Category: History & Biographies (Books)

Categories
Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Westerns

TOMBSTONE: THE EARPS, DOC HOLLIDAY, AND THE VENDETTA RIDE FROM HELL

Written by Tom Clavin

SUMMARY:

Published in April 2020 by St. Martin’s Press, this 386-page hardcover is Tom Clavin’s account of the events and immortal characters precipitating the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  What follows is Wyatt Earp’s vengeance ride to avenge his brothers to finally end a three-year feud.  A prologue set in March 1882 has Wyatt sense that his undersized posse may be soon facing a climatic encounter with rival Sheriff John Behan’s own forces.  After the first chapter summarizes Wyatt’s stint with Bat Masterson in 1879 Dodge City, Clavin then analyzes the backstory of how Tombstone was first founded. 

Subsequent chapters explain the how’s and why’s of the various players converging in opulent Tombstone, as rustling, robberies, and murder in the Arizona desert take their toll.  Wyatt Earp’s covert effort to recruit cowardly rustler Ike Clanton to apprehend three fugitive stage robbers is only one of several twists leading up to the historic O.K. Corral showdown.  With the Earp Brothers and ‘Doc’ Holliday exonerated for the deaths of three cowboys/rustlers, a shadowy conspiracy bent on retaliation decimates Wyatt’s immediate family. 

Leading a federal posse out of Tombstone, Wyatt pursues the elusive culprits who permanently maimed one brother and brutally murdered another.  Clavin concludes his project with an epilogue revealing the fates of the various survivors.  

REVIEW:

As far as bolstering the Wyatt Earp biographical genre, Tom Clavin’s Tombstone doesn’t unearth new revelations.  Still, no matter how familiar his material is, Clavin still cranks out a high-caliber rehash.  His conversational style and occasional tidbits of wit are terrific storytelling assets — i.e. how a perpetually hung-over Ike Clanton was evidently an amateur track star, whenever it came to fleeing from/evading bullets. 

By commending Earp-friendly titles (i.e. Casey Tefertiller’s Wyatt Earp: The Life Behind the Legend), the fact that Clavin eagerly adopts the traditional viewpoint of the crusading Earps and Holliday vs. a horde of frontier mobsters isn’t a shocker.  As a result, most Old West enthusiasts won’t be disappointed.    

Giving Wyatt and, to a degree, Holliday a wide pass re: their own controversial activities, Clavin mostly aligns his detailed account with the 1993 Tombstone film.  Impressively, he avoids playing up Hollywood melodrama, as Wyatt’s mythical Buntline Special is nowhere to be found in Clavin’s book.  In a further nod to credibility, he acknowledges the socially-aspiring Earps’ various conflicts-of-interest, including a married Wyatt’s discreet affair with Behan’s enigmatic wife/ex-wife, Josephine Marcus.  Best of all, Clavin makes a convincing case re: why the ambivalent Earps felt little alternative in facing down an increasingly brazen threat from renegade cowboys – no matter the mixed perception by Tombstone’s citizenry.    

Ultimately, the author’s faith in Wyatt’s personal integrity and sense of family honor makes his Tombstone a compelling read for anyone — whether they’re armchair historians or not.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Clavin provides an author’s note and concluding acknowledgments.  There’s also a selected bibliography and an index.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                             8 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Westerns

THE GUNFIGHTERS

Written by Dale T. Schoenberger & Illustrated by Ernest Lisle Reedstrom

SUMMARY:

Published in 1971, historian-teacher-journalist Dale T. Schoenberger notes he spent sixteen years researching this 207-page hardcover’s biographical profiles of: Clay Allison; Wyatt Earp; ‘Wild’ Bill Hickok; ‘Doc’ Holliday; Bat Masterson; Luke Short; and Ben Thompson. 

Packed with photos, illustrations, and a few diagrams, Schoenberger’s stated premise is veering as far from legend and outright fiction as possible to document these seven gunmen’s lives through verifiable sources.  Specifically, he often relies upon local journalism and government reports written at the time specific events occurred, and even the reminiscences of surviving old-timers. 

Though some larger-than-life incidents and/or floating rumors are alluded to, the author opts for chronological reporting (with frequent citations) on each profile.  When appropriate, Schoenberger expresses bits of plausible speculation to fill in gaps (i.e. his theory for Allison’s raging temper would be undiagnosed manic depression exacerbated by chronic alcoholism).

