The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Storytellers (from the Terrible Turk to Twitter) - Paperback

by Greg Oliver (Author), Steven Johnson (Author)

The legendary storytellers worthy of a spot in the pro wrestling hall of fame You can't escape pro wrestling today, even if you want to. Its stars are ubiquitous in movies, TV shows, product endorsements, swag, and social media to the point that they are as much celebrities as they are athletes. Pro wrestling has morphed from the fringes of acceptability to a global $1 billion industry that plays an everyday role in 21st-century pop culture. In this latest addition to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series, Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson explain how the sport's unique take on storytelling has fueled its remarkable expansion. Hundreds of interviews and original accounts inform this exploration of the imaginative ways in which wrestlers and promoters have used everything from monkeys to murderers to put butts in seats and eyes on screens. From the New York City Bowery in the 1890s to a North Carolina backyard in 2017, readers will encounter all manner of scoundrels, do-gooders, scribes, and alligators in this highly readable, heavily researched book that inspires a new appreciation for the fine (and sometimes not-so-fine) art of storytelling.

Back Jacket

In my pro wrestling career, I've never been around two more educated and dedicated historians than Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson, who I deeply respect. They've created another must-read book that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I have. The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Storytellers is a brilliant read. -- Jim Ross "People always ask me how I can love wrestling so much. I always respond asking if they like movies, and what's the difference? There isn't one. It's storytelling. And now I can give them a book to explain it all." -- Spencer "Spenny" Rice of Kenny vs. Spenny You can't escape pro wrestling today, even if you want to. Its stars are ubiquitous in movies, TV shows, product endorsements, swag, and social media to the point that they are as much celebrities as they are athletes. Pro wrestling has morphed from the fringes of acceptability to a global $1 billion industry that plays an everyday role in 21st-century pop culture. In The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Storytellers (from the Terrible Turk to Twitter), Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson explain how the sport's unique take on storytelling has fueled its remarkable expansion. Based on hundreds of interviews and original accounts, Oliver and Johnson trace the evolution of storytelling from the New York City Bowery in the 1890s to a Detroit bar in the 1960s to a North Carolina backyard in 2017, meeting up along the way with all manner of monkeys, murderers, scribes, do-gooders, and smelt. The fifth in this series, Storytellers is a highly readable, heavily researched book that will leave readers with a new appreciation for the fine (and sometimes not-so-fine) art of storytelling. A Virginia-based writer and editor, Steven Johnson has won more than 20 regional and national awards for his reporting on a variety of stories. He wrote his first wrestling magazine story in 1973 and contributes to SLAM! Wrestling and other publications. Greg Oliver is the author of 15 books and counting, and the producer of the long-running SLAM! Wrestling website. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his wife and son.

Author Biography

A Virginia-based writer and editor, Steven Johnson has won more than 20 regional and national awards for his reporting on a variety of stories. He wrote his first wrestling magazine story in 1973 and contributes to SLAM! Wrestling and other publications. Greg Oliver is the author of 14 books and counting, and the producer of the long-running SLAM! Wrestling website. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his wife and son.