Customer Reviews

Bodyslams! Memoirs of a Wrestling Pitchman

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read all of the wrestling books that have been written in recent years. I have also read the autobiographies by Lou Thesz and Bruno Sammartino. Without a doubt, Gary Michael Cappetta's "BODYSLAMS!" is the most revealing, most informative, most literate, funniest and even the most heart warming book ever written about professional wrestling.

Foley was careful not to tell too much about his buddies in the WWF. Chyna, The Rock and Goldberg also still on promoters' payrolls, haven't been wrestling long enough to lend a rich perspective of the wrestling game. Page avoids the truth about the behind the scenes politics that gave him his spot with WCW. And who cares what JR is cooking?

This book has it all. If you want a comprehensive look at how it all began, why wrestling is where it's at today and Gary's thoughts about how the game can be healthy in future years, then you must read "BODYSLAMS!".

Cappetta's behind the scenes stories provide an up close and personal look at dozens of current superstars, as well as many of the legends of this sport. Gary worked with them all. From Gagne to Hogan. From Bruno Sammartino to The McMahon Family. His profiles of Steve Austin, Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Buff Bagwell, Mick Foley, Abdullah the Butcher, Eric Bischoff and Andre the Giant are priceless.

Gary tells the full story about the night Mick Foley lost his ear. He was at the hotel fight between Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious and he holds nothing back. The portraits of Vince and Shane McMahon stand the test of time, given the way The McMahons now monopolize wrestling. And Gary's love of the game shines through on every page of the book.

If you have to choose one book that tells it all about pro wrestling, then "BODYSLAMS!" has got to be at the top of your list. Simply put, it's the best book ever written about pro wrestling!

As a referee, I have had the pleasure of working some shows that Gary Michael Cappetta has appeared at. Being only 19 years old and anti-WCW in my teen days as a fan, I will admit that I hadn't seen any of his work, or any that I can remember of the few times I watched WCW while he was still employed there. I went to his site out of curiosity and read the positive reviews of the book. After talking to him, I learned a great deal from Mr. Cappetta, so I got the book. It was without a doubt one of the best reads I have ever picked up. His knowledge of the business, the art, the "game", and so on in the book is just amazing. I would recommend this book in a heartbeat to anyone breaking into the business or anyone looking for a good modern history of professional wrestling, because Mr. Cappetta is one of the few who has been there and seen it and done it all.

If you ever wondered what it would be like to live the life of a famous wrestling personality and if you want to know how the main eventers relate to each other behind the scenes, then this book is for you.

People who are still active in the business have to think twice before voicing their opinions to the public. They have to depend on the promoters for a paycheck and the fans' attention to warrant their place on the roster. Cappetta has neither of these concerns to hold him back. And that is just one of the major differences between "Bodyslams!" and everything else that has recently been published.

The guy who had the least to say on WWF, ESPN and WCW broadcasts certainly makes up for the years when his introductions made ring entrances more exciting and when his victory announcements made the outcomes of matches seem more important then they ever were. There was a whole lot going on with Gary Michael Cappetta. At the time, no one ever thought to ask. In "Bodyslams!" we finally find out.

And while Gary pulls no punches, there is nothing malicious in this book. Whenever he has something negative to say about an individual (Sic Vicious, McMahon, Bagwell etc.) he either lets us form our own opinions by reporting their words and actions, or fully explains the reasons for his conclusions. Cappetta lets the readers decide for themselves.

One thing that impressed me throughout "Bodyslams!" is Cappetta's love of wrestling, despite all of the cons and underhandedness that he has seen. And his respect for the many top stars that he knows comes through loud and clear from the many stories in which Gary expresses his admiration for the many superstars that he has traveled with (Austin, Flair, Steamboat, Sammartino, Eaton, Arn Anderson, etc.).

The format of the book is also something to note. Quotes from Tennessee Williams, Mike Lupica, James Michener and George Burns in a wrestling book? Who would have guessed. Also impressive is a listing of the more than 300 cities in seven countries where he has announced. And there is a name / promotion / city index so that you can sneak a peek to read about your favorite wrestler, promotion or hometown before getting into the book.

The only disappointment that I experienced with Gary Michael Cappetta's "Bodyslams!" is that ended. But then again, it could have been a 5,000 page book and I would have felt the same way.

This is must reading for fans of Cappetta, for wrestling fans in general or for outsiders who want to know what makes wrestlers tick and what has made the spectacle of wrestling one of the most lasting and fun forms of entertainment throughout the years.

Cappetta does a magnificent job of guiding the viewer through the backstage life and politics of professional wrestling. It is good to hear about the world of wrestling from someone who is not a wrestler himself. If you want to hear the inside story on how WCW began its downfall, you will read it here. If you want to know the true character of such personalities as Vince McMahon, Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, Dusty Rhodes and dozens of others, you will find it in this book. I definitely recommend it to any wrestling fan.

