Rating: 
Summary: Great depiction of Hogans career
Review: I loved this book, I never wanted to put it down. I grew up in the 80's watching Hogan and wrestling. Then when I saw this book come out I had to get it. He takes you along starting from his band in Tampa, FL, to his start in wrestling, his entire wrestling career, and then to his last appearences. A great book for any Hulk Hogan fan!
Rating:
Summary: Just as entertaining as Hulk Hogan in the ring
Review: I picked this book up in an airport waiting for my flight to board. I figured it was worth the $... price tag if I could kill the two hours, reading about my favorite wrestler. The larger than life superhero I knew growing up.As I dove into the book, I couldn't put it down. I read about 160 pages before I boarded the plane, and I just had to keep on reading until it was done. I was excited to really see what went on behind the scenes. Like the real reason he left the WWF. Behind all the glitz and the glamour, Hulk Hogan has a very inspirational story to tell. At one point, he had to move back in with his parents while trying to become a wrestler. After that, he was living out of a van, and spent his days lying on the beach because he didn't have a place to live. It kinds of makes you think. Most self made millionaires have a similar kind of story. They had their backs to the wall, but they pulled through and made a name for themselves. Nothing was going to stand in their way. Excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read
Review: I won't go into detail about what is inculded in this book, simply because other reviewers have already done that. I will say that this book is an excellent read, and it never gets slow or boring. Hogan's story is very interesting from the beginning. I found myself unable to put it down once I started it. I would recommend this book to any wrestling fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Hulkamania is running outta steam...
Review: I would reccommend this book to anyone who has loved the thrill that Hogan supplied to wrestling when they were kids. Its nice to know where he came from & where he feels he is today. But the writing is weak & Hogan's self-importance is evident throughout to the point that it becomes annoying. But there is no denying that he changed wrestling forever & will always be a great in my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Great wrestler, poor realist
Review: I'll state right here I only got this book cause it was cheap. Chances are I wouldn't have bought it otherwise. And upon reflection this proves to have been a wise decision.
While the book is an interesting insight into professional wrestling in the early 80's to mid 90's (seeing the majority of wrestling bio's are 90's onward) the fact Hogan was very selective in details about his stories made me wonder. Some seemed extremely short, with "chapters", if they could be called that lasting on occassion less than a page to one and a half pages long. To me, if a story in a bio should flesh out the events, not cut and paste the bits that make you look like gods gift to the world. One example being his testimony in the trial against Vince McMahon. He said Vince was angry with him for "lying" but Hogan made it sound like whatever was said was irrelevant (He emphisises two questions and his answers as being the entire case ... strange for a 2 week long trial). I was more interested in why Vince was angry with him. What it was that supposedly was said.
The structure of the book was a little bewildering to me. It seemed to jump around a bit and have pieces that seemed to not have a great deal of relevance to what was just said of about to be said. It's almost like he had a 2 page story (one of which was the blown up text that signified the start of a new chapter ... again emphisising lack of length) which didn't really fit in and the editors figured it didn't matter where it went.
All-in-all, while its an ok read, its not exactly great. Infact I'd rate it probably near the worst of the wrestling bio's I own (admittedly its only 5 but i'm working on it)
Rating: 
Summary: Hollywoods a Bust
Review: I've read most of the wrestling books out there and this rates right at the bottom. This book wasn't written by Hogan, it was written by Hogans publicist. Hogan takes credit for creating entrance music, discovering Paul Wight (the Giant/Big Show) , and for creating the idea of merchandising T-shirts. He also takes credit for creating the NWO and bringing them to the WWE. He seems to take credit for everything good that happened in wrestling and blames others for all the negative things. He defends his use of steroids by saying "everyone did them" and "the doctor prescribed them so I thought they were good for me". He claims the doctor told him taking a glass of sugar water was more harmful than steroids. Gee, how could injecting yourself in the butt with a chemical for 10 years be bad for you? He justifies his lack of wrestling skill, basically 3 punches, boot to the head, and a leg drop on a knee injury he suffered playing high school football. Hogan lives in a different reality. He believes "No Holds Barred" was a good movie and he actually had a shot at becomming president if he didn't pull out for fear of what the reporters would do to his family. This guy wrestled everyone, but mentions maybe only 1/2 dozen wrestlers in his book. His biggest revelation is wrestlers use razor blades to cut themselves. He glosses over the hatred other wrestlers feel for him, barely mentioning jesse ventura. If you like 2 page chapters, buy this book. If you think Hulk Hogan can do no wrong and the universe revolves around him, buy this book. If your a fan of wrestling, do NOT waste your time with this narcasistic bunch of drivel.
Rating:
Summary: Part Bio, Part Fiction?
