Product Description

The Rock is layin' the smack down! With unapologetic honesty, and inimitable style, The Rock tells his story from his boyhood days traveling around the world with his father (professional wrestler Rocky Johnson) to his years as a football player at the University of Miami and his less than glamorous professional days in Canada, to his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Federation. The Rock also takes fans on a guided tour of big-time wrestling, and provides a breathtaking, minute-by-minute account of WrestleMania, the Super Bowl of pro wrestling, including an intimate backstage look at rehearsals with his opponent, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and discusses in heartfelt detail the loss of his friend and coworker, Owen Hart.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #935263 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-01
• Released on: 2000-11-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 432 pages

Amazon.com Review
Hot on the bleeding heels of Mankind's Have a Nice Day! comes another memoir by a bad-guy character World Wrestling Federation fans love to hate, edited by the same prose coach, the clever Jeremie Ruby-Strauss (and coauthored by Joe Layden). Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. the Rock--who calls himself "the People's Champion," affects an arched eyebrow to convey entertaining menace, and coins catch phrases like a standup comic--gives you plenty of colorful, jumbled action photos and the growling accounts of staged mayhem that made Mankind's book a bestseller. But his story is more interesting than that of Mankind, his occasional ring rival. The noisy action chapters alternate with passages of more reflective conventional autobiography: the Rock is a third-generation pro wrestler, and his book amounts to a history of the sport. His grandpa, High Chief Peter Maivia, was a Samoan important enough to be buried in Diamond Head's crater, and his dad, Rocky Johnson, was George Foreman's sparring partner and the first African American World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental champ. The Rock is candid about the battles his family faced outside the ring: the marriage-testing road lifestyle, his dad's most important win (over the bottle), and the author's own dangerous temper. There's something touching about the Rock's unpromising debut in his uncle Tonga's old trunks, in his reverence for his elders--and something scary about his reaction when he thinks people lack such respect.

What, you say? You'd rather hear about the Rock's "schmozz" (free-for-all) with Mankind, or Faarooq and the interracial Nation of Domination, or that Budweiser-popping piece of trailer trash Stone Cold Steve Austin, or the Undertaker, whose skin is "the color of bad meat"? You want to hear how he started out sleeping on a pungent mattress retrieved from a garbage dump and wound up wearing Versace shirts and chatting up Gennifer Flowers on TV at WrestleMania XIV? You crave the secrets of the Frankenstein, the Gorilla Position, Jake the Snake, and Mankind's Mandible Claw (a dirty sock he shoves down opponents' throats)? That's all here, too. Just hop in the ring--the Rock will show you around. --Tim Appelo

Review
"The Rock tells his story with humor, honesty, and not a little trash talk." -- --Chicago Tribune

About the Author

In addition to his home in Miami, where he lives with his wife, Dany, The Rock has a permanent suite at Smack Down Hotel, on the corner of Know Your Role Boulevard and Jabroni Drive. He is the youngest champion in World Wrestling Federation history.

Joe Layden is a freelance magazine writer and the author of several books, including All The Rage, with Charles Haley. He lives in upstate New York, not far from the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Customer Reviews

The Rock Says Review
The Rock Says is not just about wrestling and that is a very pleasant surprise, I enjoyed gaining insight to the man behind the character. I especially appreciated the honesty in which he share expierences that were not only extremely personal but also very revealing, allowing the reader to share and understand his triumphs and his weakness and mistakes. The book reads quickly allowing the reader to move through the authors life to the moments that were most influential (and embarassing)to the individual we see on TV today. I enjoyed the second half of the book were we were given perspective from not only Dwayne Johnson but The Rock as well. (You can't help but laugh out loud at the characters outrageous comments) I have to honestly say that everytime I look at the character on Television I will have a greater appreciation of who he is, it will bring the reader much closer to the character and I imagine, can only increase the his popularity and visibility.

The Rock's book is solid
After reading Mick Foley's excellent "Have a Nice Day," I didn't expect much from The Rock's bio because I thought it would be a rush job. Not so. "The Rock Says" is a solid, thoughtful read that encompasses a love story (Rock and wife Dany), his tough days in Canada trying to make a football career, the prejudice his future wife's parents felt towards him, and his appreciation of the wrestling stars who helped him during his meteoric rise. Although written with a co-author, the book exudes the spirituality, competitive athleticism and great humor of The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson.) His descriptions of the long, lonely nights on the road, the needed isolation from fans who intrude on his private life, and the unfailing devotion of his wife and parents are really inspiring. There are a number of chapters in which The Rock assumes his in-ring personna and they're just as funny and entertaining as he is on WWF. Women will love the story about how he backed out of a threesome (Dwayne and two women) in college the night he met the woman who would become his wife. Men will enjoy his detailed descriptions of matches as well as his candid handling of his father's battle with alcoholism. This book is a must for any fan of professional wrestling, packed with photos and overflowing with an insider's view of the sport.

Wrestling Fans Should Enjoy This
As a ring announcer & commentator for professional wrestling matches, I have first hand experience of what transpires "behind the scenes". Dwayne Johnson aka "The Rock" does a fine job of taking fans into this once highly secretive and restricted area.

One complaint would be that the book is written in the Rock character at times. That aspect took from what could have been a captivating book.

I, as well as millions of other people, find the Rock to be an incredibly entertaining personality, but the most interesting parts of this book are clearly when the author speaks freely as Dwayne Johnson. The Rock is all over TV, magazines, cds, and nearly everywhere we look. The man behind The Rock is what makes a biography intriguing.

Dwayne Johnson surfaces on the pages for approximately 75% of this wrestling literary buffet. And he provides some great insight into his character and family history.

Some great highlights are when Johnson tells how he prepares his fantastic promos (promos are when wrestlers talk on the microphone). He also provides a few of his favorites while giving in depth insight as to what the situation was that led to the promo and what state of mind he was in at the time.

Dwayne Johnson shares his unique entry into the world of professional wrestling while explaining exactly how he constantly worked and improved in the WWF's farm wrestling league. Yes, the Rock literally wrestled in barns!

The Rock comes from a bloodline that is undoubtedly legendary in wrestling, yet he has eclipsed all of their fame. This book will provide fans and outsiders to wrestling with enough of this electrifying entertainer's life story and family history to make it a very worthwhile read.

I would have liked it to have been longer. It took me only 18 hours to read it from cover to cover, though I'm a quick read.

Maybe when the Rock's schedule lightens, he will pen another book entirely on his own. I look forward to it.