Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (Paperback)

by Eddie Guerrero (Author), Michael Krugman (Contributor)
Key Phrases: world heavyweight championship, Máscara Mágica, frog splash, Latino Heat, Eric Bischoff, The Rock (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
One of the most inspiring stories in wrestling history, Cheating Death, Stealing Life sees Eddie Guerrero recount his saga in remarkably candid fashion, chronicling a life of heartbreaks and painful personal struggles in frank, graphic detail.

Guerrero was born into Mexico's first family of sports entertainment. His father, Gory Guerrero, was a Mexican wrestling legend. Before Eddie turned twenty, he was wrestling in Mexico. Soon Guerrero was blowing away fans as part of the upstart Extreme Championship Wrestling.

World Championship Wrestling was looking for innovative new talent, and Guerrero's unique style fit the bill. Unfortunately, the backstage politics of WCW kept Guerrero away from the spotlight. Eddie sought solace from the pressures of life on the road by living hard and partying harder. Even a series of drug overdoses and a near-fatal car accident could not change his ways. When a group of wrestlers opted to leave WCW, Guerrero joined them, signing with World Wrestling Federation. Unfortunately, a freak injury in Guerrero's debut match took him out of the action. Upon his return, Eddie was paired with Chyna, which launched his indelible Latino Heat character.

However, years of the wrestling lifestyle, of nightly partying and frequent injury, led to addictions to both alcohol and painkillers. Guerrero spent four months in a rehabilitation facility. Sadly, he had not yet hit bottom. A relapse into alcohol abuse resulted in a DUI conviction and the loss of his job. Though Guerrero had lost everything -- his family, his money, his job -- he never allowed himself to lose his pride. Eddie returned to the independent circuit, where he regained his reputation as one of wrestling's most electrifying performers. Guerrero searched deep within himself and fought to regain the life he had lost. His journey of self-discovery reawakened his relationship with Jesus Christ, and he found peace and strength in the Bible.

Before long, World Wrestling Entertainment offered Guerrero a second chance. From the moment of his return, it was clear he was instilled with a new focus and passion. With his nephew, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Eddie made up one half of the wildly successful Los Guerreros tag team. The pair became one of WWE's hottest attractions. Ultimately, Guerrero not only regained his life, he surpassed his wildest dreams, becoming WWE Champion.

Cheating Death, Stealing Life offers a no-holds-barred glimpse into the secret world of wrestling. It's also the story of Guerrero's private struggle, of a son caught in the shadow of a larger-than-life father and three older brothers, of a marriage that reached the brink of disintegration before being reborn. Throughout, Eddie Guerrero pulls no punches describing his battles with self-doubt and inner darkness. Sadly, in November of 2005, Eddie died due to complications of a heart condition. Cheating Death, Stealing Life is a story of great courage and personal redemption.

About the Author
Michael Krugman is the cowriter -- with Matt and Jeff Hardy -- of the New York Times bestseller The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. Krugman has also worked with Amy Dumas -- better known as Lita -- on her autobiography, Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D. -- The Reality of Amy Dumas. He has also written for a wide variety of national publications and online media outlets, including RollingStone.com. He is the coauthor of Generation Ecch! and author of Oasis: Supersonic Supernova. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: World Wrestling Entertainment (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416505539
• ISBN-13: 978-1416505532
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #492,742 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Honor of a passionate wrestler by Nick W., February 17, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (WWE) (Hardcover)

"They say that the true measure of a man is determined not by how many times he falls down, but by how many times he picks himself back up." This describes Eddie's life so well. Eddie's life was filled with many difficult struggles from his battles with drug addiction to alcohol abuse. He had overcome advirsity while making his way through WCW, ECW, and finally, his dream of the WWE. He loved the business with all his heart, but overcame his demons through the help of his family, friends, and his new faith in God. In the book he decribed his many roads of challenges and finally his triumph of becoming the WWE champion, which was his lifelong dream. Eddie had dreamed of becoming a WWE champion since he was young, wrestling with his nephew Chavo during intermission at his fathers wrestling matches. It was an outstanding story of the life a of man whose life was cut short much too soon. He will be missed by not only his family and friends, but by the multitude of fans who admired him as a wrestler and as a champion.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Troubled Life, March 20, 2006

By	R. Howell "boriskhan" (Medford, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (WWE) (Hardcover)

Any wrestling fan knows Eddie Guerrero had personal troubles and addictions. This book presents those to the fans in a rememberance of his life. This may be among the best of the wrestling auto'biographies' out there currently. With his tragic and sudden death, we glimpse into the professional life and are revealed some of his more personal moments. The book covers Eddie's career from wrestling in Juarez and Tijuana, Mexico up into EMLL & AAA, to Japan where he meets Chris Benoit, breaks into wrestling in the U.S. with ECW to WCW to WWF/E.

He covers his friendships, relations with his brothers, addictions, his wife and daughters, and being fired by the WWE. We get some of Eddie's opinions on various fellow wrestlers and we follow his career up until he wins the WWE championship. A lot of ground is covered in the roughly 330 page book and there are some great pictures too. Maybe the best thing about the book, much of the proceeds didn't go back to the WWE but rather went to Vicki and Eddie's children.

The release of this book is so much more gratifying than a number of the wrestling biographies that are flooding the market. After reading it, you'll be touched and will remember many of the other wrestlers who have died prematurely such as Crash Holly, Louie Spicolli, Brian Pillman, etc. The WWE could have shown much more grace to the memory of Eddie Guerrero with the release and promotion of this book rather than the constant whoring out of his name on live television. Using his name in an ill-begotten angle is simply degrading to the career of one of the best workers in the business.

R.I.P Eddie.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, June 20, 2006

By	Shantay Perry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (WWE) (Hardcover)

I love the Cheat Death Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero story book because it was a very emotional, beautifully writing page turner. I knew he had a lot of problems with drugs and alcohol but I never knew it stemmed that far. This was a five star book, but if I had my way I would double that. That's how great it was. I really hope for the people who haven't purchased this book yet, do so now because you are missing out on a great person.