[Cover]The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling by David Shoemaker

Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Assistant

Genre: Non-fiction

Suggested Age: Teens and Adults

What is the book about?: This is a book about professional wrestling and the tolls it can take on an athlete. Part wrestling history and part tribute to the dead, this book covers American professional wrestling from the early glory days and tragedies of the Von Erich family beginning in the 1950s to the horror of Chris Benoit’s life and 2007 death. While this book is very clear on “kayfabe” (the idea that wrestling storylines are pre-written and winners and losers predetermined by writers) it also points out that professional wrestlers are legitimate athletes who brutalize their own bodies every week in the name of entertainment. Breaking into pro wrestling is hard and staying in is even harder. There is an incredible physical toll that often translates into mental and emotional problems as well. This book is the story of those wrestlers who suffered the cost of fame, many of whom the world lost under tragic circumstances at too young an age.

My review: I was about 14 when I realized that wrestling was “fake.” It crushed me. As a kid, I wasn’t able to separate fake writing from real athleticism and I stopped watching wrestling for years. I like Shoemaker’s book a lot, mainly because it promotes the fact that while storylines are prefabricated, wrestling itself is very real. I gained a new appreciation for what these guys do week after week, year after year. I learned that the creation of a wrestling identity could take over a person’s real life and become a monster. I learned that a lot of addiction problems for wrestlers stem from poor pain management. I learned about the hell that wrestlers go through at wrestling “school” before they even get in front of the camera. And I learned that a lot of wrestlers go through this for love of the game or for love of the family wrestling dynasty (of which there are many).

My only problem with this book was that the information was more a choppy collection of essays as opposed to a cohesive whole. I felt that there were some gaps in information that could have been filled by mentioning living wrestlers. For example, Shoemaker writes about the life and death of Owen Hart, but I feel that story would have had more impact with some information about the epic Hart wrestling dynasty.

Overall though, I enjoyed this book. I have a newfound respect for professional wrestling and would recommend this book to anyone who had even a passing interest in sports entertainment.

Rating: 4/5

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About FDL Reads

FDL ReadsWelcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.  Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available.  If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently.  We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!