Something of a mixed bag, this takes a while to get going but provides some useful insight.

The ghostwritten format works well when sharing the first-hand accounts of Dewey Robertson, the man behind the gimmick. However, in what could be either an attempt of completeness or a touch of padding out, the book does occasionally fall into extensive lists which are neither informative nor entertaining.

Unfortunately this is particularly prevalent in the early stages dealing with Robertson’s early life and local wrestling career before moving out to the territorial circuits. This means readers will need to stick with it to get to the best content.

Once into the meat of his career, the book becomes insightful, with Robertson sharp on the way promoters operated, the importance of character development, booking approaches and the realities of varying pay structures. It’s particularly strong on the similarities and differences of various promotions and the realities of their declines.

One confusing element is the approach to kayfabe: Robertson is open about how wrestling worked and why particular booking patterns emerged, yet at times describes matches as if he was legitimately competing to win. It’s more of a linguistic quirk than an attempt to fool the reader but can be jarring at times.

As much as its a career recollection, it’s a tale of the dangerous interaction between the wrestling lifestyle and Robertson’s addictive personality, told with some remarkable honesty. It’s also very open about the toll on his family — being relocated to Texas on a hunch and then immediately moved to a Florida nudist colony with barely a question being a more extreme example.

It’s certainly going to appeal more to readers who remember or have an interest in the 70s and 80s territorial era, but is definitely worth a look if you are prepared for a slow start.

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