| Living the Gimmick Contributor(s): Peller, Ben (Author) |
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ISBN: 0759550042 ISBN-13: 9780759550049 Publisher: Grand Central Publishing OUR PRICE: $23.74 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: October 2000 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Sports - Fiction | Biographical |
| Dewey: FIC |
| Physical Information: 1.1" H x 5.4" W x 8.4" (1.10 lbs) 428 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: From the time he was able to body slam a pillow, Michael dreamed of becoming a professional wrestler, vanquishing imaginary enemies and nagging self-doubt with every drop kick he landed. As his buddies hit the books, Michael got hit. When they left for college, he enrolled in Shane Stratford's Wrestling Academy, where cash -- and a particularly punishing audition -- afforded him a first look into a world part circus, part sport, and all spectacle. From penny-ante matches to national notoriety, Michael rises through the ranks of professional wrestling. Hopped up on speed, pumped up on steroids, and fueled by a frustration he can't quite name, he adopts and discards identities in a bid to find the gimmick that will make him complete. His search will bring him in contact with people weird and wonderful: athletes and actors, crazy fans and crooked managers, the full rich range of folks who revel in the ring. Combining elements of sports narrative a la North Dallas 40, the behind-the-scenes authenticity of Pumping Iron, and a flair for the bizarre that recalls John Irving, Living the Gimmick is a novel not soon forgotten. |
