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The planned Tito Santana autobiography, which Kenny Casanova has been working with Santana on, should be available for orders later this month.
The New Jack memoir, which at one point was pushed back to April 2020, is now lated for late January 2020, moved back up. Obviously, this could change again.
The Dwayne Johnson-inspired book For Your Consideration: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson by Tres Dean was officially released on 11/5. Promotional material for the book notes, "There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the awesomeness of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. This illustrated collection of humorous essays and fun extras makes the case for one of our most iconic celebrities, from the wrestling mat to the silver screen. Sporting a proverbial perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%, Certified Fresh, The Rock embodies everything we want from our Hollywood superstars . . . and everything we admire in those who so boldly pursue the American Dream. But how did it all happen? How did a loathed professional wrestler become the most famous person in the world? Was it just good timing? Years of trial and error? Countless hours in the gym? A winning smile? Or his total mastery of Instagram Stories? For Your Consideration: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson looks at the distinct phases of the legend’s career, examining the ways in which he has become both an onscreen heartthrob and an off-screen hero. Composed of five critical essays and fun extras, including an all-Rock version of the Oscars, a quiz identifying the best Rock character to take to the prom, and a definitive ranking of The Rock's catchphrases, this book is sure to satisfy pop culture enthusiasts and The Rock's hardcore fans alike."
Also released on 11/5 was BOOM's! latest WWE graphic novel collection WWE: Then Now Forever Vol. 4 The collection's promotional material notes, "The newest collection of short stories spanning WWE’s history. WOOOOO! Return to some of the greatest moments in WWE history from across multiple eras of Sports Entertainment. Featuring such titanic clashes as Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka, Ric Flair’s retirement match against Shawn Michaels, and Undertaker vs. Kane from WrestleMania 14, this collection is truly a showstopper. Collects stories from WWE: Forever #1 and WWE: WrestleMania 2019 Special #1."
Later this month, Mayor Kane: My Life in Wrestling and Liberty by Glenn Jacobs will be released. Promotional material for that book notes:
"In an era where political outsiders are successfully challenging the establishment, WWE superstar Glenn "Kane" Jacobs won the election to become mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. Even in his heyday in wrestling, Jacobs was inspired to pursue politics by popular libertarian figures such as former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, Republican Senator Rand Paul, Fox News' Judge Andrew Napolitano and others, and that led him to fulfill his own political ambitions. Before becoming Mayor Kane, Glenn "Kane" Jacobs was one of WWE's top Superstars for over two decades and traveled the globe with the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, John Cena, Ric Flair, and many others. He dominated the WWE with The Undertaker as the "Brothers of Destruction." Kane reinvented himself with the help of Daniel Bryan forming "Team Hell No." He set "Good ol' JR," Jim Ross on fire. The wrestler-turned-politician hasn't hung up his wrestling boots yet. Politics is a contact sport and Jacobs is using his wrestling skills in that arena. Jacobs supports President Trump and his agenda, and is implementing conservative policies in Tennessee."
OTHER FORTHCOMING BOOK RELEASES:
1/30/20 - New Jack: Memoir of a Pro Wrestling Extremist by New Jack and Jason Norman.
"You may have cheered for New Jack. You may have booed him out of the building. You may have even feared him at times. But until now, you've never really known The Most Dangerous Man in Wrestling. For the first time, the man born Jerome Young opens up about how he became one of the stars who enabled Extreme Championship Wrestling to make a permanent mark on the professional landscape. His crazed dives off balconies and scaffolds; his bloody, weapon-filled mat wars that trampled the line between reality and entertainment--this memoir reveals the perspective of the man at the center of them all and includes new disclosures about the infamous incidents with Mass Transit, Gypsy Joe, and the stabbing of a fellow wrestler in Florida. Beyond the gimmicks that united white supremacists and the NAACP against him and his fellow performers, New Jack candidly discusses the violence in his youth that nearly led him to a career in crime, his past as a bounty hunter, a near-fatal drug addiction, the last months of ECW, and his place in wrestling history."
2/17/20 - Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle, Second Edition by Sharon Mazer
Professional wrestling is one of the most popular performance practices in the United States and around the world, drawing millions of spectators to live events and televised broadcasts. The displays of violence, simulated and actual, may be the obvious appeal, but that is just the beginning. Fans debate performance choices with as much energy as they argue about their favorite wrestlers. The ongoing scenarios and presentations of manly and not-so-manly characters?from the flamboyantly feminine to the hypermasculine?simultaneously celebrate and critique, parody and affirm the American dream and the masculine ideal. Sharon Mazer looks at the world of professional wrestling from a fan’s-eye-view high in the stands and from ringside in the wrestlers’ gym. She investigates how performances are constructed and sold to spectators, both on a local level and in the “big leagues” of the WWF/E. She shares a close-up view of a group of wrestlers as they work out, get their faces pushed to the mat as part of their initiation into the fraternity of the ring, and dream of stardom. In later chapters, Mazer explores professional wrestling’s carnivalesque presentation of masculinities ranging from the cute to the brute, as well as the way in which the performances of women wrestlers often enter into the realm of pornographic. Finally, she explores the question of the “real” and the “fake” as the fans themselves confront it. First published in 1998, this new edition of Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle both preserves the original’s snapshot of the wrestling scene of the 1980s and 1990s and features an up-to-date perspective on the current state of play.
