love for his family is so great that he becomes proactive and starts to battle his demons to save himself.
In the book Eddie talks about numerous topics. One for example is his religion.
I connected to this book. I connected to this book by relating my father to Eddie. Both my father and Eddie give their bodies to support their families. My father by working in construction and Eddie by wrestling. Both will do anything to support their families. In wrestling one can easily seriously injure themselves like tearing a muscle right of the bone. In construction one can cut their hands off, cut their body parts. I praise Eddie by showing that his love for his family is so great that he becomes proactive and starts to battle his demons to save himself.
In the book Eddie talks about numerous topics. One for example is his religion.
March 25, 2017
Contrary to his iconic "Latino Heat" character he portrayed in the WWE, Eddie Guerrero is nothing but open and honest in this thorough autobiography, which was completed the same year of his untimely death in 2005. From his upbringing in the celebrated Guerrero wrestling family to his endless pursuance of being a professional wrestler - from Mexico to Japan to the United States - and to his struggles in making marriage life work along with battling years of alcohol and drug addictions, Eddie scores the perfect Frog Splash in opening up in this brutally honest book.
Addiction seems to be a very difficult thing to overcome, in both a physical and mental capacity. I was so happy to see Eddie enjoy the fruits of an addiction-free life during his last ~3 years of living, though reading through the heartbreaking road of failures he took to get there - as well as the fact that his death came in Year 3 of a newfound alcohol / drug free life - were more tough to read and comprehend than anything else. Eddie reached the mountain top, the pinnacle of wrestling in his final year of life, and he rediscovered his love for family before it was too late. The world is better that Eddie was among us, but it would had been better if he had continued to live as a courageous witness among us a little while longer. iViva la raza!
Addiction seems to be a very difficult thing to overcome, in both a physical and mental capacity. I was so happy to see Eddie enjoy the fruits of an addiction-free life during his last ~3 years of living, though reading through the heartbreaking road of failures he took to get there - as well as the fact that his death came in Year 3 of a newfound alcohol / drug free life - were more tough to read and comprehend than anything else. Eddie reached the mountain top, the pinnacle of wrestling in his final year of life, and he rediscovered his love for family before it was too late. The world is better that Eddie was among us, but it would had been better if he had continued to live as a courageous witness among us a little while longer. iViva la raza!
April 24, 2016
I wasn't watching wrestling when Eddie Guerrero was in WWE, but I have seen some of his work on the network's archive of PPVs. One of my college students let me borrow this book, and I am thankful that she did.
Poor Eddie. He talks honestly in this book about his addictions and how they destroyed his life, and then he talks about his recovery and his devotion to God, ending with his winning the WWE Championship. It's quite a story, one well worth hearing for many reasons, and is terribly tragic because he died so soon afterwards.
From a sheer book-critique perspective, the narrative is uneven in many places and could have been more tightly woven. But for all that, the voice that shines through is heart-breakingly sincere. You can hear how much he loved wrestling and his family, how devastated he was to have caused the pain he did because of his addictions, how profound his love of God is, how appreciative he is for everything he's been able to do - and how achingly optimistic he is about his future in wrestling, even though it was not to be.
Poor Eddie. He talks honestly in this book about his addictions and how they destroyed his life, and then he talks about his recovery and his devotion to God, ending with his winning the WWE Championship. It's quite a story, one well worth hearing for many reasons, and is terribly tragic because he died so soon afterwards.
From a sheer book-critique perspective, the narrative is uneven in many places and could have been more tightly woven. But for all that, the voice that shines through is heart-breakingly sincere. You can hear how much he loved wrestling and his family, how devastated he was to have caused the pain he did because of his addictions, how profound his love of God is, how appreciative he is for everything he's been able to do - and how achingly optimistic he is about his future in wrestling, even though it was not to be.
October 31, 2007
I liked Eddie more after reading this, and I didn't. I didn't because he pissed away so much on drugs and alcohol. You wonder why he wasted so much of his life on it, but then again, I admired him more because he was fired multiple times, was down and out (in jail and had used a urinated on roll of toilet paper as his pillow was his lowest point) and came back to re-claim his family, find strength in Christ, and became a popular champion in the WWE before dying in 2005 (an enlarged heart from all his drugging days). So, it was very sad in a way, but inspiring in others.
December 30, 2017
This book tells the story of Eddie Guerreros life, struggles with addiction. wrestling career and ends with his attainment of the WWE Champioship. Eddie is incredibly honest and tells his raw story holding nothing back. His genuine honesty and unwavering faith is inspirational. His outlook on life and growth as a person evokes hope. He drops many insightful gems throughout the book.
