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Grateful

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"A hell of a read...some incredible stuff on [Hulk] Hogan, being a son and father, aging, Vince McMahon and more. Well worth checking out...[a] truly enjoyable and emotional book."
--Mike Johnson, PWInsider

"Bischoff’s take on his [2019 WWE return], the reality of what he was in charge of versus what was reported at the time, is valuable knowledge to take away from the book...[furthermore], the bonus content makes the book more than worth the price."
--Greg Parks, Pro Wrestling Torch

"More than just a wrestling book...this is a life book...something really special."
--Conrad Thompson, AdFreeShows

Synopsis
The follow-up to former WCW President Eric Bischoff’s first autobiography, Grateful picks up where Controversy Creates Cash left off!

Produced in partnership with NITRO author Guy Evans, Grateful covers Bischoff’s post 2006-career, including his WWE return, AEW involvement, TNA experience and much more.

Explore the unlikely journey that culminated in Bischoff’s surprise induction into the WWE Hall of Fame!

Excerpt A lbuquerque, N.M., March 2016: I’m sitting in the back of a pickup truck in the parking lot of the Westside Community Center, waiting to make my appearance on an independent wrestling show. It took me about eight hours to drive here, but with only minutes to go before showtime, I’ll be damned if anybody sees me now. To the promoter of tonight’s event, I have repeated my feelings ad just keep this thing a secret . Don’t tell anyone who doesn’t need to know . It’s hard not to smile back here. The assembled crowd – perhaps a few hundred of them in total – clearly don’t suspect a thing. As they excitedly file into the venue, it looks like some of the performers in tonight’s show have blended in with them. The very idea of a similar scene occurring elsewhere – prior to an episode of WWE’s Monday Night Raw , for example – makes my smile even wider. One thing is for sure - the contrast between the two worlds is fascinating. This small venue – likely one of the more, ahem, affordable settings that the Destiny Wrestling Organization could get a hold of – doesn’t have any of the trappings of a major arena. In fact, it’s situated in an area that would never be confused with other, more affluent parts of town – and that’s being kind. Still, I’m here, and not by necessity, by the way – I’m here by choice.

---- Sitting in my truck, I think back to an event produced under entirely different circumstances; specifically, my on-screen debut with WWE, the industry leader, televised to millions some 14 years earlier. On that night, the reaction to my surprise appearance – immortalized forever on WWE television – would become almost as famous as the appearance itself. Memorably, and shockingly, it was Vince McMahon himself - once my bitter business rival during the previous decade – with whom I embraced on the stage at Continental Airlines Arena. That rumbling beneath your feet , I told Vince as 17,000 fans became unglued, is a whole lot of people turning over in their graves . My agreement then to sign with Vince, the Chairman and driving force of WWE, sent shockwaves throughout the entire wrestling world... ...But here on this night – right now in Albuquerque - the final few patrons are starting to shuffle in. I could be wrong, but it looks like one guy may have spotted me in my truck. I see him slowly turn back to enter the building, and that’s enough for me - the time to wait is over. I glance left, glimpse right, and soon make an immediate beeline for the backdoor entrance. One step inside, and my grin is I’m in .

Grateful features exclusive bonus content - enabled via QR codes - at the end of each chapter!

262 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

26 people are currently reading
105 people want to read

About the author

Eric Bischoff

10 books13 followers

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5 stars
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54 (29%)
3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
2 reviews
November 27, 2022
Full and Thorough

Eric Bischoff's book isn't just a look at his career since Controversy Creates Cash was published, it's also a thorough and full representation of his experiences with WWE, TNA, the indy scene, and even his guest appearances on AEW. I really appreciated learning more about his work behind the scenes with Hulk Hogan and TNA as well as how his relationship with Jason Hervey evolved into BHE (Grateful also details the fate of BHE). Eric's honesty in this book is a great counter to much of the speculation and conjecture that occupies internet wrestling websites and his explanation of the reality behind closed doors ties together many of the stories and career moves that fans have watched play out over the years. Also, Grateful features some awesome bonus content that you can access at the end of each chapter via QR code. The bonus content is usually in the form of interviews with people Eric references in the book. I highly recommend this book to any wrestling fan, but also to aspiring entrepreneurs who want a real-life look at what it means to take on risk after risk and to achieve reward, or suffer failure.
2 reviews
May 15, 2023
Really enjoyed this

