The Stone Cold Truth

Rating:
Summary: a typical WWE biography, but we get a sense of the man
Review: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is, arguably, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time. Without question, he is one of the most successful in the World Wrestling Federation (currently World Wrestling Entertainment). He has sold more merchandise and sold out more arenas than any other WWF/E superstar with the possible exception of Hulk Hogan. He was that big. "The Stone Cold Truth" is his story, told in his own words (or at least in his own voice).

Steve Williams takes the reader on the journey of his life, through his days playing high school football in Texas, through college and into his first days as a professional wrestler. Steve tells the reader, in general terms, what he was thinking and feeling and why he made the decisions he did in his life. We follow Steve through the indy wrestling feds, through WCW, ECW and finally the WWF. What is valuable and interesting in this book, other than the easy tone the book takes, is that we get Steve's side of the story in why/how he left WCW, and the story of why he walked out of the WWF following Wrestlemania 18. We also get his side of the story and his thoughts about having his neck broken in a match against Owen Hart.

Every wrestling biography inevitably gets compared to Mick Foley's book, and in comparison, this one does not have the level of detail that Foley provided. It is a typical WWE autobiography in that there are short, fast moving chapters that give us a sense of who Steve Williams is a person, but not quite giving us the full details (without the glitz) that you might find elsewhere. Nonetheless, I did get the feeling that Steve was being honest in the details that he provided, and that this is the way that he sees things about his life and career. This may not be the best wrestling book out on the market, but it's a pretty good one and entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: And That¿s the Bottom Line¿
Review: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's autobiography, "The Stone Cold Truth" details the life and career of one of the biggest icons in professional wrestling history. Overall, it's a great look at the life and times of one of America's most popular entertainers.

THE BOOK

Like any autobiography, the book discusses Austin's childhood growing up in Texas where he discusses growing up with his brothers. He talks about his family, his love of sports (football, baseball, weight training, tennis) and just growing up in general including his first relationship with his first wife.

From there he talks about how he got started in professional wrestling after dropping out of college after his college football career ended. He discusses the genesis of his wrestling career in Chris Adam's wrestling school and with the Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas. From there he chronologically follows his career with the Jarrett's USWA, Ted Turner's WCW, Paul Heyman's ECW and finally his getting into Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation. He shares lots of stories about the promoters and wrestlers he met and learned from along the way and highlights some of his more prominent career highlights.

Overall, if you're a wrestling fan you'll love reading Austin's overall thoughts on the wrestling business as he gives you his honest opinion on it. The vast majority of the book is basically Austin's experience in the business, his opinion on what the business is, how it should be run, etc. He talks candidly about his feelings on what is wrong with the business and how it should get back to its "roots" like when he started in it. He talks candidly about his relationship with Vince McMahon as well as goes behind the scenes with how his biggest feuds in the business were put together or got floundered. We also get some of the dirty details behind his frustrating career in WCW as he saw it.

Overall, it's a real fascinating read to see the wrestling business from the eyes of the man who literally changed it.

In addition to the wrestling business he also "opens the door" a little to his private life where he candidly owns up to a lot of the mistakes he's made as a husband (three wives and counting) and he also takes a look back at some of the problems wrestlers have with their drug addictions, talking in depth over the sadness he felt when he friend and former tag partner Brian Pillman passed away.

THE CRITIQUE

As many reviewers have attested already, the biggest drawback to the book is that it leaves you wanting more. Many of the chapters in the book are only a few pages long. Obviously there's a lot more that Austin and his co-biographers could have shared but I'm of the opinion that what was shared was adequate. The pace of the book reads very quickly and is very accessible. The book itself does not say too little (like the Rock or Chyna's autobiographies which definitely SHOULD have been heavier on content and less on fluff) but you do have the "more COULD have been said" feeling.

THE COOL THING

The book is interspersed with "inserted commentary" by Austin's mother and father as well as his good friend and confidant "J.R." Jim Ross. The commentary adds some good extra insight to some of the points and stories Austin shares. Various pictures and documents (letters, etc.) also highlight Austin's story where appropriate. Overall, the presentation, save for a few typos, is well done.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Overall, while the book was a little sparse in parts, readers should be happy with Steve Austin's "The Stone Cold Truth." For wrestling fans you'll benefit from the insight into the wrestling business from its pre-eminent star. For casual readers you'll love the story of how a "good old country boy" from Edna, Texas came out of nowhere and succeeded against the odds. "And That's The Bottom Line, 'Cause Stone Cold Said So!!!"

Total Pages: 312
Total Read Time: 6 hours

Highest Recommendation

Rating:
Summary: Here's cheers to the man that drinks beers
Review: A top read for any Stone Cold fan! He goes through moments in his life, nothing in great detail but definatly picks out little pieces that were obviously important to him. it's pretty quick to get to him getting a start in wrestling. Probably not getting enough perspective from his parents and what they thought (they had editorial pieces during the book along with Jim "J.R." Ross). He probably doesn't say enough about his WCW days, and that might be because he truely doesn't want to remember them to much. It's enough to let us know what's happening but really, most of that and the ECW stuff is covered in the DVD (which I saw before reading the book).

What I was mostly interested in was why he left WWE which, although might be true, kinda left me thinking "is that it?" It's a fair enough excuse but I get the feeling it might have been a little sugar coated. Not much but a little.

It is a good read! And all wrestling fans will enjoy it. Others might not quite get into it but that's the audience. It's a wrestling biography. It's dominated by wrestling stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe Not Perfect But Still Satisfies
Review: All Austin fans will love the Stone Cold Truth. For all his fans, they will get to know everything about Austin they did not know. Any wrestling fan in general should like the book as well, since it has more than enough information to satisfy the reader. I do have to say they really could have been more, but the bottom line is information wise it gets the job done. I thought maybe Austin should have commented more on the people who had had such a great impact on his life. Also some chapters in general are bit short such has the WCW section which, could have been longer since Austin made his debut as a well known profesionally wrester in WCW. Th book in general follows all previous wrestler bios with 300 plus pages broken down to plenty of chapters. Even though Austin did not write evry single bit of the book, the majority is Austin's words. I would have to give it 4 and a half stars, maybe not perfect but still satisfies.

Rating:
Summary: Jim Ross ruins this book
Review: I was under the impression this was supposed to be Steve Austin's autobiography, but I was wrong. What it turns out to be be is part Austin's book and part some fat man with one eye crying about people he doesn't like. Ross makes many tasteless comments that should not have been printed. Most have nothing to do with Austin or his career. It just has to do with many personal vendettas of this mutant. This was unnecessary and Ross should have just wrote the preface like normal people do. He totally butchered and destroyed the book and this will turn off the reader. Its a shame because Austin was very honest bu ti ti is overshadowed by Ross's crying.

Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable for the most part
Review: What a great read. This book was very interesting, altough some parts were a liitle too brief there is certainly more than enough information on the life of on of the greatest Wrestling stars and maybe even the best superstar in the wrestling bussiness. Peronally, I really enjoyed reading the whole story invoving Owen Hart. The whole story of him breifly leaving the company was also ver interesting. Overall, thereis plenty of information for any fan to enjoy this autobiography of Stone Cold Steve Austin.