Literary Squared Circle #33 – YEAR IN REVIEW 2021

2021 has been quite a memorable year! Thanks to some unexpected downtime in 2020, I was able to cross a few items off of my bucket list. In April, I published my first book Gone Home: The Lives, Times, and Final Resting Places of 200 Pro Wrestlers and Professional Wrestling Personalities. In May, I launched my wrestling book review blog, the Literary Squared Circle and its host website, WrestleBooks.com. In addition, I created a social media presence for WrestleBooks on Facebook and Twitter without really knowing what I was doing.

To date, I have published 32 weekly book reviews, 8 recaps/reviews for the episodes of the wrestling-themed STARZ series Heels, and a special blog entry commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Antonio Inoki’s World Wrestling Peace Festival.

My favorite book that I have reviewed this year is Liam O’Rourke’s 2017 book, Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later (.Literary Squared Circle #25). The best new book of 2021, in my opinion, is .Tortured Ambition: The Story of Herb Abrams and the UWF (Literary Squared Circle #23) by Jonathan Plombon.

Below you will find a list of every book I have reviewed this year listed from best to worst. All of the books earned between 5 Stars and 3 Stars. I do have 2 Star and 1 Star books in my library, and I will surely get around to reviewing a few of those in 2022. But for now, I would recommend any and all of the books I have reviewed thus far (some more than others).

Heels has been renewed for a second season. I look forward to recapping and reviewing future episodes of that great new series in 2022.

I thank all of those who have taken the time to read my reviews. I thank those who follow and interacted with WrestleBooks on Twitter and Facebook. I look forward to hopefully generating more interest in my blog and increasing the website’s presence on social media in the year to come.

I thank each and every one of you for your support, and I wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year!


Appreciatively,

Evan McClosky


The Literary Squared Circle Blog Year In Review 2021
#25 Crazy Like A Fox by Liam O’Rourke, 2017 (5 Stars)
#15 Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks by Fred Blassie & Keith Elliot Greenberg, 2003 (5 Stars)
#23 Tortured Ambition by Jonathan Plombon, 2021 (5 Stars)
#01 The Eighth Wonder Of The World by Bertrand Hébert & Pat Laprade, 2020 (5 Stars)
#17 To Be The Man by Ric Flair & Keith Elliot Greenberg, 2004 (5 Stars)
#07 Master Of The Ring by Tim Hornbaker, 2020 (5 Stars)
#30 Undisputed by Chris Jericho with Peter Thomas Fornatale, 2011 (5 Stars)
#18 Jim Cornette Presents: Behind the Curtain by Jim Cornette, 2019 (5 Stars)
#02 Life Is Short And So Am I by Dylan “Hornswoggle” Postl, 2019 (5 Stars)
#31 Saint Mick by Mick Foley, 2017 (5 Stars)
#06 Ali vs. Inoki by Josh Gross, 2016 (5 Stars)
#24 Minnesota Wrecking Crew by Dick Bourne, 2011 (5 Stars)
#14 It’s True! It’s True! by Kurt Angle, 2002 (5 Stars)
#21 The Ultimate WWE Trivia Book by Aaron Feigenbaum, et al., 2002 (5 Stars)

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#10 Rey Mysterio by Jeremy Roberts, 2009 (4 Stars)
#16 Accepted by Pat Patterson with Bertrand Hébert, 2016 (4 Stars)
#29 Adventures In Larryland! by Larry Zbyszko, 2008 (4 Stars)
#20 Shrapnel Of The Soul And Redemption by Pepper Martin & Penny Lane, 2016 (4 Stars)
#04 JR’s Cookbook by Jim “J.R.” Ross, 2003 (4 Stars)
#05 Brody by Larry Matysik & Barbara Goodish, 2007 (4 Stars)
#32 I’m Next by Bill Goldberg & Steve Goldberg, 2000 (4 Stars)
#09 I Ain’t Got Time To Bleed by Jesse Ventura, 1999 (4 Stars)

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#19 The Road Warriors by Joe “Animal” Laurinaitis & Andrew William Wright, 2011 (3 Stars)
#26 Tell Me To My Face by Angelo Mosca & Steve Milton, 2011 (3 Stars)
#27 The Rock Says… by The Rock with Joe Layden, 2000(3 Stars)
#12 How To Become A Champion by Herb Welch, 2019 (3 Stars)
#08 Hollywood Hulk Hogan by Hulk Hogan with Michael Jan Friedman, 2003 (3 Stars)
#28 Have More Money Now by John “Bradshaw” Layfield, 2003 (3 Stars)
#13 The Book Of Booty by The New Day, 2018 (3 Stars)
#11 Are We There Yet? by Robert Caprio, 2005 (3 Stars)
#22 Killer Pics by Walter Kowalski, 2001 (3 Stars)


#03 World Wrestling Peace Festival - SPECIAL