The layout can throw you off a bit at first. But, as you go through it the way this book is written grows on you. I picked it up for a dollar at a local Dollar Tree hardcover nonetheless I highly recommend this book to any Mick Foley fans out there. Especially at such a cheap price. Just 1 too many books from Mr. Still entertaining, but not his best. Jul 13, L. A nice conclusion to the real-life epic.
Nov 13, Richard Evey jr. Very enjoyable and, as it's his non-WWE book, he reveals all sorts of info about his time there. Nov 18, Navarra rated it liked it. There are a lot of things for which I can thank Mick Foley. First and foremost of these things is how a person completely apathetic and perhaps even rather repelled by professional wrestling can learn to thoroughly enjoy books about wrestlers.
Mick writes his own stuff. Other things I can thank Mick for is my love of the historian David McCullough, the capacity to use wrestling terminology with my husband, and an appreciation for the entertainment arts of professionally wrestling. Yes, professional wrestling is not real in that it is not a dead-serious competition circumscribed by strictly enforced rules, but the athleticism is there in spades.
It is a sport of strategy and meta-strategy in ways with which Greco-Roman style wrestling never has to bother itself. This is not to suggest that I read all of it deeply.
I almost sure Mick intended the Wrestle-Meter a graphic representation of the amount of wrestling-focused material of each chapter to allow fans to gloss over non-wrestling related chapters, if they so chose. For the most part, I did the opposite. However, there are always interesting tidbits of jokes, pranks, entertainment strategy and a familiarizing of oneself with other wrestlers that make skipping over them entirely to be impossible and ill-advised. Even though this is book is not one of his most fluid of his chronicles, he does apologize for the bumpy ride and any other shortcomings in the afterword.
Countdown to Lockdown is Mick Foley's fourth wrestling memoir. I was pleased to discover that this time around he was in a much happier place than at the time of writing number three. The Hardcore Diaries ended its story on a vaguely unhappy note, as a seemingly disillusioned Foley looked back on a professionally frustrating period in his life. There was no mistaking the sense that he wasn't happy with the way his career was going.
The book skips back and forth in time a little, as we learn the whys and wherefores of the move, and how things have changed.
Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal - Mick Foley - Google Книги
While Foley's Hardcore Diaries account of the weeks before WWE's One Night Stand event saw him banging his head against creative brick walls and struggling to put together a match he could be proud of, Countdown to Lockdown covers a similar period under different circumstances. Foley's ideas are taken on board this time, and now his main obstacle is his own physical condition. Foley steps up to the challenge more readily when he feels he is the master of his own destiny and is determined to give the fans a good show.
His descriptions of promos, matches and general build-up contain more of the passion and fire that defined his wrestling golden years, and the book is much better as a result. Of course, all of this positivity has to be viewed with the knowledge that, by , Foley's relationship with TNA would sour, leading to his return to WWE as an occasional guest.
The wrestling world moves on quickly, and there's always time for another reconciliation, another crack of the whip. While the diary sections of Countdown to Lockdown are more upbeat, Foley doesn't shy away from some of the more recent wrestling controversies including the Chris Benoit murder-suicide and the ensuing media storm. This is where Foley proves himself to be a cut above the average wrestler in terms of insight, sensitivity and willingness to tackle the thorny issue of steroid use.
I can't think of anyone else who could have covered the subjects with such deep background knowledge gained from a life in the business, and the kind of honesty that comes from a firm ocnviction that, no matter how difficult, these things must be said. In the end, I'm just a fan of Mick Foley's work. I will continue to read these memoirs as long as he continues to write them and, as such, my opinion on this book is even further than usual from objective.
Put simply, I think that wrestling fans are lucky there's a guy doing what he does with these memoirs. Jan 14, Brandon rated it liked it. I finished this during SSR at work while most of the students were off taking a group picture. Attempts is the key word here because Foley takes the approach of alternating every third or so chapter as a "Countdown" to the match, while the rest of the chapters focus on various and sundry topics, from his short I finished this during SSR at work while most of the students were off taking a group picture.
Attempts is the key word here because Foley takes the approach of alternating every third or so chapter as a "Countdown" to the match, while the rest of the chapters focus on various and sundry topics, from his short stint as a WWE announcer to his charity work all with lots and lots of Tori Amos. Seriously, this guy loves him some Tori. Each of Foley's memoirs declined in quality after the inaugural entry, but I'd rank this one slightly above The Hardcore Diaries, his last wrestling-related book, because there's a lot more for him to cover this time around. In The Hardcore Diaries, Foley did a better job of chronicling the one match and how the build-up to what he wanted to do for that storyline went horribly askew of his original vision.