With help from illustrator Ernest Lisle Reedstrom, Schoenberger strives to make his Gunfighters an impartial contribution to American Old West historical research.       

Note: There are some insensitive racial expressions in the text.

REVIEW:

It’s stunning that Schoenberger’s easy-to-read text dates back more than a half-century, and yet these seven profiles remain virtually indisputable.  Some present-day writers (i.e. Tom Clavin, re: both Hickok and Earp) have reported additional incidents that Schoenberger either missed or omitted, but, unlike many works in this genre, The Gunfighters doesn’t take sides. 

Case in point: the author acknowledges that some of Earp’s contemporary local detractors suspected his covert involvement in Tombstone stage robberies, along with other reported examples of Earp’s alleged criminal dishonesty.  Yet, Schoenberger also spells out Earp’s consistently respectable (though hardly spectacular) track record as a Kansas policeman.  While Earp’s enigmatic life and likely embellished exploits justifiably require the longest profile, the author tries not to overlap too much examining Wyatt’s favorite cronies: Holliday, Masterson, and Short.

Perhaps most intriguing are the Allison and Thompson profiles, as neither quick-tempered rogue has attracted nearly the same caliber of media attention as the other five have.  For instance, Schoenberger’s deductions re: Thompson’s autopsy report provides possible insight as to why his hidden assassins weren’t ever prosecuted, let alone conclusively identified.  Or, for that matter, the author indicates that eye-popping tales of Allison’s psychotic wrath possess some degree of truth, though likely dates and locales have shifted over time. 

Lastly, tidbits about how/when some of these lives intersected (i.e. Allison’s purported Dodge City encounter with Earp & Masterson) make the mythic American Old West seem far more down-to-earth.  If anything, Schoenberger’s obscure gem of a textbook merits re-discovery, as it should prove invaluable to the 21st Century’s armchair historians.  As this reviewer can further attest, it’s a dynamite reference for middle school and high school research projects.            

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There’s separate tables of contents for the chapters and black-and-white illustrations (including photos).  Schoenberger also includes: acknowledgements, impressively detailed footnotes for each chapter, an extensive bibliography, and an index.  Perhaps most insightful is a two-page introduction explaining his rationale re: these particular gunmen were selected and why certain other gunmen (i.e. John Wesley Hardin, Bill Longley, and Johnny Ringo) were left out.  Though he doesn’t specifically mention them, Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett were evidently excluded, in part, because they didn’t meet Schoenberger’s criteria re: a lifetime of geographical diversity.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        8½ Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Children's Books General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books)

FIRST FLIGHT: THE STORY OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

Written by Caryn Jenner

SUMMARY:

Published by DK Readers in 2003, this forty-nine page 4th Level book is  a brief overview of the history of flight dating back to Greek myth and later to the 15th Century efforts of Leonardo da Vinci.  The next chapter leaps to 1878, where a young Wilbur and Orville Wright are amazed by a rubber band-powered toy (similar to a toy helicopter).  The subsequent chapters explain the Wright Brothers’ progression into adulthood in Dayton, Ohio, where they make a transition from newspaper publishing to a bicycle repair shop.  By 1896, after the death of German glider pilot Otto Lilienthal, the two brothers start contemplating a design for their own first aircraft.

Three years of flying experiments ultimately leads to their successful flights in mid-December 1903.  Further experimentation allows the Wright Brothers to finally set up their airplane business.  It is noted that one of their passengers was the first airplane casualty in 1908.  As of 1909, the Wright Brothers were now international heroes.  The last few pages detail Wilbur and Orville’s fates, and their contribution to modern aeronautics.

REVIEW:

For its intended young audience, First Flight effectively spells out the Wright Brothers’ contributions to world history.  Smartly, DK Readers includes reference to the risks of experimental flight, as a few lives were tragically lost during this era.  Still, the book’s best moment arguably is a brief depiction of Orville taking their 81-year old father up for his first-ever flight in 1910.  Assuming Milton Wright actually shouted, “Higher, Orville!  Higher!,” it really helps sparks one’s imagination visualizing what he must have likely seen and felt at the time.  For elementary-age kids, this book should prove an impressive little gem.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There is a single-page glossary and a single-page index.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        9 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Children's Books General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books) THREE STOOGES-Related

WHO WERE THE THREE STOOGES?

