Rating: 
Summary: Shocking
Review: I remember Dynamite from his wrestling days and the guy was the most incredible in-ring performer I have ever seen. To read what happened to him over the years was quite a shock. The picture on the back cover only confimrs what can happen to these men. Perhaps the most candid of the wrestling bios, this does for the wrestling game what the fictional The Spy Who Came in From the Cold did for the spy game. It takes the glamor completely out.
Rating: 
Summary: A fun read if you can put up with all the attitude
Review: I was about 8 years old when I first saw the British Bull Dogs lock up against the Hart Foundation at Maple Leaf Gardens. Dynamite and Davey Boy were one of my favourites in the WWF from a time when Tag Team Wrestling was more then just a way of tossing four heavy weights into a main event. Almost 20 years later, I have to admit I was spell bound by the dirt that spewed forth from Billington's book. It's hard to judge how twisted some of his tales have become, as clearly this bitter man has taken a lot of hits to the head. This book did make Hogan's book look like a Saturday morning cartoon; A much better read, even with all the negative focus on Davey Boy and the Harts.Dynamite seems at times to glorify himself as the original bad boy of wrestling. Again believe what you wish from the book, as sometimes he seems to be paranoid (not unlike Piper) thinking the entire wrestling word is out to push him down. For any huge fan of 1980s wrestling this book is a fantastic read, as it will rekindle memories of wrestlers and matches from your childhood, as well as letting you glimpse the backstage chaos. I did purchase this book out of pity, having known what happened to the Dynamite Kids career. So spend the cash and support an old broken hero from the past. SIDE NOTE:
I do wish he would have found a better editor. Enough people snub their noses at Pro Wrestlers, and I can imagine that a non-wrestling fan who reads this book might convince themselves further that wrestlers are uneducated oafs based solely on the fact that this book has typo's and misplaced words by the truck load.
Rating:
Summary: No punches pulled
Review: I will admit, this book was destined for 5 stars because of the subject matter- Dynamite was always my favorite wrestler growing up. However, I did not think it would be as lively a book as it was. Tommy Billington does not screw around with his subject matter or with his reader- everything is right out front, no beating around the bush. Billington approaches his story very matter-of-factly, placing blame and credit where they are due. A good read, much shorter and more lively than Mick Foley's "Have A Nice Day," which could be sluggish at times. A definite recommendation for anyone remotely interested in wrestling.
Rating: 
Summary: Falls Short
Review: If you want a sense of what wrestlers go through when they're not in the spotlight, then this book will be of interest to you. If not, take a pass and try another. The problem with the author is that he never grew up. He still doesn't see anything wrong with destroying the property of others, he makes no apology for smashing others in the face when he feels insulted, he says that his kids are the most important thing in his life, but where was he when they needed a father? He was proving that a small man (through the abuse of self-destructive drugs) can make it in a big man's world. So what? If proving to himself and the world that he is tough, he succeeded. But at what expense? What's it worth? He's in a wheel chair and lives a continent away from those kids that he says he prizes so much. And to show that he's never grown up, he ends the book by saying that he'd do it all over again. I'm not impressed. This book is a self-serving look at one small man's career in a big man's world. He did lead the way for smaller wrestlers to get a fairer chance. But at what cost? Billington seems honest at times, but within a very narrow scope. Someone needs to remind him that pro wrestling isn't real. It's athletic entertainment. And it's not worth paralasysis, it's not worth losing your children, and it's not worth winding up penniless at middle age. I think he'll never understand that. If you're looking for an honest book about wrestling, without the bravado that runs through those by wrestlers with out of control egos, reputations to protect and hope for another WWF main event, try Bodyslams!
