Overview

From field producer for HBO’s André the Giant Pat Laprade and renowned wrestling historian Bertrand Hébert comes a definitive and exhaustive biography of André the Giant … now in paperback! “The gold standard for wrestling biographies.” — Wrestling Observer Is there a way to find truth in the stuff of legend? You may think you know André the Giant — but who was André Roussimoff? Through exhaustive research and exclusive interviews with family and friends, The Eighth Wonder of the World offers a comprehensive exploration of André’s amazing wrestling career and the indelible mark he left on pop culture, including his role in the cult classic film The Princess Bride. Born in France, André worked on his family’s farm until he was 18, when he moved to Paris to pursue professional wrestling. A truly extraordinary figure, André went on to become an international icon and world traveler, all while battling acromegaly. While his disorder is what made him a giant and a household name, it’s also what caused his untimely death at 46. This biography addresses the burning questions, outrageous stories and common misconceptions about his height, his weight, his drawing power as a superstar, and his seemingly unparalleled capacity for food and alcohol. Transporting readers beyond the smoke and mirrors of professional wrestling into the life of a real man, Laprade and Hébert have crafted the most complete portrait of a modern-day mythical being.

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9781770416758

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Reviews

Unlike traditional biographies, we don't just get a chronological recollection of Andre's life, but we also get a fascinating array of discussions that range from his aforementioned and apparently famous flatulence to the curiosity surrounding the size of Andre's genitalia to his lust for life and the ladies and even an entire chapter on acromegaly, the hormonal disorder responsible for Andre's immense size. -- Slam! Wrestling

“The gold standard for wrestling biographies.” — Wrestling Observer “The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant is a must-read for any and all with even a fleeting interest in the wrestling business or the mesmeric André … It’s brimming with information and stories that even the most ardent of wrestling fans will be completely unaware of.” — WhatCulture “Laprade and Hébert have astutely balanced information and entertainment, leaving us with a page-turner when we need it most. There’s no better way for wrestling fans to get through social distancing than by reading The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant. When we compile the list of 20 Best Wrestling Books of the Next 20 Years, this André the Giant book is going on top.” — The Wrestling Estate “This is a superbly researched piece of work that tries to [unpack] truth amongst the legends. In the world of pro wrestling this is a particularly hard task and Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade should be commended for managing to do so while still providing a heartfelt tribute to a man who was larger than life — in all senses of the [word].” — Tripwire “Unlike traditional biographies, we don’t just get a chronological recollection of André’s life, but we also get a fascinating array of discussions that range from his aforementioned and apparently famous flatulence to the curiosity surrounding the size of André’s genitalia to his lust for life and the ladies and even an entire chapter on acromegaly, the hormonal disorder responsible for André’s immense size.” — Slam! Wrestling “Extensive and enlightening, The Eighth Wonder of the World is the best independent pro wrestling biography since Crazy Like A Fox. Add a raft of rare photos to the mix, and you end up with a towering testament to André the Giant that no fan of the man, territories, or pro wrestling should be without.” — Voice of Wrestling “Hébert and Laprade succeeded in producing the most comprehensive account of the life and career [of] André the Giant that will likely ever exist. Packed with details, whilst always entertaining, this book is a must-read for all wrestling enthusiasts.” — Fight Drum “In terms of research, this is one of the best wrestling books I've read about a performer … The Eighth Wonder of the World shines a light on André's passion, his big heart and his genuine love for his peers.” — Every Read Thing blog “Even if you are not a professional wrestling fan, you can enjoy this book … The writers did wonderful research, which makes the book a giant sized memorial of the life of the ultimate giant.” — Lance Writes blog “I consider it to be one of the best books I have read on professional wrestling.” — The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books blog

Laprade and Hebert have astutely balanced information and entertainment, leaving us with a page-turner when we need it most. There's no better way for wrestling fans to get through social distancing than by reading The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of Andre the Giant. When we compile the list of 20 Best Wrestling Books of the Next 20 Years, this Andre the Giant book is going on top. -- The Wrestling Estate The gold standard for wrestling biographies. -- Wrestling Observer The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of Andre the Giant is a must-read for any and all with even a fleeting interest in the wrestling business or the mesmeric Andre ... It's brimming with information and stories that even the most ardent of wrestling fans will be completely unaware of. -- WhatCulture This is a superbly researched piece of work that tries to [unpack] truth amongst the legends. In the world of pro wrestling this is a particularly hard task and Bertrand Hebert and Pat Laprade should be commended for managing to do so while still providing a heartfelt tribute to a man who was larger than life -- in all senses of the [word]. -- Tripwire Unlike traditional biographies, we don't just get a chronological recollection of Andre's life, but we also get a fascinating array of discussions that range from his aforementioned and apparently famous flatulence to the curiosity surrounding the size of Andre's genitalia to his lust for life and the ladies and even an entire chapter on acromegaly, the hormonal disorder responsible for Andre's immense size. -- Slam! Wrestling

"""The gold standard for wrestling biographies."" -- Wrestling Observer ""This is a superbly researched piece of work that tries to [unpack] truth amongst the legends. In the world of pro wrestling this is a particularly hard task and Bertrand H�bert and Pat Laprade should be commended for managing to do so while still providing a heartfelt tribute to a man who was larger than life -- in all senses of the [word]."" -- Tripwire ""Unlike traditional biographies, we don't just get a chronological recollection of Andr�'s life, but we also get a fascinating array of discussions that range from his aforementioned and apparently famous flatulence to the curiosity surrounding the size of Andr�'s genitalia to his lust for life and the ladies and even an entire chapter on acromegaly, the hormonal disorder responsible for Andr�'s immense size."" -- Slam! Wrestling ""The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of Andr� the Giant is a must-read for any and all with even a fleeting interest in the wrestling business or the mesmeric Andr� ... It's brimming with information and stories that even the most ardent of wrestling fans will be completely unaware of."" -- WhatCulture ""Laprade and H�bert have astutely balanced information and entertainment, leaving us with a page-turner when we need it most. There's no better way for wrestling fans to get through social distancing than by reading The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of Andr� the Giant. When we compile the list of 20 Best Wrestling Books of the Next 20 Years, this Andr� the Giant book is going on top."" -- The Wrestling Estate"

Author Information

Pat Laprade has been involved in pro wrestling for more than 15 years. He was a field producer for HBO’s critically acclaimed documentary André the Giant. With Bertrand Hébert he co-authored Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs and Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story. Involved in pro wrestling for more than 25 years, Hébert also co-wrote Pat Patterson’s biography, Accepted.

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