Customer Reviews

Pure Dynamite: The Price You Pay for Wrestling Stardom

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In the world of pro wrestling sometimes it's hard to tell the work from the shoot, the real life from the storyline. That's why Tom Billington should grab your attention. In an enviroment where the main thing is to put youself over to the crowd, Billington doesn't worry about how he looks to the public. He tells the story of his life just like it happened without trying for sympathy or tears. From his boyhood dreams in England as a coal miners son, to a new life in Canada with the famous Hart family in Calgary, across the world to back breaking matchs in Japan to the ultimate goal of every pro wrestler, the Wrestlemania stage, Billington tells it all. One thing that makes this book stand out among others on this subject is that it does not ignore or deny knowledge of drug use in this sport. Tom tackles it head on with no thought as to how the reader will look at him and in the end it works because you really respect his honesty. Something that seems to be lacking in other wrestling books these days with the possible exception of mabey Mick Foley. An incredibly easy read and enjoyable from cover to cover, you are left wishing, as whenever you finish a great book, that the story had not come to an end so soon. A must for any true wrestling fan who wondered whatever happened to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Pure Dynamite is Pure Honesty and you will not be disapointed.

Pure Dynamite is a unique book, written by one of wrestling's most gifted wrestlers, the Dynamite Kid. Many wrestlers have written books way too early in their careers, before they've accomplished enough. Dynamite, however, is now retired and his book covers his entire extensive career. Dynamite pulls no punches with his opinions on other wrestlers as well as the business as a whole. Being a huge fan of the British Bulldogs, I was very entertained by this book. It was interesting to learn of some of the antics that go on backstage in the world of wrestling. Dynamite has an interesting sense of humor, but the highlight of this book is his pure honesty. A must read 1980's wrestling fans.

There are so few good wrestling books out there, but this one
easily rates with the Foley, Thesz, and Meltzer books as one of
them. A look back at what Mick Foley called one of the first
true hardcore wrestlers in every sense of the word. Unlike
the Chyna, Rock, DDP, Arn Anderson books (which should be
avoided like the plague) this one is to be savored time and
again with different readings to pick up on things missed the
first time. Buy it, you'll thank me later.

Tom "The Dynamite Kid" Billington's biography is a very interesting story of a wrestler who was a part of the 1980's surge in the popularity of professional wrestling. But, while this era is give some discussion, Billington gives equal billing to the time that he spent learning the craft in England, Canada, and Japan. I never realized what a legitimate tough guy the Kid was as well as a locker room prankster. I also didn't have any idea of the falling out between him and The British Bulldog. Sadly, Billington's story does not end happily as he is wheelchair bound today but his story is an important chapter in the history of professional wrestling.

As a longtime fan of the Dynamite Kid, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Once I finally got it, I read it in a few short days, and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations. The stories contained throughout the course of the book give you a real feel as to what goes on behind the scenes in the world of professional wrestling. Many hilarious stories are recounted, but the book concludes with a profound ending. I would recommend this book to any wrestling fans, and I believe even non-fans would enjoy the humor and drama of Tom Billington's life.

I have long been a fan of The British Bulldogs, and was eager to collect the original U.K. print of Dyanamite Kid's book, Pure Dynamite. A lot of people claimed the book was very negative, and that Dyanmite was bitter and crippled, and had little respect for anyone who was not a legit "tough guy" like Dyanmite, so I went into this book with a lot of curiosity.

I discovered that the book was FAR from what was rumored. Dynamite's book was as brutally honest as it gets. This is probably one of the best wrestling books I have ever read. Dynamite is very honest about everything from his drug use, to his attitude, likes and dislikes of other wrestlers and promoters, and his penchant for his often destructive ribs.

Dynamite's book comes off as if you were a buddy of his, sitting down in the pub for a few drinks with him, just telling old stories about the business to you, both the good memories and the bad.

To dispel a few myths about Dynamite and his book:

--Dynamite is far from bitter about the circumstances that led to him being confined to a wheelchair. While it is true that he prefers to be remembered as he was, rather than pitied for the way he is, he freely admits, that it's nobody's fault but his own. Between cocaine, steroids, speed and everything else that he did "living life in the fast lane", as he puts it, combined with his very physical ring style, he is very mellow, admitting he misses wrestling and the cameraderie of being in the wrestling business, and has absolutely no hard feelings about the business, because he made good money, and enjoyed entertaining.

