Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #118783 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-06
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Synopsis
What does it feel like to fall through a flaming table for the very first time? Or the umpteenth time for that matter. In the fresh off-the-cuff style that has earned him legions of admirers and made his previous wrestling books massive worldwide bestsellers, Foley gives readers a blow-by-blow first-hand account of exactly what it is like to step into the wrestling ring. As a champion wrestler he was known both for his tenacity in the ring and for the fearlessness which led him to take extraordinary risks in any number of groundbreaking dangerous stunts. And as an industry insider he offers a unique perspective on what it was like to perform at that level which readers will never find anywhere else. In HARDCORE DIARIES Mick Foley will take fans right inside a hardcore match, vividly recreating his experiences, and revealing how mentally and physically preparing for this extremely challenging sport has helped him become the legend he is today.

Customer Reviews

Like a starter-enjoyable but you feel you're missing the main course
The Hardcore Diaries is an interesting and enjoyable read, which just seems to have something missing.While its unique perspective from the diary aspect is entertaining and honest,the book seems at times disjointed and the flow is sometimes questionable.You get the impression that Mick wanted to write more than he did but feels he shouldn't (eg a brief mention of the TNA situation) and can't (eg Shawn and Hunter).Also his stint when he was working for independent companies seems to be discussed in a matter of sentences.If you're a fan of Micks prior work then you will enjoy the read-just maybe left wanting more detail on certain matters.To get a more complete story then I would reccommend ROH Straight shootin' with Mick Foley on dvd which is far more compelling.

Enjoyable and amusing......but possibly running out of things to write about?
If you liked Mick Foley's other wrestling books, then you'll enjoy this - Just not as much. Written in Mick's friendly and easy to read style, this book is basically what it says - A day to day account in the life of a semi-retired wrestler. It is always interesting to see what goes on behind the curtain, and the main thread of the book is about the planning and build up of a particular hardcore match which the author is clearly passionate about. The rest is a mix of funny and sometimes moving stories of what other things Mick gets up to both in and out of wrestling.
It is an interesting life and I did enjoy the read. I just felt that there wasn't that much going on over the time frame of the diary entries to make the book as engrossing as his previous reads. Where there was controversy, Mick is quite even handed, where he criticizes someone he is very apologetic about it. It all felt a bit sanitized.
Still, Mick comes across as immensely likable as ever and his sense of fun is evident throughout. Don't buy this expecting huge shocks about what goes on behind the scenes (unless you are new to wrestling!). Don't expect any great secrets or assassinations about other people in the wrestling business.
It is worth reading as a well written, amusing and interesting account of a likable man with an unusual life.

A downturn.
Mick Foley is my favourite wrestler, and one of my favourite authors. His books Tietam Brown, Foley Is Good and Have A Nice Day! are so good that I would have bought this on the day it came out if given a choice, but unfortunately couldn't afford it and so got it out from the library instead.

It's a good job I did.

The first two Mick Foley books were goofy, hilarious, touching and genuinely revealing about the inner workings of the World Wrestling Federation, now World Wrestling Entertainment. A third autobiographical book from Foley - which many people have been crying out for in light of the demise of both WCW and ECW, the rise of TNA and Foley's semi-comeback in 2003 - was a great prospect. A third slice of the nerdy humour, Foley family history and in-ring transcriptions would've been great; but as Foley says, he's not Winston Churchill, and he didn't feel he could pull off writing a third autobiography.

Instead, we get the Hardcore Diaries, the tale of Foley's WWE feud with Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk from point of conception up to the culmination at 2006's One Night Stand. Dropped into it are several flashback tales of various charity work. And what a boring read it is.

It seems that a lot has changed in the years since his last autobiography. The most notable change is that Foley apparently has run out of ideas and isn't funny any more - he recycles several jokes from Foley Is Good and actually draws attention to it, as if that would revive their geeky charm. It doesn't.

The Mick Foley that writes this book isn't the one that wrote his previous two non-fictional books. This Foley is mad at the world, mad at Vince McMahon, disillusioned about his previous opponents, and apparently feels he doesn't have a single real friend in all of the WWE. It's a depressing book to read where the last one left us feeling like Foley had a ton of buddies in the WWE and that it was kind of like a family. This book destroys that image, and also destroys the image of Foley as a loveabe guy, instead depicting him as someome bitter, someone who holds a grudge.

I'm glad I never paid for this book, because it wouldn't have been worth the money. It's not funny, it's not particularly interesting, it's depressing, at times it's excruciating and it's even several hundred pages shorter than his previous works. If you want to hold onto your image of Mick Foley, then I advise you don't read The Hardcore Diaries.