However, in addition to the build-up to this particular match in the Six Sides of Steel TNA's fancy name for a cage match , Foley covers his departure from WWE, his decision to sign with TNA, and shares his thoughts on the state of wrestling. While the timing of events is often confusing, his take on what happens - getting yelled at and disrespected on commentary by Vince McMahon, coming back for WWE championship matches he wasn't prepared for, and the Benoit family tragedy - makes for reading that is compelling and thoughtful.
At the same time, there are some completely throwaway and filler chapters devoted to Kurt Angle being overly sensitive about his amateur record and his kids really liking the Motor City Machine Guns. Foley's writing style almost makes up for it as it is conversational and self-deprecating, but too much space is devoted to inconsequential material that ends with a fart or fat joke at Mick's expense.
However, the highlight of the book is Foley's trip to Africa, showing the difference his charity work in Sierra Leone has done for the people there. It's easy to dismiss the pages devoted to his charitable contributions and time spent with RAINN or ChildFund International as self-congratulatory, but I didn't see it that way and found these chapters to be the most affecting and effective in the entire book.
After my wife and I get a good assessment of our financial situation post-taxes, I'm really hoping to sponsor a child through Child Fund and that's all due to Mick Foley's description of his experience. As a book, I merely "liked" it, but I think, if things work out well, I'll come to appreciate this volume of Foley's memoirs later on a lot more as an inspiration. Sep 27, Nick rated it really liked it. I am apparently one of the few people who enjoyed Foley's previous book, The Hardcore Diaries , so I was happy to read in the introduction that this book follows the same format - that is to say the birth, life, and hopefully successful climax of a single wrestling angle.
In "Hardcore Diaries", it was a fairly horrible journey, with our author at the end wishing he'd just stayed at home, but happily at the end of "Countdown to Lockdown" everything goes about as well as it can when you have a I am apparently one of the few people who enjoyed Foley's previous book, The Hardcore Diaries , so I was happy to read in the introduction that this book follows the same format - that is to say the birth, life, and hopefully successful climax of a single wrestling angle. In "Hardcore Diaries", it was a fairly horrible journey, with our author at the end wishing he'd just stayed at home, but happily at the end of "Countdown to Lockdown" everything goes about as well as it can when you have a pound, year old retired wrestler lacing up the boots one last time.
As always, Foley is a gifted author with a deft touch for understatement and setting up horrible, obvious jokes that make you laugh anyway after they land. On the downside, he also continues his bad habit of rambling about how much he loves a random celebrity having now moved from Katie Couric to Tori Amos, who he won't stop talking about. For this book he introduces the "Wrestlemeter", a device that is supposed to let you know how much he's going to be talking about Tori Amos or his charitable work in Sierra Leone as opposed to the main thrust of the book, which is dissecting in fascinating detail what goes into a modern wrestling angle.
To be honest, I don't think the Wrestlemeter works. It's not specifically that I only want to read about wrestling, it's more that I just don't want to hear him going on about how much he loves Tori Amos for pages. In fact one of my favorite parts of the entire book has nothing to do with wrestling, it's Foley admitting to and then describing in amusing detail his watching and then re-watching in slow motion a scene from Mad Men trying to see if the actress is using a body double when he's supposed to be working out.
In that respect, the Wrestlemeter is actually unnecessary; All you need to do is start flipping pages when you see "Tori Amos" or "Sierra Leone" sorry, orphans and you'll be fine. I don't think I really skipped that many pages - maybe 10 or 15 out of a page book - and the rest is just as good as anything he's ever written. Recommended for wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans alike, or, I guess, Tori Amos fans? Jul 20, Paul Pessolano rated it liked it. His books about his life as a wrestler are both insightful and enlightening. Foley makes no bones about professional wrestling as entertainment.
He readily admits that the sport if one can call it a sport has predetermined outcomes and that the matches are scripted to some degree. He also is not one of the beefed up wrestlers you see today, in fact, he could be considered dumpy and overweight. Foley does admit that even though the matches are scripted the broken bones and blood are real, no blood capsules or ketchup. He loved his chosen profession and gave his all for the fans; he probably shed more blood and created more excitement than any other wrestler. Foley is also unusual in that he is a family man, a husband to his wife and father to his children, not easy to do in this profession.
