Literary Squared Circle #11 – ARE WE THERE YET?
Summer vacation season is in full swing! It is estimated that over two-thirds of Americans will be hitting the road this summer. Now that live audiences have returned, WWE Superstars are hitting the road as well; not for vacation, but for touring. To celebrate summer travel, the Literary Squared Circle blog reviews the book, Are We There Yet?: Tales from the Never-Ending Travels of WWE Superstars by Robert Caprio (Gallery Books, 2005).
Are We There Yet? is a collection of short stories about the travel experience of members of the WWE roster circa 2005. John Cena, Matt Hardy, Kane, Lita, Michael Cole, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho, Big Show, and dozens of others contribute stories to the book. Their stories are divided up into categories that include: “The Good…”, “The Bad…”, “and the Just Plain Bizarre”, “Back in the Day”, “Food”, and “The Bathroom”. It should be noted that “The Bathroom” section is authored by just one wrestler, Big Show. He describes the many complications which come with being a giant forced to use the small bathrooms in Japan.
Some of the stories will be familiar to long-time wrestling fans, but the majority are of the never-before-heard variety. There are all kinds of stories: funny, serious, touching, disgusting, etc. One funny story that stuck with me was Kane describing how he was given the key to the wrong room when he checked into a hotel. Still wearing his makeup from that night’s show, he opened the door to what he thought was his room, only to startle an elderly couple.
Another funny story had Trish Stratus being mistaken for Britney Spears. Other stories had wrestlers meeting various celebrities on the road. Sgt. Slaughter meeting former President Richard Nixon and Chris Jericho meeting Donald Sutherland are two that come to mind. There’s even a story from Paul Heyman about how, as a teenager, he befriended Freddie Blassie whom he cites as an inspiration to pursue a career in professional wrestling.
Ribs also play a major role in the book, and not in the “Food” section. Al Snow recounts ribs Marty Jannetty played on him during their travels. The Brooklyn Brawler remembers his time on the road with The Iron Sheik, who used fraudulent credit cards to pay for hotels, leaving Brawler stuck with the bills.
In addition to the amusing stories, serious topics are also addressed. Chavo Guerrero Jr. discusses missing his family while on the road in “The Sacrifice” chapter. Mark Henry discusses how much he misses his friend and former travel companion, the late Owen Hart in “The Fraternity” chapter. Finally, Ivory recounts the experiences of her and a few other Divas who were out on the road when 9/11 occurred, and the uncertainties they faced together while away from their loved ones.
Overall, Are We There Yet?: Tales from the Never-Ending Travels of WWE Superstars is a fun read. It would be a good book to throw into your bag as you set off on your summer vacation. It’s light summer reading; not fantastic, but not bad. I enjoy the stories from the road that wrestlers have to tell. Whether it’s the old-timers from the territorial days, who were often on the road 350 days a year or more, or the Superstars from 15 years ago who the book estimates were on the road 240 days a year. Their stories are always unique, and often very entertaining. If you like road stories, check out Are We There Yet?
3 Stars out of 5
Are We There Yet? is a collection of short stories about the travel experience of members of the WWE roster circa 2005. John Cena, Matt Hardy, Kane, Lita, Michael Cole, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho, Big Show, and dozens of others contribute stories to the book. Their stories are divided up into categories that include: “The Good…”, “The Bad…”, “and the Just Plain Bizarre”, “Back in the Day”, “Food”, and “The Bathroom”. It should be noted that “The Bathroom” section is authored by just one wrestler, Big Show. He describes the many complications which come with being a giant forced to use the small bathrooms in Japan.
Some of the stories will be familiar to long-time wrestling fans, but the majority are of the never-before-heard variety. There are all kinds of stories: funny, serious, touching, disgusting, etc. One funny story that stuck with me was Kane describing how he was given the key to the wrong room when he checked into a hotel. Still wearing his makeup from that night’s show, he opened the door to what he thought was his room, only to startle an elderly couple.
Another funny story had Trish Stratus being mistaken for Britney Spears. Other stories had wrestlers meeting various celebrities on the road. Sgt. Slaughter meeting former President Richard Nixon and Chris Jericho meeting Donald Sutherland are two that come to mind. There’s even a story from Paul Heyman about how, as a teenager, he befriended Freddie Blassie whom he cites as an inspiration to pursue a career in professional wrestling.
Ribs also play a major role in the book, and not in the “Food” section. Al Snow recounts ribs Marty Jannetty played on him during their travels. The Brooklyn Brawler remembers his time on the road with The Iron Sheik, who used fraudulent credit cards to pay for hotels, leaving Brawler stuck with the bills.
In addition to the amusing stories, serious topics are also addressed. Chavo Guerrero Jr. discusses missing his family while on the road in “The Sacrifice” chapter. Mark Henry discusses how much he misses his friend and former travel companion, the late Owen Hart in “The Fraternity” chapter. Finally, Ivory recounts the experiences of her and a few other Divas who were out on the road when 9/11 occurred, and the uncertainties they faced together while away from their loved ones.
Overall, Are We There Yet?: Tales from the Never-Ending Travels of WWE Superstars is a fun read. It would be a good book to throw into your bag as you set off on your summer vacation. It’s light summer reading; not fantastic, but not bad. I enjoy the stories from the road that wrestlers have to tell. Whether it’s the old-timers from the territorial days, who were often on the road 350 days a year or more, or the Superstars from 15 years ago who the book estimates were on the road 240 days a year. Their stories are always unique, and often very entertaining. If you like road stories, check out Are We There Yet?
3 Stars out of 5
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