3/31/20 - Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond by Jim Ross
From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross comes a candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career. Jim Ross has been the beloved voice of the WWE—and now All-Elite Wrestling—for decades, but there is so much more to the man than fans know. In this follow-up to his 2017 memoir Slobberknocker, Ross shares the story of professional wrestling’s rise from a quirky sideshow to a multi-billion-dollar industry in the 1990s and 2000s. Under the Black Hat is packed with stories from the height of WWE madness, including Ross’s nurturing of global talents like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena. It traces the fracture of Ross’s relationship with Vince McMahon, his triumphant return to Wrestlemania 32, and the heartbreaking challenges he suffered behind the scenes, include multiple debilitating bouts of facial paralysis and the sudden, tragic death of his wife, Jan. For all its larger-than life characters, Ross’s story is endearingly human in scale, turning a gruff but gentle eye to themes of professional ennui, ageism, disability and grief. Told with heart, humor, and unfailing honesty, Under the Black Hat is a gift not only for his many lifelong fans, but the new ones he’s sure to find.
April 2020 - The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert
5/5/20 - WWE Kicking Down Doors: Female Superstars Are Ruling the Ring and Changing the Game! by L. J. Tracosas.
Charting the rise of female Superstars from glamour to glory! Get ready for a new era in sports entertainment! WWE: Kicking Down Doors honors the female Superstars who are driving the "Women's Evolution" in WWE. Join in the action as the top female Superstars battle it out in WWE Evolution, the very first all-women pay-per-view event. Discover how time-honored greats such as Chyna, Trish Stratus, and Lita proved their dominance in the ring. Chart the progression of female Superstars from glamorous sidekicks to fierce and fabulous "Divas" to the powerful Superstars of today. Celebrate current Superstars, such as Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Naomi, Nia Jax, and Ronda Rousey, who are setting a new gold standard for sports entertainment. Find out how all of these amazing women (plus many more) have changed the game and are ruling the ring!
TBA - Justin Credible autobiography.
2021 - Brian Solomon's biography on The Original Sheik.
ECW Press issued the following, which I am very excited about:
JOHN AREZZI'S MEMOIR TO BE RELEASED IN SPRING 2021
Tying together the stars of professional wrestling, country music and the New York Mets is one man: John Arezzi.
In his memoir, out in the spring of 2021, from ECW Press, Arezzi will bring the reader along on his wild ride, from a pioneering wrestling radio show to baseball's minor leagues to working with Patty Loveless, Kelsea Ballerini and Taylor Swift.
To complete his life story, Arezzi is teaming with accomplished wrestling journalist Greg Oliver, author or co-author of 15 previous books, including the acclaimed Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series. Oliver has also run the respected SLAM! Wrestling website for more than 20 years.
The Brooklyn-born, Long Island-raised Arezzi started in the wrestling business running a fan club for the notorious villain “Classie” Freddie Blassie, and progressed to shooting at ringside and writing for the newsstand wrestling magazines. A decision to enter the ring at a WWWF television taping as a wrestler curtailed his wrestling journalism career.
After college, Arezzi followed his other love, baseball, and worked for the New York Mets in the minor leagues, sharing laughs with the likes of Lenny Dykstra and John Gibbons through the wins and losses.
Then he walked away from it all, stunning family and friends, diving headfirst into country music, where his accomplishments include finding Patty Loveless singing in a dingy bar in North Carolina and guiding her early career. Decades later, in a different role, and under a different name—John Alexander—Arezzi propelled the careers of Kelsea Ballerini and Sarah Darling forward. He also worked on radio and TV projects featuring country royalty such as Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, the Dixie Chicks.
But professional wrestling is a tough mistress to shake, and it came calling again, and again, like an itch that could never be scratched away.
His insider radio show, Pro Wrestling Spotlight, was a must-listen for fans in the greater New York City area in the 1990s, to the point that fans would tape his broadcast and send cassette tapes to other eager fans.
Arezzi ran the first major fan fests, assembling a who's who of wrestling, to meet with fans eager to get to know their ring heroes. He was called upon by the mainstream media to offer up his take on the 1990s scandals in the then-WWF, with accusations of sexual abuse and steroid distribution. He promoted shows, both at home and abroad, and was a key figure importing the lucha libre style into America.
Today, Arezzi still works in country music, but has also dug deep into his rich archives to create the podcast, John Arezzi's Pro Wrestling Spotlight Then & Now, co-hosted by Brian Last, and various television projects.
His memoir, as of yet untitled, will be released in the Spring of 2021, by ECW Press (www.ECWPress.com).
For more on John Arezzi, see twitter.com/johnarezzi, facebook.com/johnarezzismatmemories or email him at prowrestlingspotlightja@gmail.com
John Arezzi's Pro Wrestling Spotlight Then & Now podcast is available at http://pwspod.com/
For more on Greg Oliver, see www.OliverBooks.ca or email him at goliver845@gmail.com. Greg is available for interviews to talk about working on the book with John Arezzi, and to promote his latest release, The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Storytellers, From the Terrible Turk to Twitter.
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