Written by Pam Pollack & Meg Belviso / Illustrated by Ted Hammond

SUMMARY:

Published in 2016 by Scholastic, Inc., this 106-page biographical account explains the history of the Three Stooges, which begins with Moe Howard’s birth in 1897.  Co-authors Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso review how Moe first joined forces with older brother Shemp and Larry Fine.  With Shemp leaving for a solo career, Shemp and Moe’s youngest brother, Curly, joined the act, which effectively created the Three Stooges.  Their history as a team (including its turnover from Curly back to Shemp, then to Joe Besser, and finally Joe DeRita) also includes some details of their own personal lives.  This book is extensively illustrated with pencil sketches.   

REVIEW:

Competently illustrated by artist Ted Hammond, this biography nicely repackages details from other sources (including Moe’s autobiography) to convey an interesting account of the Stooges.  As a result, this easily readable book could prove appealing to Stooge fans beyond its intended elementary school audience.  Generally well-played!   

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There are timelines of the Stooges’ lives (dating back to 1985 through 1975) and world history during their lifetimes.  A short bibliography acknowledges its seven resources available elsewhere for further reading.

ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING:                    7 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books) THREE STOOGES-Related

THE THREE STOOGES SCRAPBOOK, Updated Edition

Written by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer, & Greg Lenburg

SUMMARY:

First published in 1982, this 356-page softcover edition was re-released through Chicago Review Press in 2012.  Starting with bios, the seven pivotal players in Stooges history are separately profiled: Ted Healy; Moe Howard; Larry Fine; “Curly” Howard; Shemp Howard; Joe Besser; and Joe DeRita. 

Subsequent chapters are devoted to a historical overview; merchandising; comic books; television; the Stooges’ recording career (including a team-up with Yogi Bear) and other related music; impersonators and pop culture homages; and the Stooges’ enduring fandom, which is described as “a growing cult.”  The book ends with an extensive filmography (93 pages!) on the Stooges’ combined careers.     

REVIEW:

For die-hard Stooge fans, this comprehensive reference guide (including an impressive collection of rare photos) is a must-have.  Beyond overlapping biographical details, the book’s insightful narrative benefits from accounts by various family members (i.e. Moe’s son-in-law, Norman Maurer) and long-time colleagues (i.e. director Edward Bernds and actor Emil Sitka).  As predictably fawning as one can expect, it fairly acknowledges that some Stooge shorts weren’t in good taste, and that the trio was quietly involved in numerous lawsuits for various reasons. 

Further, the off-screen portrayals of a free-wheeling Larry and Curly’s man-child personality by acquaintances and/or family members doesn’t always paint them in the best light.  Rather, it conveys a more intimate picture of who Larry and Curly really were.  For instance, Larry’s suggestion that he, Moe, and Shemp set aside part of their salaries to help cover an ailing Curly’s medical bills speaks of his generosity as the Howards’ ‘surrogate brother.’  The book also gives fair due to Shemp Howard as a gentlemanly elder brother to Moe & Curly, who put aside his prolific solo career to rejoin the team.     

For that matter, the memories (i.e. an amateur wine-making disaster) that Joan Howard Maurer and her brother shares of their father, Moe, are often poignant.  Besides an interesting profile on Ted Healy, one should ponder tidbits from Joe DeRita and Joe Besser re: their tenures as Stooges.  DeRita’s candid admission that that he didn’t actually consider the Stooges as “funny” is eye-opening, as is the practical reasoning for adopting his “Curly-Joe” persona. 

As for Besser, his fond recollections are somewhat offset by a revelation that Besser’s contract evidently included a clause that neither Larry nor Moe could hit him much.  It’s not a surprise that the two Joes weren’t particularly close to Larry & Moe off-screen.    

Yet, the commentary from Norman Maurer offers the book’s most even-handed viewpoint of the Stooges, especially re: their later careers.  The various chapters on the Stooges outside their films (the merchandising; public appearances, etc.) offer intriguing details of their enduring popularity. 

The same applies to various film and TV projects that regularly fell through or that the Stooges were ultimately cut out of.  At nearly a hundred pages, the exhaustive filmography may well be this guidebook’s most valuable feature.  Including minute details, such as working titles, production notes, observations, and miscellaneous bits, the filmography offers countless nostalgic insights into the Stooges’ quarter-century tenure at Columbia Pictures and other studios. 

