World Wrestling Insanity: The Decline and Fall of a Family Empire

James Guttman uses a great sense of humor to develop major themes in the stagnation of the WWE. He tackles the storylines that have pushed HHH to super-duper star status after he married into the McMahon family and serious topics like racisim and sexism through interviews with industry insiders like Tom Pritchard, Missy Hyatt, Terry Funk and D-Lo Brown. The chapter on the bumbling and stumbling Diva Search was especially telling about a company that much too often demonstrates little clue on how to create unique storylines and equally proven inept in protecting new employees from abuse by "the boys in the locker room." In a short section, Guttman questions why the wrestlers have yet to demand a union to better protect their rights as entertainers and a means to assist them upon retiring. It is amazing that Vince McMahon has failed in every attempt to branch his product out from the core that is wrestling. His bodybuilding group folded after countless millions of dollars dumped into it began to have a bottom-line impact on the WWF and the XFL was an absolute joke. How about that slick reality show on MTV? Gone. The McMahons take all criticism very personal, which is not unlike many entities in the sports and entertainment industries. But the McMahons have evolved the WWE into a family fun park and who cares if the public doesn't like the rides. Where else will a fan - or a wrestler - go? At the end of the book, Guttman comes out as a person more concerned about the future of the company than those running the show.

I've read other wrestling books before but found this one stood out. The book found a way to combine humor with wrestling analysis that readers of James Guttman's work have come to apreciate. I was very happy with this book and was more than happy to reccommend it to other people.

The best part of "World Wrestling Insanity: The Decline and Fall of a Family Empire" is that it will always be there as a look at WWE's craziest and most insane time period. The author uses sarcasm and some really insightful quotes from people in the business to make his points. Years from now, I will be able to look back at this book as a snapshot of this time period in sports entertainment. I found the best chapter to be the final one where he explains his love of the wrestling industry. I found myself nodding in agreement and even though I have gotten away from watching the WWE tv shows in the last few years this book helped me remember why I love it. And why I stopped watching it at times. Author James Guttman speaks out to long-time fans and never-been fans all at the same time. It's what makes World Wrestling Insanity such a unique and fun read.

After so many months of hype World Wrestling Insanity finally came out and I loved every minute of it. I thought that James Guttman did an excellent job of creating a book that is both fun to read and informative at the same time. As a reader of Guttman's site since it opened, I've come to know what to expect from this book. He lets loose with his opinions and has lots to say about the McMahon family (good and bad). Even if you don't know JG, the description of the book should be enough to tell you what you need to know. With the photoshopped pics on the cover, you can tell right off the bat that you're going to get a book that doesn't take itself too seriously yet still makes a strong point. From reading the book, many of Guttman's stories appear to be from WWE employees. You don't usually cite inside sources. James isn't a writer from another genre doing a wrestling book. He's a wrestling writer that obviously knows people in the industry. If an inside source gives an author information, the author shouldn't "cite" him I think. This book was filled with news and humor. If you want a complete overview of WWE with sarcasm and information thrown in then this book won't disappoint.

I've read this book twice so far. Usually with wrestling books, I'll get them once and read through them. With this, there was not only content but it was a good read (something you dont see enough of in todays book IMHO). It delivered on everything I expected and ended up having more information than I thought it would. Guttman has stories from backstage meetings and employee handbooks. There's things about WWE I have never seen anywhere else before and on top of that it was a fun read. I give it five stars.