Rating: 
Summary: Arn Anderson - UK reader perspective
Review: I've just finished this very insightful book ... very interesting indeed. My only criticism is that AA makes out that the matches are real, and trys not to break kayfabe in a major way. Aside from this I think that it's a triumph and Arn should be lorded in some way ... incredible story of rags to riches!It's a well written piece of work with great stories about his rise in the business ... it's a pity AA can no longer Enforce! Long live the Horsemen!!
Rating:
Summary: Arn Anderson - UK reader perspective
Review: I've just finished this very insightful book ... very interesting indeed. My only criticism is that AA makes out that the matches are real, and trys not to break kayfabe in a major way. Aside from this I think that it's a triumph and Arn should be lorded in some way ... incredible story of rags to riches! It's a well written piece of work with great stories about his rise in the business ... it's a pity AA can no longer Enforce! Long live the Horsemen!!
Rating: 
Summary: he gave up his shot fof ric flair
Review: if u love wrestling like i love wrestling and if u like bad guys you will love arns book. arn was part of the 4 horse men the horse men had history. they were before nwo arn had many tghings broking he broke bones but the show went on he had many feuids even with his best freind flair. flair helped arn a lot but arn loved flair like a brother who would give up his shot to to be the champ. so raed the book to find out how this turned out
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but a little disapointed
Review: If you are a profesional wrestling fan, I would recomend reading this book, though if you are a "smart mark" you may be a little frustrated that he doesn't really break "Kay-fabe". If you don't know what these two words means, then you will love this book. Enjoy reading about Arn Anderson and the Four Horseman!
Rating:
Summary: Honest and believable - behind the hype is a real person
Review: It is biased of course towards his own tag team/alliance, the 4 Horsemen. But the candor and humanity he shows brings him into your living room. It's an honest look at what goes on in this business, and a testimony to the American Dream coming from rags to riches. Not scholarly but satisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: NEITZCHE IN THE BLUE CORNER - I DON'T THINK SO
Review: Marty Lunde aka "Arn Anderson" is a rather ordinary fellow in the very flamboyant world of professional wrestling. He describes himself as someone who "never had the big biceps of the pretty boys, but the [sort of] guy you'd want to have a beer with." This 'everyday kind of guy' persona resonates with his fan base, and Anderson has worked the angle tirelessly - dismissing wrestlers gifted with looks and ability - claiming such qualities are secondary to the 'will to achieve' to which Anderson attributes his success. In particular Anderson has sought to contrast himself against fellow wrestler Tom Zenk. In his 'autobiography', Anderson claims that while Zenk has the good looks and physique which Anderson lacks, he (Anderson) has the determination and ambition to succeed which, he claims, Zenk lacks. "As for Tom Zenk, he is the guy with the most potential and least ambition I ever met. Everything was too easy for him. He was extremely good looking with a great physique that won him a number of bodybuilding titles. That guy could go without working out for a year and, given thirty days to get in shape, could look like Rick Martel. But, as his one-month [TV title] reign shows, things coming too easy can be a hindrance in this business." (Arn Anderson 4 Ever; A Look Behind the Curtain, pp. 126-127) Elsewhere he criticies Zenk, who defeated him for the World TV title in 1990 as "a Greek god" endowed with classic looks and wrestling physique "engaged in "a grandstand play ...to get beautiful women" before again asserting the primacy of the Andersonian "will to achieve" over those naturally gifted and talented like Zenk. But there's a major problem with all of this. In the fantasy world of pro-wrestling, Anderson might confidently predict his subsequent victory over Tom Zenk and other top wrestlers - knowing the result had been pre-determined weeks before by WCW booker Ric Flair. That's the nature of wrestling, after all. The problem arises when Marty Lunde and his real life fans start to believe "the Anderson story." As Anderson's friend and fellow wrestler Joey Maggs notes, "In his book .... Anderson infers that Tom Zenk didn't have the ambition it takes to make it to the top in pro-wrestling ... but Tom didn't have the CONNECTIONS that Arn did and that's the important thing in wrestling." Whenever Anderson ventured away from lifetime buddy Ric Flair's protective influenc e - - as when Anderson and Tully Blanchard joined the WWF in 1989 as "The Brain Busters" - Anderson's "will to achieve" achieved very little indeed. Anderson and Blanchard held the WWF tag belts for less than 4 months before vanishing into complete obscurity.As Anderson himself admits - "It helps to have friends." Maggs comments suggest that Anderson's biography propagates a myth - a fabrication which disguises success achieved through internal politics, promoting it instead as some Neitzchean "triumph of the will" over those who rely on natural gifts and talents alone. As such the moral to "the Anderson story" is bo th disingenuous and insidious and shouldn't be left unchallenged by any reader of this book. For me, the question posed by the title remains unanswered- would Arn Anderson's reputation really survive a closer "Look Behind The Curtain."
