Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal [Hardcover]

Mick Foley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

The undisputed king of the literary ring is back with another handwritten, hardcore home run. Forget the ghost writer and the computer keyboard - this mesmerizing memoir is straight from the pen and notebook paper of the Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley, chronicling the heart-pounding build-up to "Lockdown", one of the most important matches of his long and storied career. Foley's every limit is tested, as he battles back the formidable tag-team of Father Time and Mother Nature - overcoming a host of injuries and serious self-doubts to get back in the ring with one of his all-time favorite foes. With his trademark blend of wit and wisdom, wildness and warmth, Foley dishes previously untold stories from his remarkable life, including his transition from WWE to TNA, his ill-fated stint as a television commentator, his tumultuous relationship with Vince McMahon, his thoughts on performance enhancing substances in sports, the troubling list of wrestlers dying way too young, and his soul saving work in Sierra Leone.

Raw, dynamic, and unabashedly honest, COUNTDOWN TO LOCKDOWN charts Foley's wrestling rebirth, and rise to heights that his fans thought he would never see again.

Publisher's Note: 100% of the advance for this book has been donated to Child Fund International and RAINN.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Professional wrestler Foley is also the author of the number-one New York Times best-seller Have a Nice Day! (2000). This is his account of the 34 days leading up to his emergence from retirement and debut with a new wrestling organization. It’s a chronicle of training, injuries, and rehab. But it’s also a collection of anecdotes about the wrestling world—including a few about controversial impresario Vince McMahon—musings about the use of steroids in the sport, and accounts of charity work in Sierra Leone and Foley’s relationship with Paul “Wolfie” Wolfowitz. Yes, that Paul Wolfowitz. Though the audience for Foley’s writing is primarily the huge wrestling fan base, readers who don’t care a whit about the spectacle will be entertained by a surprisingly sophisticated man with a variety of opinions about the world around him. The book satisfies on a number of levels (particularly Foley’s self-deprecating humor) and will likely draw significant interest. --Wes Lukowsky

Review

"Mick Foley is a natural born storyteller whose sense of humor and sensibilities regarding life are a joy to experience. This hilarious, often poignant, vividly written true story is an amazingly honest journey that any fan of pop culture, sports, family values, battling Father Time, helping others, and, obviously, pro wrestling past or present, will love. I read Mick's latest literary effort twice in three days and am anxious to start the process all over again." (--Jim "JR" Ross, Hall of Fame wrestling announcer )

"Mick Foley is like the two sides of a coin. Both a hardcore wrestling legend and a smart, caring author-Mick's intelligence makes him lethal in the ring and his wrestling intensity makes him a deadly writer. Countdown to Lockdown applies a "Mandible Claw" to every page!" (--Dee Snider, Twisted Sister frontman )

"Like a trusted bard of old, Mick Foley is a masterful storyteller whose tales are guaranteed to engage and entertain." (--Chris Jericho, New York Times bestselling author )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; First Edition edition (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446564613
• ISBN-13: 978-0446564618
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #480,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mick Foley grew up on Long Island, New York. He is the author of the genre-defining #1 New York Times bestsellers: Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling and Have a Nice Day!: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. Foley has wrestled professionally for over fifteen years and was the three-time World Wrestling Entertainment Champion. He currently wrestles on TNA. Foley lives with his wife and four children on Long Island.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-Notch October 4, 2010

By C. Boykin

Format:Hardcover

Mick Foley was one of the first to publish a 'behind the curtian' wrestling memoir, 1999's 'Have a Nice day: a Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks'. My own copy of that book is well worn and (like it's author) has sustained much physical damage from multiple readings (Foley himself sustained damage from explosions, chairs to the head and falls onto hard surfaces, not from multiple readings). It was passed it into the hands of others through the years, and it never failed to make a strong impression. There were 2 subsequent sequels, as C2L points out Foley is thus more memoir'd than Churchill, but lets see Churchill do a flying elbow on the concrete (not taking anything away from being instrumental in defeating the Nazi's, mind you). Can yet another volume, written 11 years later compare? Yes. C2L has the same honesty, humor, and heart that made the original standout. It is also the first of the Foley memoirs not to be published by the WWE machine. Foley describes his departure from WWE, his journey to the competition, and the struggle to overcome the pain and damage sustained over years of a violent style of wrestling (before it was the norm) to perform in another main-event. To recognize one's limitations (having retired from competition more than once) and try to make one more go of it may be a familiar story, but it does not seem the least bit tired. Fun bonuses include a meeting with Tori Amos (bringing full circle the inspiration her music had on him in the early days), tales of surviving the Nautilis side of the weight room, and occasional digs at Al Snow. Along the way there is great insight into a life well lived, with stories on Foley's volunteer work with the RAINN network and Child Fund International, as well as the kinds of observations on life that can only come from one who has struggled to make it in a bizzare business, traveled the globe, built schools in underdeveloped areas, and participated in a Japaneese Death Match. Like Rocky III, C2L is a rare sequel that is fully worthy of the original.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A solid addition, highly recommended November 14, 2010

By Midwest Book Review

Format:Hardcover

Professional wrestling legend Mick Foley has become known for as much as his memoirs as he has exploits in the ring. "Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal" is the fourth memoir from Foley, continuing his journey through the unique onscreen and offscreen world of professional wrestling. This memoir follows Foley as he leaves the biggest company in pro wrestling the WWE, and moves to a smaller company in TNA Wrestling. He also speaks on his charity work, the challenges of aging wrestlers, his love for Tori Amos, and gives a different opinion on substance abuse in pro wrestling and sports in general. For fans of Foley's previous work as well sports memoirs, "Countdown to Lockdown" will prove a solid addition, highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Foley Back In a Good Mindset January 20, 2011

By James Moore

Format:Hardcover

Ah, Mick Foley, on his unprecedented FOURTH! autobiography. Some might call it overkill, but whatever you think of Mick, you can't say he's not interesting!

This book covers his final days in the WWE and his month in TNA leading to his World Title showdown with Sting. First off, all his chapters dealing with wrestling are GREAT! You can tell he's actually happy with how his storyline is going, as opposed to his previous book about the 2nd ECW One Night Stand PPV where everything he was promised was changed. The tone is much brighter.

His non-wrestling stuff is good too. From his charity work to his meeting with one of his heroines (he doesn't call her such, but she is) Tori Amos, it's some compelling, HAPPY stuff.

And a lot less politics than his previous book, HU-FRICKING-ZAH!

One of the few things I didn't like about this book was, in keeping with his happy tone, he didn't talk enough about what happened to Chris Benoit. He has a FANTASTIC chapter discussing the aftermath, and about steroids, pain killers, and other drugs. But I was really hoping he would talk more about Benoit, what happened and his thoughts.

Other than that, it's an almost complete return to form for the Mickster!