--He does not hate Davey Boy Smith, they just fell out of touch with each other. He does admit to be disappointed with Davey Boy on several levels. He feels that Davey Boy was always kind of a kiss ass, and that he was led around by Diana. He felt that Davey abandoned him when he was hurt, never coming to visit him when he was in the hospital, except for a photo opportunity, and that Davey's trademarking of the name "British Bulldog" for himself and not allowing Dynamite to use it later on was wrong because Dynamite used the name before (which a case could be made in terms of use; if Dynamite used it before, and that could be proven, Davey Boy's trademark could be revoked), especially in light of the fact that it was Dynamite who gave Davey Boy his start.

--He doesn't hate everyone who isn't a tough guy, he just prefers working with guys who actually know what they are doing in the ring, tough or not, just so you're a good worker. There are several he liked, and vice versa. He was close to Abdullah the Butcher and Cactus Jack, neither of whom are what you would consider "tough guys". If he likes you, you're gold to him, just don't jerk him around.

An excellent and compelling read, one of the best since Foley's first.

Billington does an excellent job on laying out what he feels are the important points of his life and career in regards to wrestling. Most reviewers or fans of the Dynamite Kid will be based on his WWF British Bulldog era. Having lived in Montana during DK's career, I had access to his earlier years when he was with Stampede Wrestling out of Calgary. He was always a joy to watch then and you knew he was going to explode in a big way (no pun intended).

The great thing about this book is also the weak spot of it from a different stand point. Billington gives you the story of his life as if he were sitting there talking with you. He starts off stories and then gets sidetracked by feeling the need to input a side story on someone he mentions in the original story he is telling you. That gives it the sense as if you are sitting in a room listening to him. This same wandering thought process also detracts from the book (thus a 4 out of 5 stars) because there's no chronological order but he jumps back and forth in his career timeline. He wanders off the topic alot but eventually gets back to what he wanted to tell you. Billington, at points, seems to have a bit of an ego but then all wrestlers seem to do that, even the ones that have no real influence on the big game. He also, at times, acts as though wrestling wasn't pre-determined and had scripted storylines. I'm not sure of the Japan style wrestling but it's pretty common knowledge that pro-wrestling is staged, especially during the 80s and 90s.

Billington does manage to keep the reader engrossed in his life and gives you the grit with the grain concerning himself. He's not self-righteous about his steroid and drug abuse, rather fully admitting he did these things. He doesn't pass them off as an experimental supplement done once or twice like other big name wrestlers did. Billington is straight forward and not afraid to upset people by giving his opinions on them. He slashes into various stars like Hogan, Beefcake, Ultimate Warrior, Davey Boy Smith, and others. It's nice to see that some editors aren't concerned about being nice to everyone. This book is obviously not published by the WWE unlike Lawler, Hogan, Rock, and Foley's books are. Billington pulls no punches and gives it to you straight from his viewpoint.

This book is quite explosive, as it blows the roof off many issues in the world of wrestling. As a wrestling expose, it works really well, but I think that it works even better as a personal memoir. Tom Billington didn't hire a ghost writer to enhance his writing style or anything of that sort. This is a very bare-bones approach to writing and autobiography. It's unfortunate that this book is now out of print, because it's really good, and also because The Dynamite Kid, despite being one of the best and most influential wrestlers of all time, has been ignored completely the last several years. Long may your classic matches live, Dynamite!

This tell all book had me feeling every emotion possible! I was laughing crying and having a ball! Dynamite tells all about working with the top names of the WWF and all the wacky pranks he used to pull on the other wrestlers on the road! He is a nice guy with a funny story to tell! You will be in stiches when you read of some of the ribs he pulled on former friend and cousin Davey Boy Smith and read in amazement how badly Davey Boy Treated him.... A must own for any true wrestling fan out there!

Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington was one of the first true superstars of the then World Wrestling Federation.

Traveling the world and headlining many major shows - while taking more bumps inside the ring in one match than many stars take in a career - Billington led the fast-lane life of a rock star. But when it all came to an end, Billington was left with poor health, a shattered personal life and little to show financially from his years on the road.

Published in 2001, Billington is not looking for sympathy. Rather, he is telling a real story about one life in pro wrestling; but a story too often played out with many of the stars from the 1980s.

Perhaps best known in the U.S. as the tag-team partner of Davey Boy Smith - the British Bulldogs - Billington was an accomplished single's competitor, and was especially popular in Japan, where - to this day - the top wrestlers are pop icons.

But the years of taking a physical pounding in the ring and the cocaine & steroid abuse left him damaged to the point of being wheelchair-bound. And comparable with too many great boxing champions, the worst damage was perhaps done when Billington was trying to recapture the glory that was never to be seen again.

If a reader is looking for a storybook finish, there are books published literally every few months that give the sanitized version of the industry. Pure Dynamite shows what can really happen after the arena lights dim, the last fan has gone home and the real storyline begins.