He is also a humanitarian, always there to help a good cause. A match that sees him coming out of retirement and joining a new organization. This book does not have the excitement nor does it hold the interest of the reader as the other books did, but it is still a good read and is remarkable in that it was written by him, without a ghost writer. Mar 19, Tanya rated it liked it Shelves: The book was good, but was a bit sadder and more serious than Foley's previous books. He expresses all of his worries, fears and doubts leading up to the match. His acceptance of his diminished in-ring abilities is honest, yet sad.
He mixes in humor with serious subjects and the book switches between past and present. Past being his last year or so in the WWE an The book was good, but was a bit sadder and more serious than Foley's previous books. Past being his last year or so in the WWE and how he felt about his departure from the company. He also talks about his charity work, which made me like him even more. The fact that he takes the time to go to Sierra Leone and Mexico to visit children that he sponsors and to help build schools is really cool. He had a chapter in the book called "Open Letter" that's full of excellent advise for current or aspiring wrestlers.
It discusses the importance of having something to fall back on. In another chapter he gives his thoughts on steroid use in the business. Reading about his various matches was neat because it was like re-watching the ones that I've seen. I'd recommend this for Foley's fans and for anybody who's been a fan of professional wrestling in the past 20 years. Mar 03, Oliver Bateman rated it really liked it. I was initially quite skeptical of this book, thinking it little more than good-humored "day-in-the-life" account from Foley--a competent writer, to be sure, but also surely a man at the end of his creative rope.
However, several essays scattered throughout this diary are surprisingly excellent. Foley's "letter to a young wrestler" in the wake of Benoit's death, comments on the increasing crassness and stupidity of McMahon's booking strategies, remarks on the significance of Tori Amos' music to I was initially quite skeptical of this book, thinking it little more than good-humored "day-in-the-life" account from Foley--a competent writer, to be sure, but also surely a man at the end of his creative rope.
Foley's "letter to a young wrestler" in the wake of Benoit's death, comments on the increasing crassness and stupidity of McMahon's booking strategies, remarks on the significance of Tori Amos' music to his own subjective life as a performer, and critique of mindless PED scaremongering easily among the best essays I've ever read on this subject by anyone, public intellectuals and academics included are a sign that he should probably be doing more serious writing for places like Salon, Slate, etc.
Not essential reading by any means, but don't overlook this one: Aug 06, Justin Sylvia rated it really liked it. I am actually kind of bummed that the T. Show that Mick mentioned in his book didn't end up working out for a very idiotic reason, one of which you'll have to discover by reading this book yourself.
I really hope that Mick decided to write more books like this because i completely and absolutely love this type of writing, especially with the wrestling meter thrown in. To me, personally, it wouldn't of matter if it had one or not, but i did however enjoy reading non-related wrestling stuff amongst the wrestling related stuff. If your a big fan of Mick like i am then i highly recommend this book to you.
Dec 14, Hephaestus rated it really liked it. The book went above and beyond my expectations, delivering a tremendous literary understanding while not sacrificing the pacing of a compelling story. The book was everything I had hoped it would be, delivering a terrific story while not blowing my mind.
- Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal by Mick Foley - FictionDB.
- How to Rebuild & Modify Chevy 348/409 Engines (NONE).
- Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal.
- Wake the Dawn: A Novel;
- Sicherheitsfragen zu Facebook: Facebook und Ihre Sicherheit, Freunde vorsichtig auswählen (German Edition)!
The book was average - which does NOT mean bad. The book may have been well written, but the story was nothing special. The book was below average. It did not meet my expectations and Hephaestus' rating system: It did not meet my expectations and was an unfortunate flop. I wouldn't read it again, but didn't necessarily hate reading it. The book was the biggest letdown. It was not fun to read in the slightest, and may have even caused me to stop reading only partially through. Jun 05, Reid Harris Cooper rated it it was amazing.
I've just finished with Cactus Jack's latest memoir detailing his last years in the WWE through his debut in TNA and the night he fought Sting at Lockdown in a steel cage match for the world title. While the wrestling sections are wonderful, fully detailing his mindset of not continuing with the WWE for a final time to the thought process that lead to things like this The best sections are the truly sincere tales of his visits from charity and child spon I've just finished with Cactus Jack's latest memoir detailing his last years in the WWE through his debut in TNA and the night he fought Sting at Lockdown in a steel cage match for the world title.