January 20, 2025
The name Guerrero is synonymous with professional wrestling. They are a proud, Mexican family all with the drive and passion to deliver each and every time they get into the ring. It’s arguable that the most iconic member of the Guerrero family was Eddie Guerrero. If you ask any wrestling fan about Eddie Guerrero, they’ll likely tout his three-word motto, ‘lie, cheat and steal’ or refer to him as his trademark title; Latino Heat. My earliest memories of wrestling were from the Ruthless Aggression era and there wasn’t a week that went by I wasn’t seeing the larger-than-life wrestler literally stealing the show every time he was on camera. Not only was he equipped with an endearing and charismatic personality, he was able to back up his smack talk with a unique wrestling style that made his matches so fun to watch. It’s a tragedy that Eddie passed away at the age 38, during a point in which many would agree was the crescendo of his wrestling career. For me, there will never be another Eddie Guerrero and now that I’m a little older I wanted to respect the legacy he created by picking up and reading his own autobiography that he wrote and released not soon before he passed.
Written by Eddie Guerrero with the help of Michael Krugman; Cheating Death, Stealing life: The Eddie Guerrero Story is a personal accounting of the wrestler’s life as he worked his way through the wrestling business all the while dealing with a plethora of addiction issues relating to alcohol and drugs. It starts off by recounting his younger days as a child living under the guidance of his late, great father Gory Guerrero. It follows his early adoption into the world of wrestling within the Luca Libre profession in Mexico and his eventual big break into promotions like WCW and WWE. Along with his wrestling career, the book also takes great care to dive into the personal struggles Eddie faced both inside and outside the ring, tackling his addiction to pain medication and his struggle with alcoholism and the sad effect it had on his family life. It’s a very open and reflective story from a first-hand account of the man who lived the dream while struggling through his own personal nightmares.
Biographies and memoirs are a deeply personal genre of book to dive into, especially considering they’re written by the actual people themselves. Eddie Guerrero doesn’t come off as arrogant of self-absorbed like many of these kinds of books can. In a lot of ways this is the most transparent autobiography I’ve read in a long time. The stories Eddie tells are honest and down to earth, he doesn’t shy away from talking about the highs and lows with a great sense of clarity. The life lived by Eddie Guerrero is anything but peaceful, and the struggles he’s faced come off as relatable and upfront. I never really knew about this side of Eddie Guerrero in all honesty. As a kid, you often just see the persona they live on the camera and in the ring, but this book does a beautiful job in fleshing out the humanity behind Eddie and what makes him such a lovable person. His ability to suffer yet persevere though it all and come out of it a much happier man gives inspiration to all that it’s possible to overcome any kind of addiction.
There’s also a great level of intrigue Eddie is able to layer into his recounting of the history of his career. It was compelling to hear about his days in Mexico and Japan making a name for himself, followed soon after by his eventual climb into the ranks of ECW and then WCW. Eddie takes a lot of pride in airing out some dirty laundry too, it’s clear that he held some notable resentment to some people in the business. Yet there’s also a clear adoration outlined in his book, he showcased his love for the wrestling business and those he worked alongside. Whether it’s his colleagues or his family, Eddie was clearly a man with a lot of love to give for anyone he felt deserved it. It’s really endearing to see how selfless and honoured he was for the opportunities he was given throughout his career too.
Reading this book brought out a lot of emotions in me. It was written by a man who already lived through a lot but was proud to come out of it on the other side. Eddie Guerrero was happy to reflect but ready to start a brand-new chapter with an invigorated lease on life. To know not seven days after the release of this book that Eddie died tragically, it feels so unfair. He finally got his life on track and was ready to live every day to the fullest, to see all that aspiration dissipate with his death hurts me even more today than it did when I was an 8-year-old boy who found about it at the time. This book reinforces why there never will be another Eddie Guerrero, he was a truly unique element in the world of professional wrestling and we all miss him dearly to this day.
Rest in Peace Latino Heat.
Viva La Raza!
