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Rating: 
Summary: By An "Expert", For The "Expert"
Review: "The Tables Are All Broken" is the first wrestling book that I have seen that was written exclusively for the hardcore wrestling fan. It is generally comprised of three sections: Recaps, Parodies, and Insights.The Recaps section does just that - re-lives writings that appeared in the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter, from the last days of WCW to the current storylines (at the time) of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). While it is interesting to read some of the happenings of that time, this part of the book can wear on, especially if you're not really interested in things that happened years ago. While the title may lead you to believe this book is all gloom and doom, it's actually just a reference to one of Pat's witty and enjoyable song re-writes that he's become well known for at the Pro Wrestling Torch Web site, and many of these are present in the Parodies. Pat is very good at these, and there are some immensely entertaining examples given here in the book. The Insights are the part of the book I enjoyed the most. Pat writes in a style that does not assume that the reader is a moron, as is the case with many other wrestling columnists. Pat's columns are always informative and insightful, and they will help you to look at a topic or situation from all sides. This is the real meat and potatoes of the book - I just wish there was more of it. If you're just a passive fan of wrestling, this may not be the book for you, but any hardcore fan should definately pick it up. I hope Pat's next book focuses more on his own insights and opinions. These are the insights which caused Rolling Stone magazine to label him the "Internet Smark Writer Of The Year", and I believe a full book of these would be extremely enjoyable for every type of wrestling fan. I eagerly look forward to his next book.
Rating:
Summary: By An "Expert", For The "Expert"
Review: "The Tables Are All Broken" is the first wrestling book that I have seen that was written exclusively for the hardcore wrestling fan. It is generally comprised of three sections: Recaps, Parodies, and Insights. The Recaps section does just that - re-lives writings that appeared in the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter, from the last days of WCW to the current storylines (at the time) of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). While it is interesting to read some of the happenings of that time, this part of the book can wear on, especially if you're not really interested in things that happened years ago. While the title may lead you to believe this book is all gloom and doom, it's actually just a reference to one of Pat's witty and enjoyable song re-writes that he's become well known for at the Pro Wrestling Torch Web site, and many of these are present in the Parodies. Pat is very good at these, and there are some immensely entertaining examples given here in the book. The Insights are the part of the book I enjoyed the most. Pat writes in a style that does not assume that the reader is a moron, as is the case with many other wrestling columnists. Pat's columns are always informative and insightful, and they will help you to look at a topic or situation from all sides. This is the real meat and potatoes of the book - I just wish there was more of it. If you're just a passive fan of wrestling, this may not be the book for you, but any hardcore fan should definately pick it up. I hope Pat's next book focuses more on his own insights and opinions. These are the insights which caused Rolling Stone magazine to label him the "Internet Smark Writer Of The Year", and I believe a full book of these would be extremely enjoyable for every type of wrestling fan. I eagerly look forward to his next book.
Rating: 
Summary: This guy is no David Meltzer!
Review: I expected some new content, but I'd read most of this before... it's cheaper than prining all his old articles and having it bound yourself, but... why would you want to? The guy can't write and this is the first bad wrestling book I have read. The first part of the book describes a couple of WCW Thunder programmes minute by minute - Goldberg said he wanted to win the title and then Sting was talking to Scott Steiner and then there was an ad break and... GRRRRRRRRR!!! Who wants to read 300 pages of fantasy booking from 2 years ago?? Dull, dull dull!! This guy is such a geek and I feel like a schmuck for buying this crud!!Get the Dynamite Kid book or Meltzer's tributes instead! Or do yourself a favour and get the Figure 4 newsletter - written by someone with a little personality!! This book is DREADFUL.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfectly Acceptable Wrestling Book
Review: Okay, if you don't like McNeil, or the Pro Wrestling Torch, or you've already read all of this stuff before, you should probably skip the book. Some of it is even online now, if you know where to look. It remeinded me of Dave Barry's books, where he collects his old columns and slaps them together. I hadn't read most of this before, and I thought it was entertaining. The song parody chapter is hysterical. McNeil should stick to comedy, and not be an analyst. The fake pay-per-view in the book with DDP getting murdered was also classic stuff. The Torch should do another book like this one, except with Bruce Mitchell's columns.
Rating:
Summary: Perfectly Acceptable Wrestling Book
Review: Okay, if you don't like McNeil, or the Pro Wrestling Torch, or you've already read all of this stuff before, you should probably skip the book. Some of it is even online now, if you know where to look. It remeinded me of Dave Barry's books, where he collects his old columns and slaps them together. I hadn't read most of this before, and I thought it was entertaining. The song parody chapter is hysterical. McNeil should stick to comedy, and not be an analyst. The fake pay-per-view in the book with DDP getting murdered was also classic stuff. The Torch should do another book like this one, except with Bruce Mitchell's columns.
Rating:
Summary: I only wish they had negative stars!!1
Review: This is a horrible book. No flow to any of it.
It is just a bunch of old columns thrown together, despite outward appearences that would lead one to believe they were getting a book detailing the rise and fall of the recent wrestling scene. The song paradies were terrible and there were lots of them.
There really was little to no substance to this book at all.
Go read Blassie's or Heenan's book for behind the scenes tales and fun stories. Go read Scott Kieth's book for match reviews.
Go read anything else if you just need to pass some time.
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