Literary Squared Circle #35 – SUPERFLY
This Saturday, January 15th, marks the 5th anniversary of the death of one of the biggest, and most controversial, stars to ever enter the squared circle. In memory of “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, the Literary Squared Circle reviews at his 2012 memoir Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story by Jimmy Snuka with Jon Chattman (Triumph Books, 2012).
I am not the type of person who skips ahead in books. I read books from beginning to end, and do not jump ahead just because I can’t wait to see what happens. However, I must admit I did break this rule when I received my copy of Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story when it was released 10 years ago. Once the book was in my hands, I immediately began looking for where Snuka discusses the death of Nancy Argentino in 1983. (For those wondering, it’s on page 91, “About Nancy Argentino”)
Snuka (through obvious ghostwriter Jon Chattman) describes Argentino as a “friend” with whom he “hangs out” and “sleeps with” when he was on the East Coast. He then tells the story of how the two were driving from Connecticut to Pennsylvania for a television taping. They were drinking beer and Snuka pulled the car over so Argentino could pee. When she was returning to the car, Snuka claims she fell and hit her head. She said she was fine, went to sleep that night, and didn’t wake up the next morning having suffered a fractured skull when she fell.
Snuka discusses being questioned by police, but denies any wrongdoing. He then made himself out to be the victim because so many people have vilified him over the years and none of those accusations are true. The only problem with this version of the events surrounding the death of Nancy Argentino are that they contradict the story Snuka had been telling everyone for nearly three decades.
The established story had been that Snuka and Argentino had been doing drugs and started playfully roughhousing in their motel room. He pushed her and she accidently fell and hit her head on the wall. This is what reportedly caused the injury which led to her demise. Even more interesting, were the results of Argentino’s autopsy results which stated that her injuries were “suggestive of ‘mate’ abuse” and “should be investigated as a homicide”.
After the release of Superfly in 2012, the investigation into Argentino’s death was re-opened. In early 2014, the case was turned over to a grand jury. In September 2015, Jimmy Snuka was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. He plead not guilty. By the time the trial was set to begin, Snuka’s health had deteriorated and he was deemed not mentally competent to stand trial. On January 3, 2017, charges were dismissed. Less than two weeks later, on January 15, 2017, Jimmy Snuka died from stomach cancer at the age of 73.
Of course, all of this happened after Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story had been released. Superfly is your average, run-of-the-mill, ghostwritten wrestler autobiography. Despite having the word “brudda” tacked on to the end of seemingly every other sentence, the book comes across as being a secondhand retelling of Snuka’s story.
Snuka’s life and career are covered, though not in great detail. The actual narrative is just over 150 pages. That is followed by a career timeline, a Snuka family tree, a dictionary covering Fijian and Hawaiian terms used by Snuka in the book, and more. The additional materials seem to be there just to get the book over 200 pages.
Despite the rather pedestrian telling of Snuka’s story, there are some great photos sprinkled throughout the book. Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story is not a great book, nor is it a particularly bad book. With the exception of the intrigue regarding Nancy Argentino’s death, the book is very forgettable. Snuka was a huge star, and one of the most controversial figures ever in professional wrestling. So many other wrestler memoirs have crazy stories about Snuka that Superfly came off as a watered down telling of the Snuka’s own story.
Unlike Jimmy Snuka’s Superfly Splash off the top of the cage onto Don Muraco in Madison Square Garden, his book Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story missed it’s mark. Fans of Snuka will want to check this book out. All others might want to pass on this one, brudda.
3 Stars out of 5
I am not the type of person who skips ahead in books. I read books from beginning to end, and do not jump ahead just because I can’t wait to see what happens. However, I must admit I did break this rule when I received my copy of Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story when it was released 10 years ago. Once the book was in my hands, I immediately began looking for where Snuka discusses the death of Nancy Argentino in 1983. (For those wondering, it’s on page 91, “About Nancy Argentino”)
Snuka (through obvious ghostwriter Jon Chattman) describes Argentino as a “friend” with whom he “hangs out” and “sleeps with” when he was on the East Coast. He then tells the story of how the two were driving from Connecticut to Pennsylvania for a television taping. They were drinking beer and Snuka pulled the car over so Argentino could pee. When she was returning to the car, Snuka claims she fell and hit her head. She said she was fine, went to sleep that night, and didn’t wake up the next morning having suffered a fractured skull when she fell.
Snuka discusses being questioned by police, but denies any wrongdoing. He then made himself out to be the victim because so many people have vilified him over the years and none of those accusations are true. The only problem with this version of the events surrounding the death of Nancy Argentino are that they contradict the story Snuka had been telling everyone for nearly three decades.
The established story had been that Snuka and Argentino had been doing drugs and started playfully roughhousing in their motel room. He pushed her and she accidently fell and hit her head on the wall. This is what reportedly caused the injury which led to her demise. Even more interesting, were the results of Argentino’s autopsy results which stated that her injuries were “suggestive of ‘mate’ abuse” and “should be investigated as a homicide”.
After the release of Superfly in 2012, the investigation into Argentino’s death was re-opened. In early 2014, the case was turned over to a grand jury. In September 2015, Jimmy Snuka was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. He plead not guilty. By the time the trial was set to begin, Snuka’s health had deteriorated and he was deemed not mentally competent to stand trial. On January 3, 2017, charges were dismissed. Less than two weeks later, on January 15, 2017, Jimmy Snuka died from stomach cancer at the age of 73.
Of course, all of this happened after Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story had been released. Superfly is your average, run-of-the-mill, ghostwritten wrestler autobiography. Despite having the word “brudda” tacked on to the end of seemingly every other sentence, the book comes across as being a secondhand retelling of Snuka’s story.
Snuka’s life and career are covered, though not in great detail. The actual narrative is just over 150 pages. That is followed by a career timeline, a Snuka family tree, a dictionary covering Fijian and Hawaiian terms used by Snuka in the book, and more. The additional materials seem to be there just to get the book over 200 pages.
Despite the rather pedestrian telling of Snuka’s story, there are some great photos sprinkled throughout the book. Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story is not a great book, nor is it a particularly bad book. With the exception of the intrigue regarding Nancy Argentino’s death, the book is very forgettable. Snuka was a huge star, and one of the most controversial figures ever in professional wrestling. So many other wrestler memoirs have crazy stories about Snuka that Superfly came off as a watered down telling of the Snuka’s own story.
Unlike Jimmy Snuka’s Superfly Splash off the top of the cage onto Don Muraco in Madison Square Garden, his book Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story missed it’s mark. Fans of Snuka will want to check this book out. All others might want to pass on this one, brudda.
3 Stars out of 5
No comments have been added yet.