I didn’t really go into reading this with high expectations but I found it interesting. Eric, if nothing else, is honest. If you’re a wrestling fan from the 1990s and after, you will enjoy this!
1 review
February 15, 2023
thank you

I have always been a fan of Eric. His views on wrestling, life etc. I find hopeful, encouraging and inspiring.
3 reviews
November 9, 2023
Eric and Guy Evans do it again

Reading this book makes me appreciate both Eric Bischoff and Guy Evans more. Guy delivered a great hit with the Nitro book and Eric did as well with Controversy Creates Cash. So glad they teamed up for this one and it delivered quite well. I was always curious on the TNA story and glad he got to tell that story. This book is a must buy for sure.
24 reviews
January 27, 2024
Really good read. I enjoyed it all and appreciated the look into Eric’s life. I enjoy his podcast and listen to his experiences and lessons. I highly recommend this to any wrestling fan, but also anyone looking for a positive perspective and also a little bit of business acumen thrown into the mix.
24 reviews
July 12, 2023
Exceptional

Eric Bischoff is one of the most influential people the wrestling business has ever seen. His stories and experiences are unlike any other. He is not afraid to admit his mistakes and relishes the opportunities that are given to him.
2 reviews
May 19, 2023
An unbelievably smart and unique book which, at times, offers a painfully honest look at Eric Bischoff's post-2006 career. Highly, highly recommended.
Profile Image for Brandon.
1,009 reviews249 followers
February 3, 2023
Picking up where he finished with his 2006 memoir Controversy Creates Cash, Eric Bischoff, alongside Guy Evans (NITRO: The Incredible Rise and The Inevitable Fall of Ted Turner’s WCW), details his life and career post-WWE from 2007 until the present day.

Following his 2005 exit as RAW General Manager in December, he believed that he was finished with the wrestling industry. After all, by this point, Eric had founded a successful production company several years earlier alongside business partner Jason Hervey and already had several successful reality television projects under his belt. However, when it comes to the wrestling industry, much like the mob, just when you think you get out, you get pulled back in.

In 2009, Hulk Hogan had been contemplating a move to TNA, at the time WWE’s biggest competitor. With Eric having recently pulled Hogan out of both a professional and personal crisis, Hogan did not feel comfortable going in alone requesting that Eric go in with him to help oversee his character. Eric would then negotiate his own deal (being brought in as Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment) alongside Hogan. This would not only lead to Eric becoming an on-screen character, he would also be named an executive producer and begin working on the creative side alongside notorious writer Vince Russo.

Not to take anything away from the rest of the book, but I feel the stories surrounding the corporate structure of TNA during Eric’s tenure are the true strength of the book. This is not surprising given that is exactly what I feel made Guy’s NITRO book so endlessly interesting. Given the real-life drama unfolding in the WWE boardroom at the moment, there continues to be a seemingly insatiable appetite for behind-the-scenes stories and maneuvers. People can lament some of the more puzzling creative decisions that made it to TV during Eric’s time in the driver’s seat (not to imply that he was solely responsible), but Eric shone a spotlight on the mismanagement, lack of vision, and cluelessness on the part of those who ran the business end of TNA is absolutely astounding – especially executives’ institutionalized distrust and general unwillingness to view SpikeTV as a true partner.

The sheer amount of support and help provided and offered by SpikeTV, the television home for iMPACT during Bischoff’s run, was eye-opening. Not only were they spending their own money to foot the bills for the contracts of several of TNA’s top-tier talent (Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Eric himself) they had once offered to buy a stake in the company essentially making them partners thus allowing for airtime security moving forward. Dixie Carter, then owner, declined, which would be responsible for years of instability in finding a stable home for the promotion.

