Mick Foley, Hardcore Legend: The Writer, A Man Worthy Of Respect

Book Review: Mick Foley: Countdown To Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal

Four books (well, memoirs...I'm not counting his three kid's books and two fiction novels here ok?) into a glittering literary career for the HCL (Hardcore Legend) Mick Foley, he’s really found his feet with his latest work, Countdown To Lockdown.

Focusing on the build-up to his steel cage battle with "The Icon" Sting at TNA's 2009 Lockdown, Foley describes the mental and physical efforts required for him to create a spectacular main event.

For wrestling purists there are descriptions of the tips he receives from other wrestlers (including Al Snow's "Foley-really-shouldn't-have-listened-to-this-one-100-rep workout") and interesting insights into the world of WWE announcing.

Perhaps more so than ever, Foley is in reflective mood, highlighting several causes close to his heart, including one chapter in which he describes a visit to the Bombali region of Sierra Leone, a place close to his heart since he began sponsoring a child there named Alimany. This chapter alone serves as an introduction to the man behind the Mankind mask, so much more than the Hardcore Legend we all know and love.

For those less interested in wrestling, Mankind/Cactus Jack/Dude Love (so many names it's almost greedy) provides a handy "Wrestlemeter", gauging how much wrestling content there is in the chapter. This means you can skip the grappling and instead read about his meetings with Tori Amos and Paul Wolfovitz, stories which are just as interesting and engaging as those detailing the inner workings of the wrestling business.

In conclusion, Foley is a man worthy of our respect not simply for the death-defying leaps from Hell in the Cells and lethal batterings from flaming chairs, but for the wit, charm and genuine warmth he shows in his writing. and for any non-wrestling fans in any doubt as to the depth a wrestler can reach, I urge to you to pick up a copy.

One final point, in the aforementioned chapter about his charitable work, Foley requests readers to contact ChildFund International and let them know you're specifically looking to sponsor a child from the Bombali area of Sierra Leone. I thought I'd take this opportunity to try and spread that message on to those who haven't yet picked up the book, so here's the details Foley posts.

Contact info: 800-776-6767

www.childfund.org

As he says in the book, tell them Mick Foley sent you.