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of Cappetta's book before it started charting here on Amazon, and after reading several other books on the topic pro-wrestling, his remains among the finest of it's kind. It stands apart from that of its peers through Gary's earnest delivery, his in-depth descriptions of the business's best and worst aspects, and the effects that the industry has had on the public, the players, and on him. It's brutally honest without being venomous, incredibly heart-felt, and undeniably entertaining. On a scale of one to five, I give it a six.

I have read Dave Meltzer and Dynamite Kid's books, as well as both books written by Mick Foley, and I must say that Gary Michael Cappetta's Bodyslams is right up there with the others in terms of credibility and quality. While it may not be as funny as Foley or as dramatic as Meltzer, it's really not intended to be. It is meant to chronicle one man's 21-year journey in a business he has always loved, and is undoubtedly the most well-written of the five wrestling books I have read.

The stories flow well and really give the reader a feeling for what many famous and infamous wrestling personalities are/were really like, as well as the nature of the environments behind-the-scenes in the WWWF/WWF, NWA, WCW and AWA. Cappetta shares stories about Ric Flair, Vince McMahon Sr., Vince McMahon Jr., Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Verne Gagne, Bruno Sammartino, and scores of others in-between.

I would highly recommend this book to any fans of pro wrestling, past or present. You get an intelligent and honest view of the inner and outer workings of the business.

This book, without having the benefit of the big marketing push of some of its other wrestling autobiographical brethen, seems to have easily slipped pass the radar. This is very unfortunate because having read many of the other wrestling autobiographies of recent years, I easily attest that this book is just as compelling (if not even moreso) a story as those others.

This book is a GREAT living history of the wrestling business over the past 30 years. I highly recommend this book to ALL wrestling fans.

Gary recounts countless stories of his travels throughout the world and the many legendary (and even non-legendary) wrestling personalities that he's met and worked with over the years. It is truly a great story of a man and his very unique experiences traveling and working around the world (literally).

What sets this book apart from its contemporaries, however, is his true no-holds barred storytelling. Gary pulls no punches as he discloses the VERY unseedy side of the wrestling business along with some of its more "infamous" incidents. From his humble beginnings as a fan to his early years working with the McMahons to his journeys through the independent wrestling promotions to his years with Ted Turner's WCW, you'll gain a very clear cut picture of just how the wrestling business truly is. It is an amazing story. The story definite benefits from Gary's unique perspective on the business, not as a wrestler, but as a side man. It is definitely a unique view. I also heavily recommend this to anyone WANTING TO GET INTO THE BUSINESS. You will benefit from his knowledge.

Here's my rundown:

Good: AWESOME anecdotes of road trips with wrestlers. Great "inside the business" scoops. You'll get a true feel for what it is like being a wrestler always on the go. This is definitely the most worthwhile aspect of the book. Once the story really picks up its very compelling.

Nice: Each chapter is introduced with quotes from other people who've written biographies. It is a nice touch which sets a nice tone leading into each chapter.

Bad: A fair amount of grammatical and spelling errors. Nothing worse than glaring spelling errors to marr a good book.

UGLY: Quite a few factual errors. Three come to mind. First, Mick Foley's wife's name is Colette, not Nicole. Second, Mark Callaway actually REPLACED Sid Vicious to team with Dan Spivey as the Skyscrapers. The book recounts Callaway teamed with Sid. Third, I've heard stories contrary as to how Steve Austin got his ringname. It was a promoter who dubbed him Steve Austin, not Austin himself who dubbed himself so because he was a big "Bionic Man" fan.

Overall, an awesome read. Even if you are NOT a wrestling fan, you'll amaze at this man's interesting life and experiences. You will not be disappointed by this book. Therefore, BUY (or borrow) and read this one.

Highly Recommended (if not for some grammer, spelling, factual errors, it would be a HIGHEST recommendation).

One of the very best books ever written about wrestling. Cappetta pulls no punches in describing the personalities he dealt with and what life was like working for the federations. Insightful, intelligently written, one can only hope he does a follow-up.

If you are a serious wrestling fan you won't learn too much new from this book. A lot of what is described in this book will already be known to most serious wresting fans who have been following the game since longer than 1990. I was hoping to find out more about those in the business and interesting behind the scenes events but, except for a few things, I didn't really learn anything new. Gary comes across as the decent and good person he probably is, but maybe his being a gentleman is the reason there isn't a whole lot of information in here (even though it isn't a very short book). Maybe Gary just couldn't bring himself to dish the dirt. Gary also teases with information and then doesn't follow through. For example, he states tha Mr. Fuji and Ivan Putski (WWWF stars from the 70s) tormented lesser wrestlers and jobbers but he gives no examples. What did they do? I wanted to know. Some good stuff in here but I was disappointed.

When this book first came out I wasn't really intrested in reading this. I recently got an Amazon.com gift certificate and took a chance. I wasn' let down. Gary tells a great story and comes across as a nice guy in business that can be pretty ruthless. What I relly enjoyed in reading this was Gary's in depth writing on the WWF back in the 70's with good stories about McMahon Sr. and Jr., as well as the great Gorilla Monsoon. I would rank this book up there with Mick Foley's 2 books.