While Eric offers insight into the wrongdoings in the executive arm of TNA, he makes it crystal clear that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the business and financial end of the company’s operations. It almost seemed like avoiding landmines behind the scenes as Dixie Carter had tried to pull Eric into the boardroom on a few occasions.

That being said, it’s not all negativity when it comes to his years in TNA. Eric discusses the true joy of working alongside his son Garrett as well as being proud of the Aces & Eights storyline that began in June 2012 and would ultimately reach its culmination in March of 2013 – at the time an eternity for a single angle to play out in an era when it seemed that patience was truly a virtue.

Beyond that, Eric details several of his business ventures, some successful and others not so much. Admittedly, Eric’s attraction to taking big risks would ultimately lead to Bischoff declaring bankruptcy at 62 years old. I found this to be truly shocking having had no idea he had been dealing with such financial strain. He pulled himself out and with the wildly successful podcast he began with Conrad Thompson, 83 Weeks, he’s rebuilt his life and paid back his debts.

He briefly touches on his return to WWE in 2019 when he was appointed to oversee anything that touches Smackdown with Paul Heyman in the same role for Monday Night RAW. I only say briefly as we all know that it was very short-lived with Eric vacating the role only a few months later. Just like with Brian Gewirtz’s book, the chaos described in working under Vince McMahon is something I cannot imagine many people wanting to do for long.

I should mention, one thing that absolutely sets this book apart from other wrestling memoirs is that co-author Guy Evans included QR codes at the conclusion of each chapter sending the reader online for bonus content. The majority of the additional content is in the form of shorter (10-15 minute) interviews that are hosted on YouTube. Evans catches up with Eric’s children (Garrett and Montanna), his wife Lorree, Lex Luger, Conrad Thompson, and many others.*

GRATEFUL does not overstay its welcome, to say the least. The chapters are brief and the book itself comes in at under three hundred pages. That isn’t to say Eric isn’t introspective or offers much in the way of detail surrounding the previous fifteen years, but there isn’t any fluff or padding here either. If you had read and enjoyed Eric’s prior release, I would recommend his follow-up.

*Bonus content for Chapters 6 through 8 was not available at the time of this review.
Profile Image for Jesse Bouchard.
42 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2022
Very cool concept of the QR code links to interviews that would wrap up the chapter. I thought this was a great blend and balance of biography, Wrestling book and business book. Very cool. Guy Evans is a great author and did an excellent job.
Profile Image for Joe Kay.
55 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2023
"Grateful" is Eric Bischoff's second memoir, and it picks up right where "Controversy Creates Cash" left off. His first book concluded with his departure from the WWE in 2005, but wrestling fans will not be disappointed with "Grateful" as it covers his time with TNA, his return to WWE in 2019, and his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021. Beyond the wrestling stories, Bischoff provides readers with some of the life lessons and insight that he has drawn from his business experiences, his involvement in podcasting, and even his friendship with Hulk Hogan. Ultimately, "Grateful" is a must-read for wrestling fans, but it is also a thoughtful presentation of what Eric has learned over the past fifteen years of his tumultuous career. And you don't need to be a WWE fan to appreciate that.

