Free Books During COVID-19 Pandemic

April 6, 2020

The Internet Archive has added a large selection of books for free loan during the COVID-19 Pandemic. You’ll need to sign up for a free account and the books are then virtually “checked out” while you read them.

The copyright issues are a little questionable, with the site’s logic being that this replaces physical libraries that are temporarily shut. It doesn’t appear to be paying any royalties so if you read a book this way and enjoy it, you should try to buy a copy (print or eBook) if possible so the author gets compensated.

You’ll find just under 600 wrestling-related titles, though most are on amateur wrestling and many of the pro wrestling titles are from the budget end of the market. (The collection is generally 20th century titles without an eBook edition.) A few of note that I’ve reviewed on here include:

A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex by Chris Jericho

Are We There Yet by Robert Caprio

At Issue: Professional Wrestling

Can You Take The Heat? The WWF Is Cooking: By Jim Ross

Countdown to Lockdown by Mick Foley

Demolition Dad by Phil Earle

Drawing Heat by Jim Freedman

Foley Is Good by Mick Foley

Hollywood Hulk Hogan by Hulk Hogan

I’m Next by Bill Goldberg

It’s Good to Be the King…Sometimes by Jerry Lawler

Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D. – The Reality of Amy Dumas by Amy Dumas

My Life Outside The Ring By Hulk Hogan and Mark Dagostino

Positively Page: The Diamond Dallas Page Journey by Diamond Dallas Page & Larry Genta

Sex, Lies and Headlocks by Shaun Assael and Mike Mooneyham

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pro Wrestling by Lou Albano & Bert Sugar

The Encylopedia Of Professional Wrestling (2nd Edition) by Kristian Pope & Ray Whebbe Jr

The Professional Wrestling Trivia Book by Robert Myers

The Rock Says by The Rock with Joe Layden

The Sweetheart by Angelina Mirabella

The WWE Championship by Kevin Sullivan

Western Boxing & World Wrestling by John F Gilbey

Wrestle Radio USA Grapplers Speak by Ed Symkus and Vinnie Carolan

Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling by RD Reynolds & Randy Baer

WWE Legends by Brian Solomon

No Comments

Comments are closed.

Pro Wrestling Books

The World Belongs to Jane & Me: Part #1: 1963 by AD Stranik February 18, 2025
Many pro wrestlers have been told their life would make for a captivating novel – and many have written autobiographies with a healthy dose of fiction – but this is quite the twist on the concept of “inspired by a true story”. Long time British wrestling fans who skip the blurb will quickly recognise that […]
British Wrestler Releases Autobiography December 20, 2024
British wrestler Jonny Storm has released an autobiography, “The Unofficial Legend?” with the following blurb: Celebrating 30 years in the British professional wrestling industry, wrestler Jonny “The Wonderkid” Storm has seen and done it all. With a wealth of experience working for some of the biggest companies in the world and being at the forefront […]
Before It Kills Me by Daniel Alexander December 2, 2024
This is certainly a diversion from the usual wrestling novel and its darkness and power may be a matter of personal taste. While most wrestling novels tap into the territorial era, this is set in the modern independent circuit. It’s a tale of weekend warriors for whom local titles are their world championship. How “big” […]
Independent Wrestler To Release Novel November 19, 2024
Former independent wrestler Daniel Alexander Harrington has written a novel based on his experiences in and out of the ring. Before It Kills Me, to be released on December 10, is: “a raw and deeply personal exploration of the relentless world of indie professional wrestling. Drawing from his own experiences, Harrington weaves a powerful story […]
Two Old Indians by Jagjiwan Sohal September 24, 2024
An unusual tweak on the wrestling novel genre, this is a fun look at life after wrestling. The two Indians in question are characters of the Chief Jay Strongbow and Jinder Mahal variety respectively. Across the early chapters this appears to be the familiar format of a territory era wrestling novel which usually turns into […]
New Titus O’Neil Book Coming June 28, 2024
Titus O’Neil has a second book scheduled for September release (blurb below.) It’s a sequel to There’s No Such Thing As a Bad Kid: How I Went from Stereotype to Prototype which we previously reviewed. As with that title, it appears to be largely non-wrestling content. Wrestling with Fatherhood: My Championship Journey to My Greatest […]
Our Fight: A Memoir by Ronda Rousey May 14, 2024
Appropriately enough this is a no holds barred view of pro wrestling from an outsider. The first half of this book (Rousey’s second volume of autobiography) covers her final two MMA bouts (both defeats) and the beginnings of her relationship with Travis Browne. It’s largely soul searching and won’t necessarily appear to wrestling fans, though […]
Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl by Rebecca Quin April 17, 2024
Not just an biography, this is a remarkable insight into the psychology and mental element of working as a professional wrestler at every level of the business. Lynch’s career path is an unusual one, grinding on the independent circuit for several years then getting completely out of the business before returning via a WWE tryout […]
Wrestling Shorts: The Royal Rumble 2000 by Alex Smith-Powell March 28, 2024
Short but sweet, this may be too brief for some buyers. Lying somewhere between an extremely extended blog post and a very concise book, Amazon estimates a print version of this e-Book only title would be around 30 pages, something that’s important to remember if you’re considering a purchase. Unlike some less reputable titles such […]
Business Is About to Pick Up!: 50 Years of Wrestling in 50 Unforgettable Calls by Jim Ross March 18, 2024
A third volume of autobiography is always a challenge, but the gimmick here doesn’t really hit. As the likes of Mick Foley and Chris Jericho have shown, later chronological volumes usually prove diminishing returns with too short a period to cover. The alternative is a fresh format, something that works well in some cases (Bobby […]