Rating:
Summary: Arn is a man that is never out of character
Review: Once an Anderson always an Anderson, so much so that Arn never gives the last name he was born with. This was a great story if you wanted to know the history of wrestling from the viewpoint of the NWA/WCW, but I wish that Arn had given a more behind the scenes look at professional wrestling. Having watched the NWA and later WCW evolve over the years, I was already familiar with every senario mentioned, but was deeply dissapointed with the lack of detail that remained out of print. I mean yes, the Horsemen were the baddest around, but not once does Arn step out of character and display true feelings for anyone but Rick Flair and Ted DiBiase. Reading this book you get the impression that everything was at face value, with no behind the scenes scripting, or that there were any predetermened outcome. Ater talking with Arn several times in real life, I was dissapointed with the fact that the curtain stayed closed for the most part. Yes, and to this day memories of Arn, Ole, Rick, and Tully inspire me. I just wish that the book did the same.
Rating:
Summary: KAYFABE?!?! IS THIS 1970, OR 2000?????
Review: The book's refusal to break KAYFABE is definitely an insult to any reader's intelligence, and something I wasn't expecting. I mean, in this age of wrestler's Bios being pretty popular; I was expecting it to be a TRUE "look behind the curtain" from one of my all-time favorites, instead I was disappointed in the blatant Kayfabe used throughout the book. But I digress... The book was actually very good. A satisfying read for anyone who remember the Horsemen's Glory Years, as you get Arn's opinion on how each Angle was played out back then. It brought back a lot of memories. For that, I give it 3 stars....but if you're looking for "shoots"...this book ain't for you.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Arn!
Review: The introspect provided by Arn Anderson into his personal and business life was quite inspiring. He wanted you to understand the man behind the wrestler, and he accomplishes this task. The book could have been more interesting if there were more behind the scenes stories, which I'm sure Arn Anderson could tell. Overall the book is a great read.
Rating:
Summary: This book is too short considering the length of his career
Review: This book deals chronogically with how he broke into
pro wrestling, met his wife, and other topics, like his
close relationship with his grandmother, who raised him.
The problem with this book, as someone previously mentioned,
is that he writes the book in a style as if the pro wrestling
matches were not predetermined, but on the level.
Another problem with this book is it is under 300 pages.
For a man who spent over 15 years in the profession as a pro
wrestler or in some other capacity, he doesn't have very much
to say. The Rock and Kurt Angle had hardcover books that were
much broader in scope and depth, even though they were in the business a shorter period of time.
He does talk about his Horsemen days, his relationships
with Ole, Tully, Ric, and others. He talks about various
bookers, and doesn't hold back on what he thinks about
Bill Watts, Vince McMahon Jr., and others. Arn Anderson is
probably one of the most underrated pro wrestlers,
considering his technical proficieny. The book mostly
centers on his life outside the ring, especially his
family, like his deceased grandmother, his wife, and his
kids, and also his life on the road as a pro wrestler.
I had to deduct one star for the fact it is under 200
pages, and another star because he talked to the readers
as if they were marks. I'm not saying don't buy it, but
this should be a lower priority in terms of books, when
compared to such books like Sex, Lies & Headlocks, Bobby Heenan's book, Fred Blassie's book, Owen Hart's book,
Stu Hart's book and Roddy Piper's book. These books are
a few examples that give more bang for the buck in my
opinion. It's not a bad book by any means, but not an
outstanding must-read, which is a shame, considering
the great career the man had as a pro wrestler.
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