Review: Okay, first I must state that I've been watching wrestling since the late' 80s or so. Have been a fan of Hulk Hogan ever since and reading this book brings about a better understanding of the world of wrestling; the business and politics involved.
However, it has left several bewildering questions.
This book gives one the impression that it is haphazardly written and used in the singular, 'me' point of view. "I remember". "I [do this thing], I [do that thing]" Personally, think it's due to the egotistical nature of professional wrestlers, working in an environment where power rules, culmulating in bigger egoes than most other professions. Perhaps the editorial team could have done a better job of amending the style of writing, to appeal to non-wrestling fans.
True fans of Hogan may well be disappointed that the key dates, events and venues are plain WRONG. Purists like myself would be disappointed in that aspect.
Also, although there are some nice pictures in the middle section of the book, no full blown colour poster exists, a disappointment for those who have waited long for such a biography.
Plus points include getting a better understanding of the man Terry Bollea, not Hulk Hogan we see on television, the personal struggles and setbacks he has had to face in his life, getting to the top and icon of the wrestling world. Was impressed by his career versatility, being able to switch to the bad guy ('heel') after years at the top as a good guy, adapting to the times.
It could serve as an inspiration and motivate oneself that it is possible to succeed and go against the odds, eg: after he was being forced to leave WCW and take a long break before returning to the WWE.
In conclusion, do read this book as a lesson on how to succeed in life but treat the key events and dates as fiction, most are untrue and never happened.
Rating: 
Summary: Wrestling¿s first Triple-H
Review: Poor old Bad News Brown. The decision of Tampa, Florida's Terry Bollea to market himself as "Hulk Hogan" from Venice Beach, California was based on an encounter in the late 1970's with Lou Ferrigno from the TV show, "The Incredible Hulk". But I could swear - I could SWEAR - that the churlish WWF heel, Bad News Brown, called Bollea "Hollywood Hulk Hogan" on a Saturday Night Main Event in 1989 - long before Hogan's WCW crossover, his heel turn under the new name, and his formation of the mega-bad and ultra-cool New World Order gangstas. Yet "Bad News" gets no recognition for this push, and his name isn't even mentioned once in this autobiography. As the world's biggest "contra-mark", I used to root avidly for wrestling's heels, and I used to hate "Hulk Hogan" not only for being a goody two-shoes, but for being the goody two-shoes with the most stature - the Capo di Capo of all the baby-faces. But I regarded his 1996 heel turn as a glorious victory for the forces of evil. And there's nothing like time to lend a different perspective. He may have been too good to be true, but "Hulk Hogan" now represents the heyday of professional wrestling. He symbolizes a period when the workers were tremendously entertaining cartoon characters who, at their best, mixed theatre, athleticism, and humor into a potpourri of fun and who, at their worst, degenerated into bathroom humor to please the lowest common denominator. In other words, Hogan symbolizes a period BEFORE promoter Vince McMahon's introduction of what Hogan calls "T & A wrestling" and what this reviewer calls "trailer-trash wrestling". There's a scene in this book where Hogan's dying father urges him to rescue pro wrestling from this phenomenon. This autobiography reads honestly and is a reminder that the line between what is "real" and what is a "work" in this unique medium is often blurred. Just as Roddy Piper's autobiography betrayed the personality of a brash street-fighter, the narrator's personality really does come across like the carnie boss that was "Hulk Hogan". He details the usual bumpy and painful road to success that is the byway of every worker in that crazy business, as well as his relationships with the others in the business, particularly McMahon. Surprisingly, it turns out that their friendship and partnership is quite tenacious and wasn't seriously threatened by the "steroids trial" or even by the WCW-WWF ratings war, in which McMahon maliciously used an out-of-shape balding actor to parody Hogan as "The Huckster". Hogan seems to "come clean" on the steroids issue, convincingly admitting that he abused them because everyone in the business did, and even convincingly admitting that he initially lied about this abuse because he took "Hulk Hogan" seriously as a role model and didn't want to give kids the wrong message about how to succeed. I would have liked to have learned more about the other WWF talent from this era. Hogan insists that he never abused his creative control and that it was Vince McMahon, and not Hogan, who wanted Hulk Hogan to remain undefeated for an indefinite time period - four years, as it would turn out. Even so, Hogan should have bitten his tongue before complaining (as he does in this book) that Bill Goldberg's head grew too big for the WCW belt and that he refused to lose. Uh, Terry, maybe Goldberg felt that he had as much right as anybody to become the next Hulk Hogan. Maybe he wanted his own four-year run. But Andre the Giant wasn't the only one who had to fall before the Almighty Leg Drop. Hogan gives former MegaPower partner Randy "Macho Man" Savage a couple of brief mentions and gives Roddy Piper even shorter shrift. But I always thought that "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff gave Hogan the best matches, including a spectacular Main Event cage match in January 1987, in