Rating: 
Summary: An traditional, memorative view of wrestling history.
Review: In this book, Thesz gives an honest, open and interesting view of professional wrestling from an old timer's view point. Thesz was a reknowned "hooker", being that he was capable enough in the ring to actually destroy an opponent if need be, and has no qualms with giving the truth behind many figures in history. Ironically, you'd think he hated those deemed "performers," or those who were simply acters instead of accomplished amateurs or hookers, yet he seems to have been open-minded enough to realize that for the big money to occur, things had to change.Thesz is a very open and honest person and I'd suggest this book to any wrestling fan who truly wants a good insight to the roots of professional wrestling through the 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: An traditional, memorative view of wrestling history.
Review: In this book, Thesz gives an honest, open and interesting view of professional wrestling from an old timer's view point. Thesz was a reknowned "hooker", being that he was capable enough in the ring to actually destroy an opponent if need be, and has no qualms with giving the truth behind many figures in history. Ironically, you'd think he hated those deemed "performers," or those who were simply acters instead of accomplished amateurs or hookers, yet he seems to have been open-minded enough to realize that for the big money to occur, things had to change. Thesz is a very open and honest person and I'd suggest this book to any wrestling fan who truly wants a good insight to the roots of professional wrestling through the 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: A classic
Review: Like the man himself, Lou Thesz's autobiography is a treasure.
It's rare that someone has such a long respected career in the
sport of professional wrestling, and Mr. Thesz shares with
us all of the good and bad and dirt of his multi-decade
career. Newer fans will be scratching their heads saying
"who" and then moving onto the Rock or Chyna books- I pray
they pause a moment and read these reviews and decide
to get this book. It's worth every penny and more. If you
don't know who Lou Thesz is, he was the Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan,
Steve Austin, Rock of the 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, and even
into the 60's and 70's. A true wrestler, when such a term
wasn't to be scoffed at. This book is a must read for any
serious wrestling fan, and I hope you get it.
Rating:
Summary: Wrestling's early days by the *real* world heavyweight champ
Review: Lou Thesz IS pro wrestling. He is its greatest world champion and the last of the old style shooters. Thesz started in wrestling back in the 30's and was the top wrestler in the business for decades. There is an entire era of wrestling that is long forgotten, an era of guys like Ed "Strangler" Lewis and Warren Bockwinkle and Leo Nomellini. Lou Thesz is the last of that era, the remaining voice of an incredible and colorful time. "Hooker" tells the life and times of Lou Thesz, and his famous partnership with promoter Sam Muchnick, which formed the basis for everything we know as pro wrestling today. Which makes this book all the more remarkable. Not only is Thesz the last surviving voice of that era, he was the greatest star of that time! Imagine reading a book about baseball in the early twentieth century written by Babe Ruth! Or a book on boxing in that era written by Jack Dempsey. As is often said, one cannot understand the future unless one understands the past. For the past is the future. One cannot understand pro wrestling, as it is today and how it became what it is, if one doesnt understand the life and times of Lou Thesz. "Hooker" is the story of pro wrestling's true legend.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting view of wrestling from the 1930's onwards
Review: Lou Thesz provides a most interesting look at the world of Professional Wrestling for seven decades. Thesz gives interesting summaries of some of the most famous characters from wrestling before his time, including Frank Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Farmer Burns, Billy Sandow, Joe "Toots" Mondt, Ed "Strangler" Lewis (who was his idol), Jim Londos, Stanislaus Zbyszko, George Tragos, and so forth. The stories that Thesz tells shows the all too humanistic side of the wrestling industry, and he even shows his own anger and negative attitude at times (usually have some level of justification). The only negative thing I can say about the book is that you must realize all of the stories and explanations of various superstars are from *HIS* eyes. For example, Jim Londos is portrayed as a total coward by Thesz, mainly because he transcribes Ed "Strangler" Lewis' stories about him, which has been proven to be very biased and unreliable. So, in effect, you should take the opinions on certain workers with a grain of salt, though some of the characteristics given to them are true, such as Buddy Rogers cocky attitude outside of the ring that got him in trouble or injured on several occasions. All in all, an excellent book that I would easily recommend, as well as "Fall Guys: The Barnums of Bounce", which details the earlier part of the Professional Wrestling history very well also.
