In a just world this would be an autobiography. We’ll have to settle for an entertaining and informative biography.

A good wrestling biography will do one of three things: adequately document a wrestler’s in-ring career, give some insight into their life outside the ring, and share some engaging stories. This manages all three, thanks largely to its authorship.

It’s not quite the same as when Scott Teal steers the recollections of a wrestler into the realms of reality, but perhaps the next best thing. Cosper is an experienced wrestling biographer who conducted dozens of interviews for the project, while Candido (Chris’s brother) was clearly incredibly close with Chris and shares not just personal memories, but retells experiences and conversations which Chris had shared with him.

The result is both a life story and a career retrospective that doesn’t simply list dates and matches, but shares the lessons Chris Candido learned on his journey to becoming a truly great worker in the professional wrestling business.

Inevitably it’s not the happiest of tales at times and doesn’t shy away from Candido’s low points or the effects his drug problems had on his career and colleagues. However, it does fully convey the tragedy of his triumph over addictions being followed by shortly by an untimely death. Meanwhile the portrayal of Tammy Sytch is not particularly balanced nor objective, though that is unlikely to be a problem for most readers given her subsequent decisions.

As with many bios, it’s a much stronger recommendation for fans of Candido, but still well worth your time and money if you aren’t familiar with his life or work.

Read on Amazon