I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler - Hardcover

Lewin, Ted

3.88

42 ratings by Goodreads

9780531054772: I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0531054772 ISBN 13: 9780531054772

Publisher: Orchard Books, 1993

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The author-illustrator describes his early days supporting himself as a professional wrestler

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From Kirkus Reviews:

The title says it all: Lewin--one of the best illustrators working in children's books--got his start as a wrestler. Sid Lewin, his short father, had three tall sons to whom roughhousing and body building were a way of life. When Ted's older brother Donn came back from WW II, he got into pro wrestling to make a living; when Ted (who'd been going to matches and practicing moves with younger brother Mark) needed money for art school in 1952, Donn helped him get started. Lewin doesn't explain the wrestling world--where the money came from, who was making it; and he doesn't say much about rules of the sport, though his descriptions of moves and matches are graphic. What he does do, in these vivid vignettes, is depict a close-knit world of men who were mixed and matched from makeshift rings to Madison Square Garden, where they assumed roles and played crowds that could be as dangerous as any opponent (he mentions riots and knifings). The telling glimpses of the sport, the men, and their camaraderie are fascinating; comically described family scenes and dozens of photos round out the picture. Grouped in a color insert, Lewin's powerful paintings of wrestlers are more introspective, revealing the compassion he's brought to picture books like Sami and the Time of Troubles (1992) and offering a tantalizing taste of what's not said here. (Are these recent? One would like to know.) A compelling memoir. Glossary of ``Wrestling Lingo'' and ``Holds.'' (Autobiography. 11+) -- Copyright �1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up-- A surprisingly funny and affectionate memoir. As a teenager in the 1950s, Lewin earned money for art school by working as a professional wrestler. His involvement with the sport, however, has lasted a lifetime. Through his vivid paintings and his prose, he captures the human side of these flamboyant and often eccentric entertainers. The book is filled with quirky incidents, friendly and warm-hearted characters, and, at times, poignant recollections. Engaging black-and-white photographs of family, friends, and professional foes capture the action inside and outside of the ring and convey a wonderful sense of a not-so-long-past era. The artist's sensibility and eye for detail are always in evidence. His talent in this realm is truly formidable. The result is a sensitive, personal look at a subject that usually does not receive this type of treatment. Wrestling lingo and the terms for the various holds are appended. However, this unique book will hold a wide range of readers, including those whose think they don't like wrestling. --Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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