Rating:
Summary: Pure Dynamite is purely honest
Review: In the world of pro wrestling sometimes it's hard to tell the work from the shoot, the real life from the storyline. That's why Tom Billington should grab your attention. In an enviroment where the main thing is to put youself over to the crowd, Billington doesn't worry about how he looks to the public. He tells the story of his life just like it happened without trying for sympathy or tears. From his boyhood dreams in England as a coal miners son, to a new life in Canada with the famous Hart family in Calgary, across the world to back breaking matchs in Japan to the ultimate goal of every pro wrestler, the Wrestlemania stage, Billington tells it all. One thing that makes this book stand out among others on this subject is that it does not ignore or deny knowledge of drug use in this sport. Tom tackles it head on with no thought as to how the reader will look at him and in the end it works because you really respect his honesty. Something that seems to be lacking in other wrestling books these days with the possible exception of mabey Mick Foley. An incredibly easy read and enjoyable from cover to cover, you are left wishing, as whenever you finish a great book, that the story had not come to an end so soon. A must for any true wrestling fan who wondered whatever happened to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Pure Dynamite is Pure Honesty and you will not be disapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Explosive Tale of Excess and Self Destruction
Review: Like the film Wallstreet, Oliver Stone's vision of 80s excess but with the world of pro wrestling as its setting, PURE DYNAMITE is a riveting, part tell-all memoir, part guilty plea seeking redemption by former WWF mat virtuoso Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington. Billington, a nice guy with a bit of a mean streak recounts his own rise to fame beginning as a thirteen year old runt in musty but legendary Riley's Gym a few miles outside of Wigan, up through his days as an international superstar thrilling crowds in packed stadiums and on pay-per-view events in Japan and in Vince McMahon's WWF, until his eventual forced retirement due to severe injuries which now confine him to a wheelchair. The book, much like the pro wrestling business, often makes the transition between gruesome and even comical within a few short gasps, as Billington provides tons of insight into the enormous and often fragile egos of the sport's top names, including Hulk Hogan, The Junkyard Dog, Harley Race, Terry Funk, the legendary Hart Family, and his former British Bulldog tag-team partner and cousin, Davey Boy Smith. Always a rebel without a cause, Billington holds nothing back here as he is no longer actively involved in the pro wrestling industry. With a colloquial tone like that of a good friend chatting over a few beers, Billington puts a microscope to the underbelly of the beast, where most wrestlers-turned-scribes fear to tread, giving much detail regarding the rampant steroid and recreational drug use amongst these self-desctructive athletes living life in the fast lane. Billington, a casualty of the lifestyle who barely survived to share his story, would likely do it all over again, and that's what makes PURE DYNAMITE so compelling, especially to those unfamiliar with what goes on after the three-count.
Rating:
Summary: A Unique Look at Wrestling By One of the All Time Greats
Review: Pure Dynamite is a unique book, written by one of wrestling's most gifted wrestlers, the Dynamite Kid. Many wrestlers have written books way too early in their careers, before they've accomplished enough. Dynamite, however, is now retired and his book covers his entire extensive career. Dynamite pulls no punches with his opinions on other wrestlers as well as the business as a whole. Being a huge fan of the British Bulldogs, I was very entertained by this book. It was interesting to learn of some of the antics that go on backstage in the world of wrestling. Dynamite has an interesting sense of humor, but the highlight of this book is his pure honesty. A must read 1980's wrestling fans.
Rating:
Summary: Dynamite
Review: The Dynamite Kid, being one of my favorite wrestlers, writes a captivating tale of the backstage of the wrestling world. His story is a phenomenal one and his wrestling matches are even more incredible. Great book.
Rating:
Summary: A rare find..
Review: There are so few good wrestling books out there, but this one
easily rates with the Foley, Thesz, and Meltzer books as one of
them. A look back at what Mick Foley called one of the first
true hardcore wrestlers in every sense of the word. Unlike
the Chyna, Rock, DDP, Arn Anderson books (which should be
avoided like the plague) this one is to be savored time and
again with different readings to pick up on things missed the
first time. Buy it, you'll thank me later.
Rating:
Summary: A great read, extremely honest
Review: This autobiography really sets the standard of how an autobiography should be written. It is an alternative to Jerry Lawler and Hulk Hogan's silly fluff. The Dynamic Kid takes you through his entire career and doesn't conveniently leave things out. He is brutally honest about the positives and the negatives. It is a very easy read. Dynamite has many great stories. Many of the stories will take fans back to the heyday of the British Bulldog. Dynamite's brash out spoken honest style is breath of fresh air over the politicians like Hogan who don't understand how to be honest.
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