Shaun Assael

Mike Mooneyham

The Real Story of Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation

Sex, Lies, and Headlocks

Mike Mooneyham began covering pro wrestling in the mid-1960s for a number of national wrestling publications. He was a writer, editor and columnist with The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., for nearly 40 years, retiring in 2016 but continuing to write his popular Sunday wrestling column, which he started in 1989, making it the longest-running pro wrestling column in the country. In 2002, he co-authored the New York Times best-selling book, "Sex, Lies and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment." Mooneyham is a member of several halls of fame, including the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa; the South Carolina Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame; the Lowcountry Wrestling Hall of Fame; and the Mid-Atlantic Legends Hall of Heroes. He received the James C. Melby Award, the industry's top writing award, in 2009. Book jacket.

Final Bell: Legends of the Mat Remembered

Steven Johnson

Greg Oliver

J. J. Dillon

Theagood guys of professional wrestling take the spotlight in this comprehensive examination ofathe memorable characters who inspired fans, aproviding insight into what makes a great hero. Compiled using firsthand interviews with hundreds of wrestlers, managers, promoters, and historians, these entertaining profiles document wrestlingOCOs golden boys from the 1930s to today. It discusses the roles of wrestling superstars that include Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes, and The Rock as well as lesser-known figures, including Tiger Jeet Singh and Whitey Caldwell. With more than 100 action-packed photos, this engaging and informative book invites both devoted fans and newcomers to the sport to appreciate the rich history of these esteemed performers."

The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes and Icons

“Current fans and recovering Hulkamaniacs alike should find [Sex, Lies, and Headlocks] as gripping as the Camel Clutch.” —Maxim Sex, Lies, and Headlocks is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the backstabbing, scandals, and high-stakes gambles that have made wrestling an enduring television phenomenon. The man behind it all is Vince McMahon, a ruthless and entertaining visionary whose professional antics make some of the flamboyant characters in the ring look tame by comparison. Throughout the book, the authors trace McMahon’s rise to power and examine the appeal of the industry’s biggest stars—including Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Gorgeous George, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, and, most recently, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. In doing so, they show us that while WWE stock is traded to the public on Wall Street, wrestling remains a shadowy world guided by a century-old code that stresses secrecy and loyalty. With a new afterword, this is the definitive book about the history of pro wrestling. “Reading this excellent behind-the-scenes look at wrestling promoter McMahon . . . is almost as entertaining and shocking as watching the most extreme antics of McMahon’s comic-book style creations such as Steve Austin and The Rock.” —Publishers Weekly “A quintessentially American success story of a cocky opportunist defying the odds and hitting it big . . . Sparkling cultural history from an author wise enough to let the facts and personalities speak for themselves.”—Kirkus Reviews

Mike Mooneyham

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