The Squared Circle Lib/E: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling

David Shoemaker's sports writing has struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who, like him, grew up worshiping a sport often derided as "fake" in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestlers are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world. Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, this is the first book to acknowledge both the sport's broader significance and wrestling fans' keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period's preeminent wrestlers, and examines the sport's influence on our broader culture.