The best sections are the truly sincere tales of his visits from charity and child sponsorship, and his true admiration for Tori Amos, they're heartwarming and show the sensitive, real man behind the Hardcore Legend. Dec 10, Gef rated it it was ok Shelves: I'm no longer a wrestling fan, but I remembered how intriguing Foley's first memoir was and figured this one would be as well. Unfortunately, this one didn't provide the same impact--oh lord, a pun--as his first book. Maybe it's because I cannot bring myself to sit through the doldrums of pro wrestling anymore, or maybe Foley's constant m One of the books that brought me back to reading nearly a decade ago was Mick Foley's Have A Nice Day , so when I spied this book I thought I would give it a go.
Maybe it's because I cannot bring myself to sit through the doldrums of pro wrestling anymore, or maybe Foley's constant meanderings and wild tangents aren't nearly as endearing as they once were.
Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal
I'm sure those still a fan of rasslin' will find something to like here, but as for me, I would be better off re-reading Have A Nice Day. Learn more about Amazon Prime. Mick Foley is back and Countdown to Lockdown tells us the story of his spectacular return, his last days with the WWE, as well as a blow-by-blow account of the five weeks leading up to the day when Mick faced off against one of his greatest opponents - 'The Icon' Sting.
As one of the most bizarre and fearless stars of wrestling in recent times, Mick is known for taking extraordinary risks to remain at the peak of his game. Countdown to Lockdown is a no-holds-barred, behind the scenes account of his mental and physical preparation for the TNA Lockdown - in many ways, the most important wrestling match of his career. This is put in context with Foley's memories, thoughts and opinions of WWE as well as life outside the ring from the Benoit deaths and the 'Royal Rumble' to Sierra Leone and his meeting with former President Bill Clinton.
Full of action from inside the ring, the drama of his last days with the WWE, Foley's trademark humour as well as an industry insider's view of professional wrestling today, Foley fans will not be disappointed. Read more Read less. Customers who bought this item also bought. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. My Life in Wrestling.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed. No Is a Four-Letter Word: King of Strong Style: Orion October 1, Language: Related Video Shorts 0 Upload your video. Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. His obsession with Tori Amos' song "Winter" sometimes There's no question concerning Mick's ability to convey his thoughts on paper. His writing style is his own and quite interesting.
Even professional at best. His obsession with Tori Amos' song "Winter" sometimes gets overbearing. Maybe it's his obsession with the song that helped Mick keep his sanity in the wacky world or pro wrestling.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Although he credits Vice McMahon with giving him the opportunity to hit the "big time", Mick still concludes that Vince was still no more no less a pro wrestling promoter cut throat,out for every buck he could make, usually at the expense of the pro wrestler. It appears her knockout good looks may have been influential in forming his opinion of her. However, Dixie did let him experiment with his own ideas which was very limited under the rule of Vince. Few pro wrestlers have sacrificed their health and bodies in the world of pro wrestling as Mick has.
His one ear will attest to that fact. I can't help but wonder what he will look like when he turns 60? Knowing that the outcome of matches are scripted does not detract from the fact the bumps the wrestlers endure, just to give the fans their moneys worth. This book is not as good as Micks previous literary endeavors but still well worth reading. I actually feel bad for Mick Foley because I think he is a great writer and I've read everything he's ever written - even the children's books to my kids.
But this one seemed forced and recycled. If you read any of his other non-fiction books, probably no need to read this one as most of the great wrestling stories are in there again. The best chapters were the ones where he introduces a new experience which is why I still think the book has some interest. I actually dreaded the chapters about the actual "Countdown to Lockdown" because they lacked focus and seemed repititious.
There's really nothing new - even when Mick had a chance to bash the WWE for how he was treated.
- Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal by Mick Foley;
- See a Problem?.
- tandjfoods.com: Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal (): Foley, Mick Foley: Books.
I'll probably still read anything he puts out in the future, because there were still some interesting thoughts in here, just not his best. If i would have to put these book in order from what i liked best this book would surly be number 2 after have a nice day. I was immediately sucked in even though i havent watched wrestling in ages or even any of the tna stuff but i felt like i missed out. Im glad i spent the money on this book and it was totally worth my time.
Im glad mick foley doesnt go the jose canseco route and point fingers and drop names when it comes to talking about some of the darker parts of wrestling but i am glad he acknowledges it exists. Anyways hopefully some people take a chance and they buy this book in some way shape or form.