NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turner's WCW Kindle Edition

I'll give you the bottom line up front: This is the best wrestling book ever written. If you're a fan at all, go buy it."Nitro" tells in great detail the story of WCW's rise to the top of the wrestling world in the mid-late 90s and their even more amazing crash and burn in 2000/01. Fueled by an amazing cast of stars, an innovative TV program (the "Nitro" from which the book gets its name), and tremendous storylines, WCW rose to amazing heights in in 1995-98. Their rise challenged the WWF to be better and wrestling fans, as a result of "The Monday Night Wars" were thrilled to multiple high-quality shows every week."Nitro" tells this story through the eyes of the people who were there. With over 120 exclusive interviews, Guy Evans paints a wonderfully detailed, complete picture of WCW - the wrestling itself, the TV show, the Turner network, and so on. We hear from Eric Bischoff, Kevin Nash, Kevin Sullivan and a whole host of production and behind-the-scenes folks.The focus here is on the big picture, not always the details of matches and what's actually going on in the ring for WCW. This is both good and bad. Occasionally, it feels like the wrestling gets short shrift but...that's what WCW did, too. They made the wrestling of secondary importance and lost their audience as a result. The plus side is that we get a lot more of the "other" details in WCW and that's where the fun stuff is - the backstage maneuvering, politicking, and dumb decision-making."Nitro" is 560+ pages of amazing. It flies by and you'll be left wanting for more. It's packed with details and tidbits that you probably didn't know going in and it's told in an easy, fast moving style.HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended. I've read dozens of wrestling books and this one is tops among the crowd. It's fabulous.p.s As for the cover...Guy Evans did himself no favors. Using a blurry, poor quality photo of a wrestling move that's not even from the "Nitro" show - bad idea. Using a lame white block font for the title - bad idea. Not putting his own name on the cover - really bad idea. But don't judge this book by its cover!

This book covers, in great detail, the history rise, and fall of the WCW wrestling organization. Just about everything you could ever want to know about WCW is in here, and for me (who tuned in weekly from 1997-1999) this was a great walk down memory lane - this time with the background knowledge about what was going on. Random side question: why nothing (zero!) about the Nitro Girls? Anyhow, this is a reference-level work that should be in any wrestling fan's library.

There’s really only one noticeable issue with Evans’ book, which is meticulously researched and sourced, and although it may be a bit too favorable in its coverage at times...it’s exceptional. I only wish, and it’s likely a result of budget and distribution, publishing company, etc... it needs an editor. There are far too many typos and words out of place, or doubled up, or the wrong versions of your, you’re, and things of that sort. It took me out of the experience within every few pages when another one cropped up. I worked in pro wrestling for nearly a decade and found it an excellent retelling of history we knew, but with much more focus on both business and most importantly, the challenges of Turner from day one.

Saw the vice special who killed WCW. This book filled in a lot of blanks

Lots of interesting behind the scenes information that would be impossible to know without reading this book. Even with all the info it doesn’t get boring and is a quick and easy read

I had read about 170 pages awhile back but this weekend I decided to pick up the book again and once I realised it was Sunday afternoon and I was done.I'm not an avid reader so that doesn't happen often it just speaks volumes to how good Guy's writing is. I also really loved how mostly everyone involved with WCW was able to participate in the book and tell their side of the story. The last few chapters were a tough read and it had me on the verge of tears. I'm just 26 years old, I wasn't around to watch WCW but I wish I was, it was a magical time and the book describes just that.After the read I'll always be asking myself "what if?" as in: What if Eric Bischoff had been able to buy WCW? Where would it be today?I 100% recommend this book.

Guy Evans went above and beyond with his sources, his interviews, and uncovering brand new information not published anywhere else before, including the finances not just for WCW, but Turner Sports. We didn't just read about how the AOL/Time Warner merger affected WCW, but we actually experience the various shifts in morale leading up to it and how it got there.Whether it be a passage about how the suits reacted to a particularly violent segment on Nitro, Vince McMahon's legal actions, a passage about an unrealized creative idea from Eric Bischoff, or how one of Gene Simmons' groupies attempted a hostile takeover of the company before it folded, the reader relives the entire Monday Night War from the gorilla position and from the Turner board room.A must-read for any die-hard, with uncovered first-hand information from high up in WCW and Turner dripping off of each page.

"NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turner's WCW" is a gripping and comprehensive exploration of the turbulent world of professional wrestling during the heyday of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Written by wrestling historian Guy Evans, this book offers a ringside seat to the incredible rise and eventual downfall of one of wrestling's most iconic promotions.The standout feature of this book is its meticulously researched and detailed account of WCW's journey. Evans delves deep into the behind-the-scenes machinations, corporate politics, and larger-than-life personalities that shaped the promotion's trajectory. It's a backstage pass to an era of wrestling that captivated millions of fans worldwide.The book vividly captures the charisma and audacity of WCW's top stars, from the nWo's rebellious antics to the larger-than-life personas of figures like Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Diamond Dallas Page. Wrestling fans will appreciate the insider stories and anecdotes that provide insight into the lives and minds of their favorite wrestlers.Evans doesn't shy away from chronicling the missteps and controversies that ultimately led to WCW's downfall. From ill-fated creative decisions to financial mismanagement, the book unravels the complex web of factors that contributed to the promotion's inevitable collapse. It's a cautionary tale of unchecked ambition and the perils of the wrestling business.The writing style is engaging and accessible, making the book appealing to both die-hard wrestling enthusiasts and casual readers. Evans manages to balance the drama and excitement of wrestling with a critical analysis of the industry's darker aspects, creating a well-rounded narrative.

Wo "Death of WCW" mit vielen Lügen (siehe Rick Steiner angle) aufwartet oder eben auch viel quatsch brachte, ist dies hier wohl das ultimative Buch über den Aufstieg und Fall des ungeliebten Stiefkindes von Turner Broadcasting System. Selbst als Fan, wenn man damals schon bei Catch Up auf RTL Sting & Co. zuschaute und Power Wrestling gelsen hat oder Newsletter wie den Observer oder Lariat gelesen hat, erfährt man hier interessante neue Infos. Nach so vielen Jahrzehnten sind gerade die Leute hinter den Kulissen etwas offener, als sie es noch 2001, beim Untergang der Promotion, waren.Es gehört neben der Titan Trilogie und den Mick Foley Büchern zum Besten rund um Pro Wrestling.

This is a must read for any long time wrestling fan. With this book, you'll get the most accurate storyline about what happened during the infamous "Monday Night Wars" between WWF and WCW, in ring, backstage, behind Turner's corporate offices doors, etc. The most exhaustive and heavily documented book about WCW, so far. ^_^

There must have been some pain staking work down to put this together because the author gathered more information than those that were part of it at the time. A very informative read and worth your time