Alan Wojcik Review: Howard Brody's Swimming With Piranhas

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Everyone has a dream occupation. Some just dream and never go for it, some go for it and succced while others fail and never recover. Former NWA President and wrestling promoter Howard T. Brody had success and failure and came away with an amazing story to tell. He did it with the help of ECW Press in the book SWIMMING WITH PIRANHAS: SURVIVING THE POLITICS OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING (412pp, $19.95) Brody's story is introduced by NWA Hall of Fame member James E. Cornette who's known Brody for several years.

Unlike most memoirs this is not Brody's story alone, its the story of the once great National Wrestling Alliance that Brody helped revive in the 1990's with the late Dennis Carluzzo and other promoters. Also involved is a business deal with wrestling legend Hiro Matsuda that turned into a decades long friendship which helped Brody become savy to the politics he talks mentions in the title. Like many people not working for WWE or TNA, Brody held down a full time job while running several different entities and will be surprised to know he was able to keep it going. Also like many people his private life was hurt by his buisness life. Brothers & friends he borrowed money from knowing they may never get a dime back. A wife who knew that she shared Brody with the mistress known as professional wrestling. The amazing parts of the book are Brody's near perfect memory of meetings and business deals long gone and how he was never arrested because of the people he worked with who ended up being shadier than anyone in wrestling. Speaking of shady wrestling people Brody dealt with them from Vince & Linda McMahon, Herb Abrams, Eric Bischoff, Paul Heyman, Tod Gordon, Dory & Marti Funk to the lady wrestlers that worked for Brody for years in his promotions. As mentioned above Brody worked with the NWA and held their presidency from 1996-2001 and dealt with more things than anyone should ever had to deal with. You think the current backstage politics you read about online are bad, take the time to read this book and you will have new respect for people who stay away from the politics. Swimming With Piranhas is great Christmas gift and can be found on sale at bookstores nationwide, through www.ecwpress.com or www.howardbrody.com where you can read other reviews and hear interviews with the author.