Readers will inevitably spot some minor contradictions (i.e. someone’s age doesn’t add up — based upon their birth year), but the glaring one is on-and-off claims that the Stooges’ popularity never faltered.  In reality, as the book acknowledges elsewhere, the Stooges endured slow cycles, most notably when an aging Moe and Larry were long past their prime in the mid-to-late 1950’s. Still, the well-written Three Stooges Scrapbook references virtually everything a Stooge fan could imagine in terms of nostalgic reading material. 

To the co-authors’ credit, its wealth of historical details ensures that it is likely the most complete Stooge literary resource available.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Updated in 1988, Besser’s one-page foreword summarizes his thoughts on his life as a Stooge.  This edition includes a preface, acknowledgments, and quick bios re: the co-authors.  However, an index isn’t offered, as it may well have been impossible to effectively cross-reference this guidebook.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  9 Stars

Note: For supplemental reading, either version of Moe Howard’s autobiography: Moe Howard and The Three Stooges or the subsequent I Stooged to Conquer are ideal choices.  The primary difference in the two versions are variations on which photos (and/or their sizes) are included.  I Stooged to Conquer (a title Moe evidently fancied) sports a further advantage in a foreword by his daughter, Joan Howard Maurer.  She also provides corrections re: erroneous text printed in the other book.

Categories
Books & Novels History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books) STAR WARS-Related

THE FILMS OF HARRISON FORD, Third Edition

Written by Lee Pfeiffer & Michael Lewis

SUMMARY:

Released in 2002 by Citadel Press, this 260-page paperback presents the actor’s biographical/career profile up through the early 2000’s.  The co-authors also analyze Harrison Ford’s films beginning with 1966’s Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round and ending with 2002’s K-9: The Widowmaker (still-in-production at the time of writing). 

Note: This book’s prior editions are from 1996 and 1999.

REVIEW:

For Harrison Ford fans, this well-written book is a keepsake.  The co-authors present their text in an enjoyably conversational tone, so this isn’t by any means a pretentious read.  Rarely do their satirical jabs risk breaching good taste – i.e. a snarky comment describing Carl Weathers’ cliché-ridden dialogue in 1978’s Force Ten From Navarone come closest.  Still, considering this endeavor necessitated Ford’s cooperation, any films in which he has a significant role won’t be taking any major critical hits from Pfeiffer & Lewis.  Hence, a film like 1986’s offbeat character piece, The Mosquito Coast, is treated more sympathetically than perhaps it merits.  Also, the co-authors offer Ford-friendly yet still-plausible explanations of notable controversies (i.e. his 1991-92 casting as Jack Ryan/backlash from Alec Baldwin and the 1997-98 Devil’s Own feud with co-star Brad Pitt).  

However, predictable fawning doesn’t apply to Ford’s pre-stardom efforts — case in point: 1967’s notoriously awful Luv.  The co-authors gleefully take hilarious jibes at this would-be Jack Lemmon-Peter Falk comedy, including an amusing video-still image of Ford’s cameo.  Yes, he’s wearing a beret and furry vest – playing a hippie motorist, Hollywood-style.   

Packed with invaluable insights to Ford’s decades-long career, The Films of Harrison Ford offers plenty of praise without devolving into a shameless puff piece.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

The last page offers quick bios on the co-authors.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     9 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels History & Biographies (Books) Independent Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels)

GRAPHIC NOVELS OF WORLD WAR II: THE BATTLE OF MIDAY – THE DESTRUCTION OF THE JAPANESE FLEET (2007 ROSEN Publishing Group, Inc.)

Written by Steve White & Illustrated by Richard Elson

SUMMARY:

Published by the Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. in 2007, this 48-page paperback depicts a visual summary of June 1942’s Battle of Midway.  

Note: The back cover infers that this book is included in a six-pack.  If so, another of its pack’s volumes is The Battle of Iwo Jima: Guerilla Warfare in the Pacific. 

