New Wrestling Book Everyone Should Get

[OSJ]

I usually don't enjoy most wrestling books as most are poorly-written yada-yada-yada; (exceptions being JJ Dillon's and Foley's first book.) However, anything Scott Teal is involved with is generally worth a look and I Ain't No Pig Farmer by Dean Silverstone and Scott is definitely worth a read for anyone interested in the PNW, running an outlaw fed, or just generally interested in the territory days. (Dean is also one of the nicest guys in the world fwiw). You can get a copy direct from Crowbar Press, or if you are clever, like me, you will call Dean at his record store and get him to inscribe a copy.

[Ace]

It looks like Crowbar Press finally put Lou Thesz's book on kindle last month as well. Also worth a purchase.

[OSJ]

It looks like Crowbar Press finally put Lou Thesz's book on kindle last month as well. Also worth a purchase.

 

I would go for that , were it not for my irrational hatred of e-books, (yeah, I know, a bunch of my stuff is available on e-books and I have no problem cashing the checks so I am a hypocrite, so sue me.) I just prefer the feel of a real book, hardcovers vastly preferred over paperbacks, but with rasslin books, you take what you can get. Oh yeah, I forgot, Pure Dynamite was pretty good, too. Billington is such a hateful bastard that it makes for pretty compelling reading. He is the Ramsay Snow of pro rasslin.

[Ace]

Considering  an actual physical copy of Hooker is over $150, you're better off with the e-book.

[supremebve]

 

It looks like Crowbar Press finally put Lou Thesz's book on kindle last month as well. Also worth a purchase.

 

I would go for that , were it not for my irrational hatred of e-books, (yeah, I know, a bunch of my stuff is available on e-books and I have no problem cashing the checks so I am a hypocrite, so sue me.) I just prefer the feel of a real book, hardcovers vastly preferred over paperbacks, but with rasslin books, you take what you can get. Oh yeah, I forgot, Pure Dynamite was pretty good, too. Billington is such a hateful bastard that it makes for pretty compelling reading. He is the Ramsay Snow of pro rasslin.

 

I thought this too, until I realized that I didn't want to dedicate multiple walls of my place to holding books.  If you have limited space, and love to read, digital is the way to go.  I had a small dresser and three suitcases filled with books and I had to make a decision on whether I wanted to spend about $1000 and 40 feet of space holding books or having them held digitally on something that cost $350 and takes up less than a foot.

[Ace]

I did it for travel reasons, really. Carrying a small contraption rather than multiple books in a bag. I had the same feeling as OSJ until the last time I did jury duty a few years ago.

[JRGoldman]

Not to hijack the thread, but since people were talking about Hooker, I am the proud owner of the typed manuscript that Lou did of his autobiography prior to publication. He signed it and inscribed it to his neighbor at the time. 

[OSJ]

Considering  an actual physical copy of Hooker is over $150, you're better off with the e-book.

 

Well, you see I think absolutely nothing of spending $150 on a book. The most I've spent is two grand for a mint copy of Beasts of Brahm by Mark Hansom, (that was more of an investment, as we did a reprint edition and I later sold the book for what I'd paid for it), I think the most I've spent on a book just to have it in my collection is probably $1000 for Devil's Spawn by Charles Lloyd (Birkin). Bibliomania is a sickness, we have a two bedroom place, one bedroom is floor to ceiling shelves (even in the walk-in ) and that hold s may hardcovers. The living room has two brag shelfs (stuff I've written, edited, or appeared in) and a huge shelf for all the stuff I've done for Ramble House in the last four years and all of Archives and Masterworks. Oh yeah, and then there's one wall of our bedroom devoted to eBay stock and my run of Hard Case Crime, Black Lizard and Gold Medal crime stuff. Oh. yeah and the pulp shelves, also in bedroom. Sadly, all my paperbacks are in a storage unit than runs $65 a month. No, I'm not obsessive or anything like that, not at all... ;-(

 

"What happened to all the money?" Directed to a pal in Seattle who will remain nameless who won $25,000 in the lottery. "Most of it went for books and drugs, the rest of it I wasted."

[OSJ]

Not to hijack the thread, but since people were talking about Hooker, I am the proud owner of the typed manuscript that Lou did of his autobiography prior to publication. He signed it and inscribed it to his neighbor at the time. 