Written by Eddie Guerrero with the help of Michael Krugman; Cheating Death, Stealing life: The Eddie Guerrero Story is a personal accounting of the wrestler’s life as he worked his way through the wrestling business all the while dealing with a plethora of addiction issues relating to alcohol and drugs. It starts off by recounting his younger days as a child living under the guidance of his late, great father Gory Guerrero. It follows his early adoption into the world of wrestling within the Luca Libre profession in Mexico and his eventual big break into promotions like WCW and WWE. Along with his wrestling career, the book also takes great care to dive into the personal struggles Eddie faced both inside and outside the ring, tackling his addiction to pain medication and his struggle with alcoholism and the sad effect it had on his family life. It’s a very open and reflective story from a first-hand account of the man who lived the dream while struggling through his own personal nightmares.
Biographies and memoirs are a deeply personal genre of book to dive into, especially considering they’re written by the actual people themselves. Eddie Guerrero doesn’t come off as arrogant of self-absorbed like many of these kinds of books can. In a lot of ways this is the most transparent autobiography I’ve read in a long time. The stories Eddie tells are honest and down to earth, he doesn’t shy away from talking about the highs and lows with a great sense of clarity. The life lived by Eddie Guerrero is anything but peaceful, and the struggles he’s faced come off as relatable and upfront. I never really knew about this side of Eddie Guerrero in all honesty. As a kid, you often just see the persona they live on the camera and in the ring, but this book does a beautiful job in fleshing out the humanity behind Eddie and what makes him such a lovable person. His ability to suffer yet persevere though it all and come out of it a much happier man gives inspiration to all that it’s possible to overcome any kind of addiction.
There’s also a great level of intrigue Eddie is able to layer into his recounting of the history of his career. It was compelling to hear about his days in Mexico and Japan making a name for himself, followed soon after by his eventual climb into the ranks of ECW and then WCW. Eddie takes a lot of pride in airing out some dirty laundry too, it’s clear that he held some notable resentment to some people in the business. Yet there’s also a clear adoration outlined in his book, he showcased his love for the wrestling business and those he worked alongside. Whether it’s his colleagues or his family, Eddie was clearly a man with a lot of love to give for anyone he felt deserved it. It’s really endearing to see how selfless and honoured he was for the opportunities he was given throughout his career too.
Reading this book brought out a lot of emotions in me. It was written by a man who already lived through a lot but was proud to come out of it on the other side. Eddie Guerrero was happy to reflect but ready to start a brand-new chapter with an invigorated lease on life. To know not seven days after the release of this book that Eddie died tragically, it feels so unfair. He finally got his life on track and was ready to live every day to the fullest, to see all that aspiration dissipate with his death hurts me even more today than it did when I was an 8-year-old boy who found about it at the time. This book reinforces why there never will be another Eddie Guerrero, he was a truly unique element in the world of professional wrestling and we all miss him dearly to this day.
Rest in Peace Latino Heat.
Viva La Raza!
January 7, 2024
This was a great read for me at this time in my life.
There's so much heart, humility, and personality in this autobiography. In a business where egos run dangerously rampant, here's a Chicano wrestler whose masterful wrestling abilities and humble attitude propelled him back up to the top, time and time again. Regardless of the match's outcome, Eddie is a master of making both his opponent and himself look great.
Outside of the ring, his life-long battle with addiction would break him down to the point of going bankrupt and nearly losing his family, livelihood, and life. There are no holds barred in Eddie's vast collection of ugly rock-bottom experiences. That's not to say this is some "Shameless"-esque chronicle of activities, but rather an authentic testimony of personal failures from which Eddie would rebound through his faith, family, friends, and evolving outlook on life.
But I have to double back on the addiction aspect of this work. I don't recall ever reading a more in-depth perspective on what it means to succumb to, battle against, overcome one-day-at-a-time, and just plain deal with addiction on a life-long basis. Eddie's lines about "wanting to have a glass of wine like a normal person" or "cold beer on a sunny day" struck me within the context of their respective chapters. His ultimate acceptance that he can never have another alcoholic beverage in life again felt powerful. To quote Eddie "If there's one message I need to get out there, it's that you never beat addiction. You get up every morning and hope that you can conquer it all over again".
There's so much more to this book, especially reading it in the light of his death which occurred shortly before the publication date.
There's so much heart, humility, and personality in this autobiography. In a business where egos run dangerously rampant, here's a Chicano wrestler whose masterful wrestling abilities and humble attitude propelled him back up to the top, time and time again. Regardless of the match's outcome, Eddie is a master of making both his opponent and himself look great.
Outside of the ring, his life-long battle with addiction would break him down to the point of going bankrupt and nearly losing his family, livelihood, and life. There are no holds barred in Eddie's vast collection of ugly rock-bottom experiences. That's not to say this is some "Shameless"-esque chronicle of activities, but rather an authentic testimony of personal failures from which Eddie would rebound through his faith, family, friends, and evolving outlook on life.
