A breakthrough examination of the professional wrestling, its history, its fans, and its wider cultural impact
"The Squared Circle" grows out of David Shoemaker's writing for Deadspin, where he started the column "Dead Wrestler of the Week" (which boasts more than 1 million page views)--a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to--and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro wrestling world, and its place in the pop culture mainstream. Shoemaker's sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who--like him--grew up worshipping a sport often derided as "fake" in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars 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, "The Squared Circle "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 the sport's influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art.
Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence--but also offering a compelling look at the sport's rightful place in pop culture--"The Squared Circle "is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the awesomeness of Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Sporting a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%, Certified Fresh, the Rock embodies everything we want from our Hollywood superstars and everything we admire in those who so boldly pursue the American Dream. But how did it all happen? How did a loathed professional wrestler become the most famous person in the world? Was it just good timing? Years of trial and error? Countless hours in the gym? A winning smile? Or his total mastery of Instagram Stories? For Your Consideration: Dwayne The Rock Johnson looks at the distinct phases of the legend s career, examining the ways in which he has become both an onscreen heartthrob and an off-screen hero. Also included are a ranking of his movies from Awesome to More Awesome, a theoretical road map to EGOT, a breakdown of his seven-meals-a-day diet, and much, much more.

Professional wrestling possesses a global appeal across national, regional, racial, and gender boundaries. The essays collected in this volume represent the most diverse array of topics and contributors ever assembled for the academic study of pro wrestling. Utilizing a wide variety of academic disciplines, including communications, literary studies, history, kinesiology, psychology the eighteen contributors deal with various issues of national, regional, and gender identity in pro wrestling, from the construction of a positive Iranian identity in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis, to fan culture clashes between wrestling and MMA fans, to Brazilian and French authorities' efforts to regulate the sport at the turn of the twentieth century, among many others. This volume is an important contribution to the growing body of academic literature on professional wrestling, especially on the issues of national, regional, racial, and gender identity.

Introduced in the Pacific Northwest in 1883, professional wrestling's long and storied history in the region has contributed significantly to its culture. This entertaining account of the wrestling industry in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia provides a comprehensive account of more than 130 years of events in the ring and behind the scenes. The author draws connections between developments in wrestling and the changing identity of the Pacific Northwest.