I should also note that this book was co-written by Guy Evans, who caught Eric's attention with his 2018 debut, "NITRO". Anyone who read that masterpiece will definitely notice Guy's contributions to "Grateful". They may be Eric's stories, but Guy clearly guided (and fact-checked!) the project as a whole. And as an added bonus, he included QR codes at the end of each chapter, which link the reader to supplemental interviews that were done specifically for this book. A truly fantastic collaboration between these two gentlemen!
Profile Image for Nate.
6 reviews
July 31, 2024
I didn’t know what to expect starting this book but was pleasantly surprised. I think Eric is a very unique person who has accomplished a lot. He certainly has the right attitude. There were a lot of things I was surprised to learn and some things I already suspected but as I got near the end of this book I thought what really stood out was a brief opinion that we as people shouldn’t look back and think “those were the best times of our lives”, instead, we should always look ahead to what’s next. One thing that really made me think was a part where Eric talked about, “if you just go through life thinking this is what it is, this is what it’s going to be” you are going to die or at least be on your way. He advocates readers to continue thinking, continue being interested, and learning new things. It made me think due to some things happening in my own life. I’ve often said at my job that I’m happy doing what I do. Recently, I was offered a promotion and I wasn’t too excited about some of the new duties I would be taking on. After reading this book and hearing Eric’s take on life and keeping continued focus on learning new things, I’ve changed my own thinking. I’m going into this new role much more positive than before I read this book.

Great read and I do recommend.
Profile Image for Tony Farinella.
141 reviews
December 20, 2024
This is Eric Bischoff’s sequel to his 2006 book, “Controversy Creates Cash,” and I found it to be lacking and pretty uneventful.

First and foremost, I’m not all a fan of Eric Bischoff’s contributions to the wrestling business, but I do find him entertaining and he can spin quite a yarn. However, in “Grateful,” he glosses over major details and he still doesn’t seem to have learned from his past mistakes.

When I read a nonfiction book, I look for depth and insight. Eric Bischoff is the ultimate conman and shyster, and he gives you just enough information to keep you interested, but he doesn’t deliver the goods.

At the end of the day, the book kept my interest and it was a quick read, but he leaves out major details and doesn’t seem committed to fully explaining certain details or giving the audience the full truth.

He tends to talk around major issues or stories and mostly just filibusters his way through major career highs and lows.

Just remember, whenever anything went wrong, it was never his fault. When he had success, however, he was fully responsible for it.
18 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2024
Controversy Creates Cash was Bischoff at the zeitgeist of pro wrestling. He was still on TV as the heel General Manager of RAW and had yet to write a memoir about WCW. Grateful is Bischoff at his least relevant. From the cheap-looking cover art, to the writing style being choppy and short paragraphs, Bischoff's second book about life in TNA, producing reality TV and filing for bankruptcy is rarely interesting. It was hilarious reading about him preparing for a TED Talk in NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS as if he was reciting the Gettysburg Address.
Profile Image for Daniel Heitzenrater.
2 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2024
Absolutely fantastic. Incredible insight into the highs and lows of one of wrestling’s most unique personalities. Amazing stories regarding the dark times in Hulk Hogans life from someone who was there. Cannot recommend it enough.
76 reviews
November 28, 2024
Wasn't great and a lot of stories were not in depth that I would have liked, but who am I? I couldn't write a book! Heaven knows I have tried. I admire his positive attitude, and I would like to have a beer with Eric.
29 reviews
November 24, 2022
Good bit short

No mention of the obvious megalomania in the wcw glory days. Erudite but very truncated and perhaps more self praise than honesty.
225 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2022
The first few chapters are somewhat fluffy but then it picks up once the focus is on TNA. It’s a very quick read because it’s short but definitely worth a re-read.
Profile Image for Nick Wilson.
19 reviews
September 29, 2023
Nice read. His last book controversy creates cash was better, but the first book always is.
Profile Image for Tommas Ethridge.
68 reviews
October 4, 2023
left off right where controversy creates cash did and i loved it that he talked about tna and gave his honest opinion of dixie carter and her staff
Profile Image for Peter.
95 reviews
December 6, 2023
Good book but not really needed. I enjoyed the TNA chapters but that's about it. The book seemed gappy in place and not needed.
1 review
September 1, 2025
Nice read

Good read about a guy that has been polarizing but it’s good to see the real man behind the persona.
Profile Image for Jason Weber.
496 reviews7 followers
December 2, 2022
4.5 stars.
A little short, but a great book nonetheless.
It picks up after Eric’s book.
If you haven’t read Eric’s, “Controversy creates Cash” or Guy’s “Nitro” shame on you!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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