BOOK REVIEW: Chris Jericho - A Lion's Tale - Around the World in Spandex

This past Christmas, good ol' Santa Claus brought me a copy of The Best in the World (at what I have no idea), the third memoir from WWE Superstar, Fozzy frontman, and one-time Goldberg-goader, Chris Jericho. Before I got into reading it however, I wanted to go right back to the beginning of Y2J's journey, and picked up my old copy of A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex. 

Though I'll often claim that A Lion's Tale is up there in my top three all-time favourite wrestling book's (Foley's original bestseller and Bret Hart's epic autobiography being the other two), it's been a good few years since I last sat down to recount Jericho's journey from body slamming his buddy in their high school Big Time Wrestling Federation to his memorable WWF debut in the summer of 1999.

Going back through it over the past week, I've remembered quite clearly why I fell in love with this book in the first place. Jericho's remarkable attention to detail, coupled with a level of humility that's pretty rare in the pro wrestling industry, make him a captivating storyteller as he pulls you along the proverbial rollercoaster of emotions.

One minute you're laughing out loud at some of the more awkward interactions a young Chris Irvine has with his heroes (My name's Chris, too), the next you're rooting for the plucky young Lion Heart as he scratches and claws his way through an industry littered with over-inflated egos and backstage politics. In between, Jericho tugs at the heartstrings when talking about his mother and her tragic accident and his genuine love for his wrestling brothers, provides fascinating insights into the less-than-glamorous side of working his way up in the industry and then returns to the trademark Y2J humour.

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I have no shame in admitting that the former Undisputed Champion is something of a personal hero of mine, as much -if not more- for his work ethic and unwavering commitment to pursuing his dreams as anything he's ever done on television to keep me and millions of other fans entertained. As such, though I doubt the man will ever read this review, I do need to say thank you to Chris for documenting his journey in A Lion's Tale. 

The story is nothing short of inspiring, and having been unable to put this book down over the last couple of days, I feel more motivated having just finished this book at 8.30 on a Tuesday morning than I have in a long while. 

The book has also rekindled my love for pro wrestling, something that I've found severely lacking in the last couple of months since I last wrote anything here on Retro Pro Wrestling. Though I'm pretty sure I'll never be as passionate about the current product as I was about the stuff I grew up with, Around the World in Spandex was the perfect reminder of why I fell in love with this unique sport in the first place, and for that, if nothing else, I consider this book not just one of my top three, but quite possibly the best pro wrestling memoir ever written. 

Thanks, Lion Heart.

Other pro wrestling book reviews: 

• Mick Foley: Have a Nice Day - A Tale of Blood and Sweat Socks
• Mick Foley: Hardcore Diaries 
• Hollywood Hulk Hogan - Autobiography
• Adam Copeland - On Edge
• R.D Reynolds & Bryan Alvarez - The Death of WCW 
• William Regal - Walking a Golden Mile
• Chris Jericho - Best in the World: At What I Have No Idea