REVIEW:

Primarily geared towards middle schoolers (since there is a glossary included), it’s an impressive visual aid that doesn’t glorify Midway’s historical significance in a superficial Hollywood-style manner.  Not only is writer Steve White’s relatively simplistic text spot-on, illustrator Richard Elson does high-caliber work recreating the various aircrafts and vessels involved.  In fair warning, White and Elson describe scenes of carnage without being too explicit.  The only point of confusion for readers may be tracking the military lingo, i.e. code-names for types of planes.  Supplementing this excellent history lesson is the text explaining the lead-up and after-effects on both sides.  Overall, this book would likely be a helpful tool for a student’s world history project or book report.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Its single-page Table of Contents also includes a short summary of the U.S. vs. Japanese wartime activities leading up to the Battle of Midway.  Four of its pivotal commanders: Japan’s Admiral Yamamoto and Vice Admiral Nagumo, U.S. Navy Admiral Nimitz, and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Fletcher are also quickly profiled.  As preludes, a pair of two-page chapters, “The Feared U.S. Carriers” and “The Japanese Plan of Attack” set up the book’s visual narrative re: opposing strategies.  An additional two-page chapter, “The Road to Ruin,” describes the post-battle consequences for Japan.  A glossary, index, and a page re: further reader recommendations are also included.        

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels History & Biographies (Books) Independent Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels)

GRAPHIC NOVELS OF WORLD WAR II: THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA – GUERRILLA WARFARE IN THE PACIFIC (ROSEN Publishing Group, Inc.)

Written by Larry Hama & Illustrated by Anthony Williams

SUMMARY:

Published by the Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. in 2007, this 48-page paperback is a visual summary of February-March 1945’s Battle of Iwo Jima.  Included in the narrative are brief descriptions of a few of the battle’s soldiers, including some of its survivors.  The book further explains the iconic photo that its cover was inspired from.  

Note: The back cover infers that this book is included in a six-pack.  If so, another of its pack’s volumes is The Battle of Midway: The Destruction of the Japanese Fleet. 

REVIEW:

Primarily geared towards middle schoolers (since there is a glossary included), it’s a gritty visual aid that doesn’t glorify Iwo Jima’s historical significance as propaganda.  Well known for his G.I. Joe work, writer Larry Hama doesn’t flinch describing the thirty-six-day battle.  Though there is some implied gore, illustrator Anthony Williams doesn’t depict blood.  Frankly, his visuals echoing Hama’s text is near-haunting.  Case in point: a little-known battle facet re: a trio of young Japanese botany students trapped on the island is indicative of Iwo Jima’s chilling post-battle mysteries.  For that matter, the post-war fate of U.S. Marine Ira Hayes is another tragedy in itself re: the effects of “survivor guilt.”  Supplementing this history lesson is the text explaining the lead-up and after-effects on both sides.  Overall, this book should make a helpful tool for a student’s world history project or book report.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Its single-page table of contents also includes a short summary of the U.S. vs. Japanese wartime activities leading up to the Battle of Midway.  Four of its pivotal commanders: U.S. Navy Admiral Spruance, U.S. Marine General Smith, and Japan’s Lt. General Kuribayashi and Lt. Colonel Nishi are quickly profiled.  As preludes, a pair of two-page chapters, “Stopping the Japanese War Machine” and “Tiny Island of Death” set up the book’s visual narrative re: opposing strategies.  An additional two-page chapter, “Countdown to Total Victory,” describes the Japan’s wartime surrender in July 1945.  A glossary, index, and a page re: further reader recommendations are also included.        

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels History & Biographies (Books) Pro Wrestling (Books) Sports (Books) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

TRIBUTES II: REMEMBERING MORE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WRESTLERS

Written by Dave Meltzer of “The Wrestling Observer Newsletter”  

SUMMARY:

Published by Sports Publishing LLC in 2004, this 239-page hardcover sequel by pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer assembles posthumous biographical profiles of fifteen pro wrestling notables.  Of them, Owen Hart and André the Giant, previously appeared in the 2001 predecessor, but Tributes II revises their profiles.  The new profiles consists of: 

  • “Classy” Freddie Blassie; “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith; and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig.
  • The Sheik; Stu Hart; Gorilla Monsoon; Johnny Valentine; Road Warrior Hawk; and Wahoo McDaniel.
  • “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods; Terry Gordy; Ms. Elizabeth; and Lou Thesz   

Meltzer’s biographies focus on each subject’s pro wrestling career and legacy re: the industry.  Anecdotes and reminiscences from their contemporaries are included.    

REVIEW:

More than an anthology of exploitative obituaries, this stylish sequel’s profiles don’t even include the years of birth and death. In some instances, the subject’s passing isn’t even mentioned. Yet, there are a few curious exceptions.  Case in point: in more depth than before, Meltzer re-examines Owen Hart’s controversial death in 1999.

