A Companion on a Road Less Travelled

Professional wrestlers. There are no figures in the world of popular entertainment who must be in greater physical condition, who are expected to master the constant duality of their identity whilst being continuously mindful of the semiotics of their situation to convey and provoke the desired emotions in their audience; there is no one more admirable or terrifyingly powerful as a great professional wrestler. Professional wrestling is a medium; it can be comedy, tragedy, a true martial art and all at the same time if needs be, it is whatever its performers will it to be. Despite its enduring popularity, however, there may be no art form whose performers are quite so maligned and misunderstood and as a result, there are few paths that one might be more discouraged to head down. Thank heavens for those who do not heed the warnings. This book collects the thoughts and diary entries of five professional wrestlers as they prepare for and reflect on significant events in their professional lives, in the process granting us a very private audience with very special people, hopefully bringing home above all things that they are people. Included in Volume 1 are the thoughts and experiences of Tom Lawlor Bryan Keith Royce Isaacs Jetta AKARI Curated and fully illustrated by Matt Charlton.