The Eighth Wonder of the World

A great companion piece to the 2018 documentary about the man, this is a biography that has absolutely no qualms about delving into the little details, especially about where Andre wrestled over the course of this career. Within those moments may lie this work's only flaw to any readers who are not wrestling historians, so buckle up, because Hebert did some magnificent research, and you're getting your money's worth.

Clearly on display are the many discrepancies that linger around the events and "facts" of Andre's life; these are possibly cleared up as much as they can be, several instances even calling out the 2018 doc, or begging to differ in regards to those close to him (e.g. Vince McMahon). All throughout, Hebert takes care, as many have in the past, to point out the man's charitable nature, even when he's proven to have made some substantial mistakes.

The incredible thing about this is that, even though much of the mystery around him has been uncovered, it doesn't lessen his appeal or his legacy. Hebert has officially contributed greatly to that cause through this book, giving us a closer look at a wrestling legend that permeated our culture and, if we're honest, is just as remembered today.

High recommend. Great read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for the advance read.

Wrestling fans, young and old alike, know that André the Giant is one of the true legends of the business, but what some may not know was that his match with Hulk Hogan in Wrestlemania III was not the start of his career as he was quite successful for many years prior to that match in which many became familiar with the “Gentle Giant”. This biography by Bertrand Hebert and Pat Laprade is a very complete work telling the life and career of the wrestling icon.

Born André René Roussimoff, the book follows him through his childhood to his various jobs before getting his start in professional wrestling in Paris at age 18. From there, he went on to enjoy success in Japan and the province of Quebec, becoming a big attraction for wrestling fans in the province, most notably in Montreal and Quebec City. His French roots and ability to speak the language helped him tremendously in the province and it provided him exposure to other promoters. One in particular, Vince McMahon Sr, saw André perform and signed him to wrestle for the then-WWF (now WWE). The authors do a commendable job of research and writing about this part of Andre’s life and career as it is not as well known as his later years in WWF and his rivalry with Hulk Hogan.

The story of André’s personal life, which included not only the acromegaly that made him the size that he was, but also his addiction to alcohol, his dislike of certain aspects of the life of a celebrity such as his distaste for flying, and also his lack of a romantic partner for most of his life, is treated with detail but fairness. There is not criticism for these aspects of André’s life and that makes for a terrific and fair read for those readers not familiar with his life. This is also true for the discussion of André and his work in Hollywood and the movies he appeared in, most notably The Princess Bride.

Of course, Andre’s legendary time with WWF and his appeal with fans after his match with Hogan is covered with the same amount of research and detail and fans who are familiar with this part of his career will thoroughly enjoy reliving some of his best matches in sold-out arenas that are described in this portion of the book. It is here where the reader will learn much more about his personal life described above and also his injuries and diseases that would trouble him for the rest of career and his life outside the ring until his death in early 1993.

It should be noted that this book is not only an excellent account of André’s life and career, but also one about the business of professional wrestling. The details behind the contracts, agreements between promoters to let wrestlers perform for several wrestling promoters at the same time and how the matches are determined on how the heels or baby-faces will win in order to gain either maximum followings or ensure that there will be demand for rematches is great reading. This reviewer has read wrestling books from this publisher in the past and every one on them, including this one, cover this aspect of professional wrestling thoroughly and they and the authors should be commended for brining the reader into this world.

Any wrestling fan who remembers André the Giant will want to add this book to their collection. While it is a long read at 550 pages, it is one that is worth the investment of their time to complete. I consider it to be one of the best books I have read on professional wrestling.

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of Andre the Giant is the biography of Andre the Giant. Duh.

I haven't been taking on many ARCs since shortly before my son but I had to request this one when it popped up on Netgalley. Plus ECW press offered me an ARC so I was double damned.

The book chronicles the life of Andre the Giant, from his birth in France as Andre Rousimoff to his wrestling career to his death in France while in the country to attend his father's funeral.

Hebert did his homework, dispelling some myths about Andre and confirming some others. Andre's time in the various territories is covered, as are his behind the scenes disputes with Dino Bravo and other wrestlers. I knew the bare bones of Andre's life from being a wrestling fan for decades but Hebert took me for a ride. I had no idea Andre was part owner of the Montreal territory with Gino Brito or how often he went to Japan. I also hadn't heard the story of Andre shitting on Bad News Brown during a match in Mexico.

The book is a little removed for my taste but that is to be expected since Andre has been dead almost 30 years at this point. Hebert must have been researching this for a decade or more. Some of the people he talked to have been dead a few years as of this writing.

As with a lot of good wrestling books, I could have used more content with this one. A giant sized book for a giant sized man, if you will. All things considered, I have no complaints.

The Eighth Wonder of the World is a fitting tribute to a legend of the wrestling business. Four out of five stars

I've read works and seen documentaries on Andre before, but having read Laprade's book on Montreal wrestling, I knew this would be exhaustively researched. I feel like I really got to see the ins and outs of Andre's full life in a way that no other sources had. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about this private individual who had no choice but to live in the public eye.

THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD, by Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade, is a detailed biography of the man known as André the Giant. His real name was André Roussimoff and Hébert and Laprade use this well researched study to discover the differences between the persona of the performer and what André really was like. That challenge to define those blurred lines, which could be said about so many entertainers, is what makes this book a pleasure to read. If nothing else, the reader comes away knowing that André was a one-of-a-kind; not just because of his size, but because he was a true performer at heart and relished in entertaining people.
The book starts in France, where André is born and learns the early lessons of wrestling. He soon moves to Canada to begin the career we all know and it takes him all over the world, where he is adored by the public and respected by everyone in the business. Hébert and Laprade spend a lot of the book covering two things that are often glossed over when talked about André. One is his constant struggle with acromegaly and how it became clear over time that while André appreciated what acromegaly did for his wrestling career, he seemed to know that his demise was inevitable. The pride he carried while wrestling, knowing that his body would eventually stop him, is a quality that Hébert, Laprade and the reader can clearly admire. The other thing that Hébert and Laprade very meticulously study throughout the book is perception vs reality when comes to André and really all of wrestling. The exaggerated height and weight figures, the never pinned or body slammed storyline, and the number of beers André supposedly drank in on sitting are among the many legends told about the Giant, Hébert and Laprade make the case that often stuff of legend is borne out of perception, not truth. It can also be said that all of these legendary things about André are the collective epitome of what wrestling is and why it is so exciting to get swept up into them.
Such an entertaining book, THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD is a definite for wrestling fans but really anyone because André the Giant was such a part of our pop culture in the 1970s and 1980s. A wrestler, an entertainer, and good-hearted soul, he left this world too soon, but his legend, as Hébert and Laprade capture so well, will live on forever.

A fitting tribute to a larger than life legend. Richly detailed and researched, with most of the main characters from Andre’s life given space to say their piece.