But I have to double back on the addiction aspect of this work. I don't recall ever reading a more in-depth perspective on what it means to succumb to, battle against, overcome one-day-at-a-time, and just plain deal with addiction on a life-long basis. Eddie's lines about "wanting to have a glass of wine like a normal person" or "cold beer on a sunny day" struck me within the context of their respective chapters. His ultimate acceptance that he can never have another alcoholic beverage in life again felt powerful. To quote Eddie "If there's one message I need to get out there, it's that you never beat addiction. You get up every morning and hope that you can conquer it all over again".
There's so much more to this book, especially reading it in the light of his death which occurred shortly before the publication date.
January 29, 2023
This work had me doubled over with laughter. The ghost writer Michael Krugman knows his job & so this is all about dissing every promotion Eddie worked with apart from WWE, which is portrayed as wonderful - with an extra special emphasis on what a fabulous man WWE CEO Vince McMahon is! The book is WWE product and you can't really believe anything you read in it, since fictional stories are such a key part of sports entertainment. It was written and published shortly before Chris Benoit's double-murder and suicide, no doubt the narrative around the Canadian Crippler would have either been omitted or completely different if the book had been thrown together after that happened. Likewise, this fabulous hack job was cooked up before Eddie's death, so that is an even greater spanner in the works to its unbelievable narrative arc of personal redemption. I don't think anyone wants a fact based and truthful account of Eddie's life, but I do think we could do with another book about him - one written from the perspective of someone like Pablo Greene, who combines a love of their Mexican heritage with complete immersion in the spandex obsessed gay superhero fetish culture.
December 5, 2024
This book, without a doubt, is one of the best wrestling books I’ve ever read. If you’re a wrestling fan, you’ll be thrilled with the stories it contains from various wrestling promotions, including Mexico, Japan, ECW, WCW, and WWE.
Eddie Guerrero is very open about his battle with addiction, and I admire his willingness to share his controversial opinions about wrestlers he doesn’t like. If Eddie liked you, he was incredibly loyal to you. However, if he didn’t like you (like Nash, Kevin Sullivan, or The Nasty Boys), he didn’t hesitate to tell you why and recount his personal experiences dealing with them.
When it comes to any topic, Eddie doesn’t shy away from sharing his life with us. He talks about his marriage, his drug and alcohol issues, his time in therapy, his time in rehab, and his relationship with Christ. He leaves no stone unturned, and it’s an incredible memoir that’s both moving and very powerful.
This is what a wrestling memoir should be: great wrestling stories and an in-depth look at his life outside the ring, told with candor and honesty.
I miss Eddie Guerrero. He was one of a kind, and this book is truly one-of-a-kind.
Eddie Guerrero is very open about his battle with addiction, and I admire his willingness to share his controversial opinions about wrestlers he doesn’t like. If Eddie liked you, he was incredibly loyal to you. However, if he didn’t like you (like Nash, Kevin Sullivan, or The Nasty Boys), he didn’t hesitate to tell you why and recount his personal experiences dealing with them.
When it comes to any topic, Eddie doesn’t shy away from sharing his life with us. He talks about his marriage, his drug and alcohol issues, his time in therapy, his time in rehab, and his relationship with Christ. He leaves no stone unturned, and it’s an incredible memoir that’s both moving and very powerful.
This is what a wrestling memoir should be: great wrestling stories and an in-depth look at his life outside the ring, told with candor and honesty.
I miss Eddie Guerrero. He was one of a kind, and this book is truly one-of-a-kind.
May 15, 2025
this book is so depressing. i didn’t know until i started reading it that it was released after his death. a lot of it is talking about his addiction, how many wrestlers die before their time, how he was good friends with chris benoit. reading it 20 years after its release puts into perspective how sad it all is.
but its a good read. outside of the regular wwe kayfabe book stuff, which i don’t think there’s a lot of, it feels very honest. i always thought these wwe approved books were gonna be mostly in character and would gloss over things but this is my second one that ive read and it doesn’t seem to be the case. everything is mentioned in here, from backstage politics to racism to some very low moments in eddie’s personal life. and there are some really sweet and uplifting moments too, along with a few funny things.
it’s a good book, albeit a sad one. rest in peace, eddie guerrero.
but its a good read. outside of the regular wwe kayfabe book stuff, which i don’t think there’s a lot of, it feels very honest. i always thought these wwe approved books were gonna be mostly in character and would gloss over things but this is my second one that ive read and it doesn’t seem to be the case. everything is mentioned in here, from backstage politics to racism to some very low moments in eddie’s personal life. and there are some really sweet and uplifting moments too, along with a few funny things.
it’s a good book, albeit a sad one. rest in peace, eddie guerrero.
