Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring Story of a Real Life Hero, October 17, 2001
When Kurt Angle made his debut in the WWF he was portrayed as the character of a sports legend who thought the world owed him a living for his winning gold medals in the Olympics. The real Kurt Angle is nothing like that at all, as we see in this eye opening and inspiring autobiography. Over the course of the book we learn that Kurt did not have the perfect family (losing his father to a fatal accident when Kurt was 16) or even the perfect marriage. Nor, despite the glory he's reaped, has his athletic career been on a perfect note. But he's done well, and he chalks it up to one constant in his life: if you really want something, there is no substitute for hard work. Angle overcame both personal disappointments and serious injuries to dominate his sport of wrestling at the college level and the Olympic level through his mantra of dedication and hard work.Angle is the first American amateur star to turn pro since 1980. Before, it was not unusual for amateur stars to take to the pro ring; such wrestling champions as Mike DiBiase, Dick Hutton, Danny Hodge, the Zebra Kid, Bob Backlund, and Jack Brisco came from the amateur mats. Angle's reasons in joining the WWF, his views of the difference between amateurs and pros and his adjustment to the pro game make for fascinating reading, especially in light of the fact that his signing has caused other amateur stars to take the possibility of a pro career seriously. (Such as NCAA champion Brock Lesnar, who should make his WWF debut shortly.) But Angle's story is not only of interest to adults or wrestling fans. His message and the fact the book lacks the profanity that has become commonplace in these sort of tomes make it perfect reading for any teenager who has dreams of pursuing a career, athletic or otherwise. There is no substitute for hard work.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refreshing and Inspiring, A Good Book. Oh Its True!, October 21, 2001
Kurt Angle is a legendary, contemporary, amateur championship wrestler who parlayed his mega-successful amateur background into the realm of professional wrestling's "sports entertainment." This is his autobiography. Kurt Angle's "It's True, It's True" is an inspirational story about an extraordinary man who's succeeded and excelled at whatever he's put his mind too.The book basically takes a chronological look at his life. The book opens by detailing his most triumphant moment, his winning of the Olympic Gold Medal in the 1996 Atlanta Games. From there the book chronicles, in good, honest detail, the story of his life. We begin with a detailed look into his childhood and family where Kurt grew up with his ultra-competitive and ultra-athletic four brothers and "functioning alcoholic father." From there he recounts the story of his father's tragic passing in a construction accident, the turning point in his life and the catalyst for his lifelong desire to be the best at everything in honor of his father's memory. From there, my favorite part of his story begins, his looooong trek toward becoming the legendary wrestler he became. He recounts his college wrestling career and how he went "professional" competing in the International free-style level. His stories of the intensity of amateur level competition and traveling abroad, particularly in Eastern Europe and Russia, are simply amazing, to me, and are worth the price of admission. From there you take a look into his nearly psychotic training regimen he put himself through as he prepared for the Olympic games. Rocky Balboa's got NOTHING on Kurt Angle... Following the Olympics the recounts the (ever so fleeting) celebrity status he received and the jobs he took on afterward including motivational speaking and sportscasting, not to mention meeting his future wife. The second half of the book recounts his career in the World Wrestling Federation to date (Summer of 2001). Unlike other wrestler biographies of recent years, Kurt's recounting of his career doesn't really come across as "sports-entertainment/personal hype" (as like say, the Rock's autobiography...). Kurt's assessment is actually rather very honest and provides a deeper look into the psychology of the business. Kurt offers a deeper look into how the matches are set-up. His contrasting of the amateur style versus the "sports-entertainment" style is a very refreshing and enlightening look. Kurt also does a great job of relating just how demanding the lifestyle of a traveling performer is. He cites early difficulties in his marriage, the often scary nature of encountering ignorant fans with a grudge and the horrendous travel schedule. This should be of particular interest to any who are interested in becoming a professional wrestler. This is definitely a good "behind the scenes look" at the business. Overall, you'll love this book. You'll gain a ton of respect for Kurt Angle. He's definitely a great guy and you're bound to identify with his story. He's an everyman. It's honest, it's compelling and it's just a great story. I read it in one day, total read time about 9 hours. Whether you're a fan of athletics, professional wrestling, or just a person who likes you to read, you're bound to love this book. Oh It's True, It's True!!! Highly Recommended
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Perfect Book To Read With A Nice Glass Of Milk, September 25, 2001
Ever wonder what made Kurt Angle the mega-superstar that he is today? Ever wonder what would have made a man jump from Olympic Gold Medalist to the World Wrestling Federation? Well, look no further. This book will answer those questions and much, much more. It's true. It's true.Unlike many other WWF wrestlers, Kurt Angle was a star before he ever stepped into the realm of sports entertainment. The first section of his book mainly deals with his amateur career and his jump from college to Olympic competition. He reveals a very personal side when talking about his father's untimely death, and it gives a nice look at the man behind the wrestling persona. Although Angle gives a little too much insight to the technical aspect of wrestling, his backstage stories and personal feelings toward some of the other wrestlers is quite entertaining reading. His straightforward language makes the book a fairly quick read, and the photographs that pepper the book are extraordinary. The entire book is put together quite nicely. IT'S TRUE! IT'S TRUE! is another successful book put out by the WWF. It is not a tell-all book, but it is quite interesting and hard to put down. This book will not dissappoint.
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