Rating:
Summary: The Godfather of Wrestling Books
Review: Lou Thesz takes you on his journey through the wrestling world as seen through the eyes of one of the greatest champions of the modern wrestling era. He provides insight that only a select few in this business can, spanning nearly eight decades. His story would be the equivalent of a biography written by Joe Bonanno. He has first-hand accounts of such near mythical figures as Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Farmer Burns, Gorgeous George and Rikidozan. Thesz also takes the reader through the transitional years of wrestling evolving from sport to entertainment and the need for a legitimate protecter of the world title (championship), known as a hooker, one of an elite group of world class wrestlers. He reveals the inner workings of the wrestling business as only a man at the top can.
Rating:
Summary: A History of America, with Wrestling as the theme
Review: Lou Thesz tells a story of America in his book. The majority of the 20th Century is covered in this book. Sure, Lou is a proud and devoted member of the Wrestling world, but he is a part of American history. He has traveled the world and many backroads of America. His perspective into many non-Wrestling topics is what makes this book a "must read".
Rating:
Summary: Hooker: An Authentic Wrestler's Adventures
Review: Lou Thesz, one of the five greatest pure wrestlers who ever lived, has written a memoir of his long, illustrious career that is extraordinary on several levels. In addition to being beautifully written and startlingly honest, it is also educational in the sense that it introduces the reader to a world as alien to most people as Inner Earth while, at the same time, making that world as recognizeable (in terms of the sometimes-troubled, often-flamboyant, always-colorful, forever-human individuals who, along with Mr. Thesz, inhabited it) as Main Street, USA. Lou Thesz, an interesting, intelligent, successful man who spent seven decades learning and honing and perfecting his art in wrestling rings around the world, has written a book that is as interesting and intelligent and artful as he is, and one which deserves to be just as successful.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing piece of work .... truly awesome!
Review: No other pure wrestler could write anything quite like this - no matter how much more experience they'd have had. Lou Thesz tells it like it was in his day, lending the highest detail to the smallest incident or happening. It makes for a truly enjoyable read which is wholly entertaining and at the same time seriously educational to those wishing to start-up in the wrestling industry. Thumbs up for this book - and if you don't buy it you'll be missing out on the true story of how the global phenomenon of pro-wrestling evolved, not what "they'd" have you believe!
Rating:
Summary: The Real Deal Bio from The Real Deal Professional Wrestler
Review: Pro wrestling bios seem to be all the rage---The Rock, Mick Foley, Chyna, Goldberg, on and on ad nauseum. But none of them are really wrestlers, and some of their efforts barely qualify as books. Lou Thesz is the most enduringly successful performer in the history of that unique form of American Theater called Professional Wrestling. He was champion in four decades back when doublecrosses were common and the champ had to be the best legit wrestler around. 'Hooker' is a fountain of rare information about the inner workings of the business and the true nature of The Life, about Lou himself and about what 'wrestlers' could really handle themselves---it is as we say in the business a 'shoot' (the truth). And it's a lively, well-written, can't-put-it-down GREAT read. This is it. This is the Real Deal. Recommended to Old-School pro wrestling fans, amateur and shoot wrestling fans, current wrestling fans (maybe ESPECIALLY) who only know Lou Thesz because Steve Austin uses a bastardized version of one of his signature moves... ... and people who couldn't care less about wrestling... ... and people who hate wrestling. (All Lou's fans [and all you who will BECOME Lou's fans after you read 'Hooker'!] are invited to join Lou at his Forum at www.WrestlingClassics.com!!!)
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