The Main Event: The Moves and Muscle of Pro Wrestling

by Patrick Jones Narrated by Intuitive

Overview

Nothing in wrestling can match the excitement of the main event. It's the match that everyone wants to see, the match that will have fans talking the next day. Author Patrick Jones takes readers deep inside the world of pro wrestling and shows how its stars-and the wild characters they portray-have turned pro wrestling into a billion-dollar industry. Take a seat and gear up for the greatest show in wrestling-the main event!

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature - Greg M. Romaneck

Fans of professional wrestling pay money to watch a “sport” where the outcome of the matches is pre-determined and competitors often represent living stereotypes of good and evil. Yet, despite the scripted nature of professional wrestling, the dramatic personalities, amazing physicality of the choreographed movements, and clash of good and evil involved in the scripts all come together to generate a spectacle that grabs viewer’s emotions. This title looks behind the scenes of professional wrestling to tell the story of this strange, gaudy, and sometimes addictive “sport.” Beginning with the origins of wrestling in the ancient world, Jones does a good job of describing the evolution of competitive wrestling into today’s stage-crafted professional version. While amateur or Olympic wrestling still represents a true sport, professional grappling is entirely based on making money via a fixed entertainment model. At present, Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is the primary vehicle for staging and orchestrating professional wrestling events, with both live and pay-per-view events drawing thousands if not millions of viewers. This fascinating look at professional wrestling does a fine job of describing the evolution of professional wrestling, memorable matches from the past, superstars of the “sport,” controversies that limit the appeal of wresting, and the business model that supports this entertainment genre. Jones’ writing is clear and focused, allowing readers to better understand the appeal of professional wrestling. While many people scoff at wrestling, the author of this well-crafted book is quite right when he states, “What happens in wrestling is very simple. Those who love it require no explanation of what makes it so compelling. For those who hate it, no explanation will matter.” Part of the “Spectacular Sports” series. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck; Ages 12 up.

Kirkus Reviews

A tight yet thorough history of wrestling as "sports entertainment"--read that as meaning staged--from Jones. This is not the story of the sport or of two Olympians or high schoolers going at it for pin or points, but of the art of making the blows and throws look like the real thing while the outcome has been predetermined. Sometimes that is a little difficult to understand from Jones' text--"Fans understand. They know what wrestling is all about: Two men, one ring. The main event," doesn't exactly chime with "the fix is in." Similarly, the notion of staged fighting is at odds with the very real damage that can be done, as when Killer Kowlaski ripped off Yukon Eric's ear during a turnbuckle slam. Indeed, it is a tribute to Jones that he acknowledges the increasing thuggishness of professional wrestling in the 1990s that turned many away, a trend that was gradually averted. But Jones is also a fan, one who can see the fun and appreciate the personalities and the drama. He gets fairly involved in tracking the evolution of the various professional circuits and the shenanigans of the promoter Vince McMahon, but he hits an enjoyable stride when telling the stories of ring heroes--Gorgeous George, Strangler Lewis, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, The Rock--their famous bouts and their signature moves. Jones shows that the best professional wrestling is a kind of primal theater, and a far cry from the much more brutal mixed martial arts, which is sadly eclipsing its fan base. (Nonfiction. 10-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170077342
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2017
Series:	Sex Shot Series Box Set
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Related Subjects

• Kids
• Sports & Adventure - Kids
• Wrestling - Kids

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