Missouri Wrestling Revival

MWR Book Review:

Matt Murphy’s
The Story of a Nobody and the Pursuit to Become a Somebody

Book Review by Josh Ray with contributions from Brian “Flair” Kelley.

This summer I attended a World League Wrestling event with my good wrestling buddy Brian. We got into a conversation about pro wrestling books and which book I personally felt was the best I had read. I was quick to point out Chris Jericho’s book A Lion’s Tale and Ric Flair’s To Be the Man, as both books really stuck out in my mind as genuine and great reading material for the wrestling fan. Brian didn’t hesitate when countering with another book.

“What about Matt Murphy’s book,” he said.

“Matt Murphy has a book?” I replied.

Evidently Matt Murphy, known to Missouri wrestling fans as “All That” Matt Murphy of World League Wrestling (WLW), had a book out. Murphy wrestled for Harley Race’s WLW during my time away from Missouri in the military, but I was familiar with him as part of the WLW team and had recently purchased a few items from his online store. I had no clue that he had even entertained the thought of writing a book.

Luckily for me, Brian is around to clue me in to such things. I obtained a copy of the book, titled The Story of a Nobody and the Pursuit to Become a Somebody, and gave it a look. I was hooked from the very beginning:

“If your reading this, I appreciate the fact you didn’t skip to the part where I begin wrestling. I think a reader must read the story, start-to-finish, to completely understand it, and to understand me. Someone please send this message from the author to those pricks that skipped over all this—- Thanks for buying the book. When you’re finished be sure to go rent a movie and fast-forward through the first half hour of it, eh?”

Murphy has a no nonsense and easy-to-understand approach to writing that is refreshing. I enjoyed reading the book because it felt like one of my buddies was giving me these great stories while drinking a beer (or two… or ten). It was candid and yet very informative.

In the book, Murphy discusses his early childhood and it really connected with me and my family background. His love of wrestling started as a young boy and grew from a sort of fascination into something of an obsession and a crutch to prop him up from the realities in life that a boy should not be required to realize at a young age. He discusses it all without the “whoa is me” attitude that many people from similar backgrounds want to adopt.

The thing that hooked me as a reader also managed to upset me at points in the book. Matt had the ability to describe things as only a true friend can open up and say, but the fact that I do not know the man writing it well made it disturbing. Don’t get me wrong. The book was great and a must read for any true wrestling fan, but it isn’t for the easily offended (or faint of heart). He tackles reverse racism, drinking habits, and various sexual exploits among other topics.

Thankfully, the main theme is definitely pro wrestling and making it in the business. It just so happens that those topics are more often than not parts of it. With that said, I would not recommend this book for anybody under the age of sixteen.

I agree with Brian’s original review of Matt Murphy’s book. He is a wonderful, talented writer and opens up in a way that rarely occurs in autobiographies. He’s not trying to make the reader like him or respect him. He is simply telling it like it happened and how he sees it. Brian said in his original review:

” … at times I found myself liking the guy and wishing the best for him and then on the next page finding him to be arrogant and lazy.”

While I didn’t find him overly arrogant at any point in the book, I could see in places where people might find him lazy. Brian made my point a little later in the same paragraph of the review:

” … you could tell the stories were not intended to kiss ass in order to stay in the sport, unlike most wrestling autobiographies these days.”

If you like comeback stories, stories about the underdog, and inspirational tales, then this book is for you. If you want a uniquely insightful look at pro wrestling from the standpoint of a talented and heralded independent pro wrestler, again, this book is for you. Matt Murphy does what wrestlers with WWE book deals can not. He can be open and honest with no fear of business-related repercussions.

I’ll close this review by saying that Matt Murphy’s The Story of a Nobody and the Pursuit to Become a Somebody is the best wrestling book that you have never heard of. Now that you’ve heard of it, why don’t you go out and pick up a copy?

Amazon is your ticket, so go to the following link:

http://www.amazon.com/Story-Nobody-Pursuit-Become-Somebody/dp/1413730493

This is my first book review for the site, as I typically do not enjoy critiquing somebody else’s hard work. Internet critics generally upset me. I hope you have enjoyed my attempt at becoming what I hate, though!