June 18, 2023
A very good friend gave me this book as a gift because I have watched WWWF/WWFWWE for fifty years. Eddie Guerrero was always one of my favorite performers. She even asked him to call me when she got to meet him at a live event that I was not able to attend due to having surgery right before the event. He was so nice!
Reading this book gave a whole new look at him and made me appreciate him as a person now, as much or more than I already appreciated him as a performer.
The world certainly lost a good heart when he passed away. If you are a fan of his, this is a great book. If you’re reading it for an inside look at the WWE, not so much. This is more about his life and what he went through, personally and professionally, to get to where he was and to have the personal life that he had.
If loved him, I highly recommend.
Reading this book gave a whole new look at him and made me appreciate him as a person now, as much or more than I already appreciated him as a performer.
The world certainly lost a good heart when he passed away. If you are a fan of his, this is a great book. If you’re reading it for an inside look at the WWE, not so much. This is more about his life and what he went through, personally and professionally, to get to where he was and to have the personal life that he had.
If loved him, I highly recommend.
July 18, 2018
4 Stars. I have read lots of Pro Wrestlers autobiographies, some very poor. This one is a good one.
I don't feel like asking for payment for my wasted time, like some I have read.
This is an older autobiography, have been released in 2005, shortly after Mr. Guerrero's death. As such it was unique in that some now deceased wrestlers are referred to in present context. So many have died young.
Even Eddie unfortunately died of heart failure, as he in one chapter said he didn't want too, alone in a hotel room. He had been clean & sober for 3 plus years, but the abuse he put his body through caught up to him.
I am glad that reading this book allowed my to know the man a bit better. I enjoyed his wresting for years.
I don't feel like asking for payment for my wasted time, like some I have read.
This is an older autobiography, have been released in 2005, shortly after Mr. Guerrero's death. As such it was unique in that some now deceased wrestlers are referred to in present context. So many have died young.
Even Eddie unfortunately died of heart failure, as he in one chapter said he didn't want too, alone in a hotel room. He had been clean & sober for 3 plus years, but the abuse he put his body through caught up to him.
I am glad that reading this book allowed my to know the man a bit better. I enjoyed his wresting for years.
June 17, 2024
It’s hard to be present throughout this book knowing Eddie died before it was released.
Particularly considering the amount of the book dedicated to addiction. I was amazed how honest it was considering it was published by WWE.
It’s a good autobiography, giving you enough of the real Eddie to feel like it’s worth it, while putting over WWE to such an extent it feels like Vince wrote it.
There’s nothing massively new here if you’re a bit of a mark like me, but it’s written well.
It’s just hard, as are a lot of these late 90s early 2000 wrestling autobiographies as we’ve lost so many of them.
Eddie had a problem, had an amazing support network and led an amazing, a sad and a tragic short life.
But what a wrestler.
7/10 RIP Eddie
Particularly considering the amount of the book dedicated to addiction. I was amazed how honest it was considering it was published by WWE.
It’s a good autobiography, giving you enough of the real Eddie to feel like it’s worth it, while putting over WWE to such an extent it feels like Vince wrote it.
There’s nothing massively new here if you’re a bit of a mark like me, but it’s written well.
It’s just hard, as are a lot of these late 90s early 2000 wrestling autobiographies as we’ve lost so many of them.
Eddie had a problem, had an amazing support network and led an amazing, a sad and a tragic short life.
But what a wrestler.
7/10 RIP Eddie
July 24, 2024
Released shortly after his untimely death, Eddie Guerrero's autobiography has a ton of heart, emotion, and great stories about his legendary career. The book goes over practically his entire life and career, ending right after he loses the WWE Championship to JBL. He dives headfirst near the middle of it about the addictions he battled through in the early 2000s and how he overcame them - I've seen a lot of wrestling books discuss conquering addictions, but none with this level of understanding and openness. There were several times while reading this where I felt Eddie was sharing stories personally to me, and I think that's what makes an otherwise good autobiography great. A fantastic autobiography from one of the all-time in-ring greats. Viva la raza.