Then, most of Elizabeth’s chapter describes her tragic demise in 2003 instead of conveying her 1980’s star power as Randy Savage’s glamorous spouse/on-screen manager.  While summarizing her career, Meltzer curiously doesn’t mention how a demure Elizabeth Hulette was well-regarded by her colleagues, though various wrestler memoirs (i.e. Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan) fondly do so.  

Another quirk is that WWE Hall-of-Famer Greg Valentine isn’t mentioned in his own father’s profile.  Instead, his dad’s eleven-page bio ends with a side box describing the senior Valentine’s propensity for disgusting pranks.  Of all places, Greg Valentine is briefly referenced as a co-worker in the bio on “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods, as Woods, Johnny Valentine, and Ric Flair were victims of a well-documented mid-1970’s plane crash.  

Still, Meltzer’s trivia bits are fun: i.e. McDaniel was the first-ever Miami Dolphin (and future President George H.W. Bush was his Little League coach); a young Bruno Sammartino once faced Thesz for the NWA World Title; Hennig preferred his WCW ‘West Texas Redneck’ gimmick over his WWE ‘Mr. Perfect’ persona; an elderly Thesz’s industry involvement into the 1990’s; and the list could go on.  Commentaries from Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk; “Superstar” Billy Graham; Bobby Heenan; Nick Bockwinkel; Bret Hart & Ross Hart; Bill Watts; and Michael Hayes, among others, prove keenly insightful.  Archival quotes from the subjects themselves (i.e. McDaniel) further bolster this book’s impressive depth.        

Meltzer’s propensity for anecdotes, however, muddles some wandering narratives jumping back and forth across several years.  Hence, a lack of an index is a head-shaking oversight. Suffice to say, the index in Tributes I was helpful. Still, Meltzer doesn’t play favorites, as these biographies are well-balanced and diligently pay respect to each subject’s contributions to pro wrestling.  

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Further bolstering this book’s credibility, Bret “Hit Man” Hart provides a thoughtful foreword.  In addition to acknowledgments and his own mini-autobiography, Meltzer delivers a helpful introduction.  Answering shoot-style questions on a DVD, Meltzer elaborates on many topics referenced in Tributes II. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels History & Biographies (Books) Pro Wrestling (Books) Sports (Books) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

TRIBUTES: REMEMBERING SOME OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WRESTLERS

Written by Dave Meltzer of “The Wrestling Observer Newsletter”  

SUMMARY:

Published by Winding Stair Press in 2001, this 182-page hardcover by pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer pens posthumous biographical profiles honoring twenty pro wrestling notables, who passed away during the 1990’s.  Specifically, this volume reflects on:

  • Owen Hart; Brian Pillman; “Ravishing” Rick Rude; André the Giant; and Bruiser Brody.
  • Fritz Von Erich; Kerry Von Erich; Yokozuna; The Junkyard Dog; and Giant Baba.
  • “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers; “Big” John Studd; Ray Stevens; Louie Spicolli; and Art Barr.
  • “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert; Boris Malenko; Dino Bravo; Jumbo Tsuruta; and Gordon Solie.   

In straight-shooter fashion, Meltzer’s biographies explore each subject’s pro wrestling career, including his legacy re: the industry; and, to varying extents, the circumstances surrounding each death.   

REVIEW:

Mostly overcoming this project’s morbid aura, author Dave Meltzer somberly offers terrific journalism instead of exploiting glorified obituaries.  Within each biography, there is intriguing material re: how its subject has earned his place in pro wrestling’s controversial history.  Further, Meltzer readily acknowledges the dark irony of pro wrestling as a callous industry/fantasy sport that typically prioritizes greed and protecting other self-interests over any hint of compassion.  In some instances, Meltzer discusses (if not directly identifies) personal demons of his subjects, without reducing these matters to tabloid trash.  The author also readily acknowledges how some of them (i.e. Giant Baba, Owen Hart, Gordon Solie) were well-respected by their peers.     

Tributes, however, suffers from sporadic typos and occasional continuity gaffes (i.e. wrong dates; glaring run-on sentences) that hamper Meltzer’s narrative.  As well-researched as this retrospective is, Meltzer’s classy sequel, 2004’s Tributes II (which restructures the profiles of Owen Hart and André the Giant), is a better overall read. 

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Meltzer includes a dedication and acknowledgments.  Jeff Marek provides the foreword.  Meltzer’s index proves handy. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars