The United States of Esoterica

I thought we had a thread on this, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

Anyway, I got it for Christmas. It is massive, like 700 pages of something. Very detailed, fascinating stuff, although I knew a good deal of the stuff before hand.

Anyone else get it / read it ?

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"Give a lunatic a keyboard and a modem and that's what happens." -- Jeff Rense, 2.25.5

"An artist has got to be constantly in a state of becoming." -- Bob Dylan

You have to ask? LOL

It took me a while to get through because I had a lot of other things going on at the time, but it is a damn fine book. I honestly think it's the must have wrestling bio out there (with Jericho's and Foleys 1st coming in right behind). It made me a fan of Bret, who during his run I couldn't stand.

One thing about the books handling of the Montreal Screw Job. Now that we know "most" of the story, I really don't think Bret should have been as upset about it as he was. I'm sure if the same thing happened in Stampede, Stu would have "screwed" a wrestler out of the belt before they left the territory.

I agree that it was one of the better wrestling bios out there. I was a tad disappointed in the lack of mentioning the Benoit tragedies, but I think the book was released fairly soon after it happened and I know the final version had been written before the murders.

I may have been reading the book with a jaundiced anti-Bret eye, but some things stuck out to me as off-putting (or downright hypocritical).

First, Bret brags about how even in losing, he made himself a star w. the Davey Boy match. Then, he rips on Shawn Michaels for doing pretty much the same thing in his Wrestlemania XI match v. Diesel. I know they weren't exactly similar circumstances (Bret probably thinks that Shawn should have made Diesel look better in winning), but they were close enough to where it left me wondering if his anti-Shawn stance was clouding the issue.

Second, Hart's treatment of Dave Meltzer is ironic. He rips on his in his early WWF years, including the "he's no friend of mine" crack that he said to his mother. Then, once Meltzer started giving him good reviews, he quotes the reviews in the book to put himself over. Then, when he needs a forum to share his side of the Montreal deal, he turns to Meltzer. Even includes him in the dedication or thanks part @ the beginning with no real explanation about how he changed him mind about Meltzer over the years.

Third, Hart's ego is insane. I guess that is what it takes to be tops in the wrestling business, but some of the stuff about how popular he was and how everyone loved him was a bit over the top. I particularly rolled my eyes when we was talking about his trip to Jerusalem and there was a handprint in a wall where people said Jesus leaned and Bret said "my hand fit right in the imprint." Yikes.

Fourth, too much Flair bashing. Not much to say here, I just thought it was over-the-top at times and seemed like he was reaching at certain points to just include another story about how Flair sucks.

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"Give a lunatic a keyboard and a modem and that's what happens." -- Jeff Rense, 2.25.5

"An artist has got to be constantly in a state of becoming." -- Bob Dylan

Brett Hart...
The Most Overrated Wrestler There Is
The Most Overrated Wrestler There Was
and The Most Overrated Wrestler There Ever Will Be.

I'd rather read a cereal box than an autobiography by that asshat.

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"I didn't need to learn what I learned today." -- Jesse Ventura.
"There is but one special interest that we should be working for, and that would solve just about all of our problems, and that is our liberty. " - Ron Paul.

Despite my similar misgivings about Hart, I enjoyed the book. There was a lot of great detail in there, especially re: his early WWF years (84 to 91) and his tenure as champion (91 to 97). Interesting stuff there about Vince, which is always fascinating. Plus, the stuff about WCW was just hilarious as it was such a poorly run shithole.

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"Give a lunatic a keyboard and a modem and that's what happens." -- Jeff Rense, 2.25.5

"An artist has got to be constantly in a state of becoming." -- Bob Dylan

Just finished this, awesome read best wrestling book since Foley's first. However, I was a little disappointed by how bitter Hart is. Guess it's understandable given how miserable the last decade or so has been for him. He’ll always be at the top of my list of favourite wrestlers though … very ironically tieing with Shawn Michaels.

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I was always a Bret Hart fan. He was one of the more entertaining performers in the ring.

I remember when he won the world title for the first time in late '02. I was shocked because I always saw him more as an Intercontinental Champ level performer. He pulled it off really well. I always wondered if they gave him the belt because he turned it over to Davey Boy at SummerSlam '02 at Wembley...If it was part of some sort of deal. Does Bret mention this in the autobiography at any point?

I'll definitely have to check out the book.

Does Brett talk about the piss stained carpets in the mansion in his autobiography?

For those who haven't read Ring of Hell ,I recommend it. It's about Chris Benoit, but there's a lot about the dysfunctional Hart family in there to read.

_________________
"I didn't need to learn what I learned today." -- Jesse Ventura.
"There is but one special interest that we should be working for, and that would solve just about all of our problems, and that is our liberty. " - Ron Paul.

vince has a questionable past from what i have read. i remember a donahue show where vince was on trying to debunk claims that he raped a woman associated with the wwf. i think she may have been a referee? there were other women who made similar claims but they never had their day in court. i imagine with his money he could probably buy their silence. i'm going to check the library for a copy of this book.