which the two of them landed on the floor simultaneously. "Bad guy" referee Danny Davis actually raised Orndorff's hand and gave him the belt while "good guy" ref Joey Marella raised Hogan's hand, and so the match ultimately continued - with predictable results. Orndorff was such a great worker. Would it have spoiled some vast eternal plan to allow him to have the gold around his waist for a few months longer than the five minutes that he actually had it? Hogan barely mentions his fellow Tampan in this book and gives all too short mention of the many talented wrestlers who had to job in order to allow Hulkamania to "live forever". But at this late date, I can more readily forgive Hogan for his goody-goody image when he relates the difficulties that he had in selling himself as a heel. "Hulkamania" was procreated BEFORE Vince McMahon and the WWF when Hogan found it IMPOSSIBLE to sell himself to the AWA fans in Minnesota as a bad guy - they apparently regarded a bronzed sun god supposedly from Venice Beach, California as an object of veneration. The book ends, appropriately enough, in March 2002 after a spectacular match against "The Rock" at the Toronto Skydome, in which, in accordance with what was planned, Hogan rescues his dying career and the stature of both wrestlers, winner and loser, is enhanced. But it still ends all too soon. The last time I checked, Vince McMahon's corporation was fined the grand sum of $2000 by the state of Maryland for the grotesque father-daughter wrestling match promoted by the corporation. Trailer-trash wrestling has returned. And the book ends before Hogan is able to confess that he wasn't able to fulfill the wish of his dying father by restoring a measure of wholesomeness to the profession. In the end, Hulkamania did NOT live forever. It fell before the three things it could never conquer: time, Vince McMahon and the truism that no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.
Rating:
Summary: What an Ego
Review: Pro-wrestlers should really do themselves a favour and stop writing autobiographies. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading them and will probably keep buying them, but these guys just aren't painting a healthy picture of themselves or the wrestling profession. Hogan's book really wasn't too much of a surprise in that it is an effort in self-indulgence and major butt-kissing of a certain WWE owner. This was Hogan's opportunity to address so many of his critics and put a number of rumors to rest. But he tends to gloss-over so many events and controversies that the reader is left with no sense of insight.
For instance he makes an almost casual reference to his heat with fellow NWO members Scott Hall and Kevin Nash but does not
address what caused the heat or how they came to resolve it: "We (Hall and Nash) had been at each other's throats back in WCW, but that was water under the bridge." Vince Russo once accused Hogan of being racist toward Booker T and blames him for holding Booker T back. Hogan devotes a couple of pages refuting this but the reader is never told why he was accused of racism in the first place or how he allegedly held Booker T back. Roddy Piper and Ric Flair (two of the greatest opponents associated with Hogan's success) are barely mentioned. Nor is it mentioned the time he gave a scathing view of Billy Kidman's ability to draw (something about not being able to draw a crowd at a flea-market). Yet he writes about how he was a team player and put Kidman over. My understanding of the incident was that he drew so much heat from the young WCW talent that he HAD to put Kidman over to smooth things over. Hogan also falls short of giving any sort of meaningful account of steroid use in the locker room even though he admits to lying on national television (The Arsenio Hall Show) about his own steroid abuse.
Probably the most interesting part of the book is what went on behind the scenes with regards to Mr T before Wrestlemania I.
In a profession of overblown egos, it seems Mr. T fit in quite nicely-- and was lucky to walk away with his life. Also, the account of his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation is a good read.
Hogan makes numerous references to how every one of his movies made money, yet fails to mention that they were all crap. And
only Hogan could get away with using the word "brother" fifty times in written form.
Don't even get me started about Hogan's belief that he had a shot at being President of the United States. His good buddy Ted Turner polled 15,000 people in three states asking if they'd vote for Bill Clinton (who was ineligible to run), Hulk Hogan or Ross Perot. 70% answered Hogan so based on this he believed he could pull it off. But he gave up on the idea when it occurred to him that "I was going to have to read the paper every day so I could at least know a little bit about everything the way Jesse (Ventura) did, and that was too much work for me."
Pro-wrestlers should really do themselves a favour and stop writing autobiographies.
Rating:
Summary: Hulk's literary debut rules!
Review: Probably the most famous professional Athlete in the world today,and my childhood hero, Hulk Hogan shows us what we never knew about him or the sport of wrestling. It is a hard book to put down. Once the story unfolds, it gets very interesting (and wild at times!) and makes for an interesting story that begins at his childhood and ends with his match at Wrestlemania X8 with The Rock. But this book may only be something that wrestling fans would really enjoy- some people might find it boring, but I found it informative. Here's hoping Hulk decides to pen another novel within the next couple of years!
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