 

Holy shit, do you have any idea what that's worth? You've just impressed me, and I don't impress easy when it comes to the ephemera.

[odessasteps]

Considering an actual physical copy of Hooker is over $150, you're better off with the e-book.

I need to find my copy.

[JRGoldman]

 

Not to hijack the thread, but since people were talking about Hooker, I am the proud owner of the typed manuscript that Lou did of his autobiography prior to publication. He signed it and inscribed it to his neighbor at the time. 

 

Holy shit, do you have any idea what that's worth? You've just impressed me, and I don't impress easy when it comes to the ephemera.

 

 

I would probably value it at a few hundred, as wrestling related stuff doesn't tend to be all that valuable for most collectors, and people who want wrestling collectibles generally don't like books. It's a weird niche. I'm glad your impressed, it's not every day I get to brag.

[Matt D]

I had no idea Hooker was available as an e-book now. Is Gary Hart's out there? 

[odessasteps]

Not to be confused with the wrestling magazine everyone should get:

RUSSIAN FLAG BURIAL

Mookie ghana mid south stats

Dr lucha on negro casas

first part of matt's dustin opus

matt's article on 1984 terry taylor

an interview with roger bennett from men in blazers

a mid south valentine by mike sempervive

For DVDVR folks: $5 including postage

[notoriusvig]

Where the hell is Hooker $150?  Crowbar's site has it at $10.

[OSJ]

 

 

Not to hijack the thread, but since people were talking about Hooker, I am the proud owner of the typed manuscript that Lou did of his autobiography prior to publication. He signed it and inscribed it to his neighbor at the time. 

 

Holy shit, do you have any idea what that's worth? You've just impressed me, and I don't impress easy when it comes to the ephemera.

 

 

I would probably value it at a few hundred, as wrestling related stuff doesn't tend to be all that valuable for most collectors, and people who want wrestling collectibles generally don't like books. It's a weird niche. I'm glad your impressed, it's not every day I get to brag.

 

 

I think that's spot on, if it were me, I'd start at $699 on eBay with a BUY IT NOW of $999.99 (and hope that Jim Cornette sees it.)

[OSJ]

Where the hell is Hooker $150?  Crowbar's site has it at $10.

 

Uh, there's a big difference between a first edition and a cheap reprint or e-book. It's a bibliomaniac thing, you wouldn't understand. (Hmm, maybe that should be my new sig?)

[notoriusvig]

 

Where the hell is Hooker $150?  Crowbar's site has it at $10.

 

Uh, there's a big difference between a first edition and a cheap reprint or e-book. It's a bibliomaniac thing, you wouldn't understand. (Hmm, maybe that should be my new sig?)

 

Ok, makes sense.

[OSJ]

 

 

Where the hell is Hooker $150?  Crowbar's site has it at $10.

 

Uh, there's a big difference between a first edition and a cheap reprint or e-book. It's a bibliomaniac thing, you wouldn't understand. (Hmm, maybe that should be my new sig?)

 

Ok, makes sense.

 

 

Not to be pedantic, but the fact that the first is a paperback and likely to show wear and tear makes a difference too. Book collectors are almost as obsessive as trading card collectors or comic book geeks (and yes, I fit those descriptions, too). Not to insult anyone, but wrestling fans are generally not as fastidious about keeping their books in pristine condition. So, you have an easily damaged paperback with a small print run that generally speaking went to non-collectors. Therefore, the price is high. A similar thing would be the old weird menace pulps that we discuss on another thread. From day one SF collectors saved and took care of their pulps. I have seen near-mint sets of Astounding and Thrilling Wonder, they exist because generations of collectors took care of them. I don't even know anyone that has a complete set of Horror Stories, let alone one in nice shape. People back then just read 'em and threw 'em away or donated them to the WWII paper drives. You could buy a 1941 issue of Astounding for about twenty bucks, an issue of Horror Stories or Terror Tales from the same year will run you around $200.00. It's all about supply and demand.

[Bustronaut]

John, the kid said it made sense, no need to get all defensive

[OSJ]

John, the kid said it made sense, no need to get all defensive

Wasn't being defensive at all and sorry if it came off that way.

I was just expanding on my original point, in case someone cares about this stuff