April 8, 2019
This book was partly the story of a career in the wrestling business, and partly the story of a man struggling with addiction. Unfortunately the two stories often are very intertwined. I have not read another wrestling biography that is as forthcoming about drug and alcohol abuse as Eddie's. It is legitimately incredible that he didn't die several years earlier than he did. The fact that he managed four years of sobriety and got to half a redemption story during the final years of his life is somewhat uplifting, but the book is still ultimately the story of someone who lived a very sad and tumultuous life.
September 7, 2023
Second in a row for me of books about wrestling where the author passed before he could see his work published. This one hits the feelings a bit more because Jimmy Hart was already retired when he wrote his, but Eddie was right on the cusp of his career. Knowing how things turned out and how his passing ended up triggering Benoit’s meltdown, it’s sad to read about Eddie’s goals for his career and his family towards the end of the book. A man who clawed his way out from the bottomless pit of addiction, turned his life around, got his family back, paid off his debt and became World Champion. RIP Latino Heat.
November 21, 2023
This isn't just a tell-all about the wrestling world. Eddie talks about the ins and outs of his personal and professional life. The struggles he had to go through and growing up with a wrestling family. There are pages that had me laughing and crying, but in the end, it was raw, real, and uncut. It is Eddie Guerrero's reality and an inspiration for any Eddie Guerrero fan. Eddie still lives on in everybody's hearts. His story makes you feel as if you were literally there with him through the good and bad times. To me, Eddie Guerrero will always be the hilariously funny and talented Latino Heat, a true inspiration/hero/legend. R.I.P. Eddie.
June 19, 2025
one of the most inspiring yet heartbreaking books I’ve ever read.
I’ve been a longtime wrestling fan, yet I had no idea this book had come out after Eddie’s tragic passing. He talks about his struggles with addictions and how it completely turned his world and his family’s world upside down. But it doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
The way he speaks about his family and friends is so heartwarming. The epilogue finally had me in tears. But he left behind such an incredibly legacy and especially for us Latinos. His pride in his roots was so beautiful to read. We truly lost one of the good ones and one of, if not the greatest wrestler of all time.
I’ve been a longtime wrestling fan, yet I had no idea this book had come out after Eddie’s tragic passing. He talks about his struggles with addictions and how it completely turned his world and his family’s world upside down. But it doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
The way he speaks about his family and friends is so heartwarming. The epilogue finally had me in tears. But he left behind such an incredibly legacy and especially for us Latinos. His pride in his roots was so beautiful to read. We truly lost one of the good ones and one of, if not the greatest wrestler of all time.
August 11, 2024
Eddie Guerrero’s Autobiography is the best autobiography you’ll probably ever pick up, and no I don’t think I’m over exaggerating. Whether you know anything about Wrestling or not is irrelevant. The way he tells his life story makes you care about him, about his journey, his mistakes, his highs and his lows. If you’re a wrestling fan, this is a must read. If you’re not a wrestling fan, this is a must read. Eddie is a person that has a way of making you love him, hate him and root for him. He is by no means a perfect human and I think he adequately explains that in his book. Eddie is a once in a lifetime person who was gone far too soon and this makes this book even more special. Highly recommend to all.
August 23, 2025
This book is both heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. This in-depth story of the love and life of the great late Eddie Guerrero tells you everything about the man behind the high flying, swag showing Latino Heat we see and love on TV. As one of my favourite wrestlers I felt obligated to learn more, as he already passed away, but now I now what unbelievable hardships he had to endure in order to do the thing he was born to do, wrestling and entertaining. Must read!
Next up: either Chris Benoit or Jim Ross
Next up: either Chris Benoit or Jim Ross
August 17, 2017
Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story was 1 of if not the greatest autobiography of a great and wonderful wrestler. When I read it when it first came out I did not put it down; it was that good. I have re-read it numerous of times and each that it was wonderful. It was beautifully written. I can also say in his book I could related to him. If you a wrestling fan from back in the day or even now I recommend that you all pick up this book and read it.
October 14, 2020
De los mejores libros que he leido en mi vida sin lugar a dudas. Quizás mi opinion sobre este libro tenga que ver por mi afición a la lucha libre, pero también tengo excesiva afición por la música metal y el boxeo y he leído por lo tanto libros sobre estos temas y siento que este libro de Eddie Guerrero es el que mas me ha llevado a visualizar, comprender, admirar, entender, etc a una persona como lo fue un grandioso luchador como Eddie Guerrero. Este libro es una joya en mi biblioteca.
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