Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing to say the least!
Review: Despite giving some insight into the early days of pro-wrestling and some of the background to the 'Monday Night Wars', I found this book largely disappointing.It appears to me to be nothing more than the product of a game of Chinese Whispers between men who obviously have some kind of axe to grind with Vince McMahon. Throughout the book the most common tools used to substantiate 'fact' are the words: "He said." or "She said." Also, for a book that was co-written by the man who "pens the longest-running wrestling column in the country" there are errors with regards to such simple things as the names of PPV events. If you want to read about pro-wrestling, read either of Mick Foley's books. As for this *cough* masterpiece....is it worth reading? As Steve Austin would have once said: "AAh-AAh!"
Rating: 
Summary: Beginners Take Note
Review: If you wish to learn the history of the worked arts and their cast and just what is going on in the ring, this is the book for you. If you have followed Vince and the resultant path (of rage) his career has taken, this will entertain you. All the scandals are here: the steroid trial, the travails of the ring boys, the horrors of being Vince's barber. The author is selective in his judgements (Bozell is an evil moralist; Mushnick's whining is good), and, as many of the below reviewers have pointed out, there are omissions, but the book breezes along entertainingly--and even those hard-bitten types who have mortgaged their homes for an Observer subscription will learn a few things. The fact that a man who makes a living with words published a wrestling book with no pictures makes this worth a look.
Rating: 
Summary: Awesome AWESOME Job!
Review: If you are a studied wrestling fan who knows the story of Vince McMahon and the modern day wrestling industry wars, you might find yourself wishing this book had at least another fifty pages with more details. The length and condensation of WWF/WWE/McMahon history, however, is this book's strong point for the casual or non wrestling fan. The authors know how to present a brief but focused synopsis of pro wrestling's roots, introduce the reader to the terminology and ways of the biz, and give a clear vision of the WCW/WWF industry war without taking the focus off of Vince McMahon. While I would love to read a 1,500 text on pro wrestling history, this book is the perfect synopsis for somebody who wants a balanced introduction to one of the most intriguing forms of entertainment. About the only point where I cringed a bit was when boxing promoter Bob Arum was quoted, claiming that Antonio Inoki wore spikes on his boots to injure Ali in their 1976 wrestler vs boxer fiasco. Assael was smart, however, to leave it as a statement in quotations by Arum himself (as opposed to Assael writing it as a historical fact). While that silliness did not ruin (or even dent) the foundation of the book, the quote came off badly. Books on the pro wrestling business have come a long way in the last decade. This is definitely a top 10 pick!
Rating:
Summary: An Intelligent Read on a Facinating and Timely Subject
Review: If you are hungry for a steamy, selacious tale of the wrestling industry with all its scandals, written with a locker room mentality, you will need to dine elsewhere. If you are looking for an excellent account of the modern evolution of wrestling business and the phenominal growth and genius of the McMahon empire your search can end here. Worthy of any business shelf in any library as well as the sports and entertainment sections, Sex, Lies, and Headlocks gives a fact filled, well researched and written account of how Vince Mcmahon and his World Wrestling Entertainment Corporation became a major forse in the entertainment industry. If Harvard Business School invited Vince McMahon to adress its students, the world of business, spots, and entertainment would do well to sit up and take notice. Assel and Mooneyham have brought forth a facinating story to light. From the inception of the modern NWA in 1948 to the collapse of Mcmahon's chief rival, WCW, this book chronicles McMahon's gutsy and innovative business acumen through various tribulations and triumphs. Unlike so many other books written on wrestling as of late, Sex, Lies, and Headlocks does not nor does it need to delve into the gossip of the various athletes just to satisfy a curious audience. What it does do, however, is offer a facinating story of the World Wrestling Entertainment Corporation, an organization that has captured the imagination of millions of viewers and observers worldwide. Without a doubt, this is one of the most well written, honest, and intelligent book written on wrestling in some time. A professional job from start to finish. It would be hard to believe, that anyone with an interest in business, sports, entertainment, or wrestling, after reading this book once, would not be compeled to pick up this book again and again.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a MUST HAVE.
Review: I'm only sorry that I could not give this book 10 stars rather than 5 stars. It is fantastic and a must read for anyone who is over the age of 35 and remembers wrestling when it was great.
Rating:
Summary: SEX, LIES AND HEADLOCKS
Review: This is a great book!!! No one knows more truth about the wrestling business than Mike Mooneyham. This book tells it like it is with out any cover ups for anybody. The real story of many, not just Vince is told here. A must read for a true wrestling fan who wonders what happened to the good old days of wrestling. I look forward to more great works like this from Mike. Shaun contributes greatly as well. Again a super book, I certainly suggest buying this one.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book, Even If There Are Holes
Review: I finished this book in about three hours - it was that interesting, that compelling, and that easy of a read. As a fan who reads a lot of stuff on the 'net, I'm familiar with a lot of what's happened historically behind the scenes. So... a lot of what happens in the book, I already knew. Little bits and pieces were new to me, and it was really threaded together very well. Assael seemed to do the following:
- He really just danced over the Montreal screwjob, its implications, and the number of times it was repeated for storylines.
- He didn't emphasize how many times Ric Flair bailed out the NWA.
- He emphasized how Austin's success powered the WWF to reclaim the wrestling world, but forgot to mention that he became what he was after being elevated by Bret Hart.
- He never mentioned Alundra Blayze/Madusa, and the title being tossed in the trash.
- He went into detail about how Hulk Hogan became the monster that controlled WCW, but never mentioned how he was exactly the same in the WWF - holding down Perfect among others.
- He was dead on about Sable, but forgot to point out that the WWF obviously didn't learn from their mistake, and the exact same thing happened all over again with Chyna.
- Forgot to mention that the WWF's worst year came via the booking of Bill Watts, whom he gave a lot of time to.
- He never really touched on the talent jumps after the Outsiders. Jarrett, Meng, Benoit/Saturn/Malenko/Guerrero - this was a glaring omission. Jericho was mentioned in passing, but the loss of those people was gigantic.
- He seemed to gloss over how McMahon crushed the territories, and how he despised and hated he really was. McMahon had broken vows that were to be sacred - he was threatened with death.
- I noticed Kevin Wacholz was mentioned in the trials, but he was famous for choking out McMahon, and then getting fired. That's why he was eager to testify against the WWF - but this was never mentioned. Overall, this was a very good book, and is a must read for any wrestling fan. As a "smart" fan, I just felt that there should've been more. Thumbs way up.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining read
Review: A very nice overview of the wrestling business in the 20th century. Not on a level with Foley's first book, but still very informative, especially when concerned with the McMahon family's business strategies. The last 20 pages felt rushed, but I guess the author felt he needed to conclude with the WCW collapse and buyout. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: FINALLY, a book that tells it like it is. . .
Review: But SEX, LIES and HEADLOCKS is the best of the bunch. . .an amazing narrative that paints a portrait of the business that will resonate with smarts, marks, and non fans alike. . .the thing reads like a novel. More than just another "wrestling" book, this is the closest thing we'll ever get to the real story of Vince McMahon.
Rating:
Summary: Southern razor's review
Review: Hey YO! Good book for a basic overview of the history of wrestling. Touched on almost all points of the last 100 years
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