Hardcore History Audiobook By Scott E. Williams cover art

Hardcore History

The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Hardcore History

By: Scott E. Williams
Narrated by: Karl Miller
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

ECW was one extreme contradiction piled on top of another. It was an incredibly influential company in the world of professional wrestling during the 1990s, yet it was never profitable. It portrayed itself as the ultimate in anti-authority rebellion, but its leadership was, at various points, working covertly with the two wrestling giants, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. Most of all, it blurred the line between real life and the fantasy world of professional wrestling like no other company before it - many of those who thought they were conning others ended up being victims of the ultimate con.

Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW offers a frank and balanced look at the evolution of the company, starting even before its early days as a Philadelphia-area independent group called Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992 and extending past the death of Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2001. Writer Scott E. Williams has pored through records and conducted dozens of interviews with fans, company officials, business partners, and the wrestlers themselves to bring listeners the most thorough account possible of this bizarre company.

The book sets out to answer several questions: Did World Championship Wrestling really try to destroy ECW by draining off its talent? Was Vince McMahon secretly as a friend to ECW, as he has claimed? What really caused the death of ECW? Who lied to whom? Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW will address all of those mysteries and many more in a story that is sure to be extremely controversial for fans and critics of both the ECW and professional wrestling.

©2006, 2007, 2011 Scott E. Williams. Foreword copyright © 2006, 2007, 2011 Shane Douglas (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Combat Sports & Self-Defense Film & TV Sports Sports History Sports Writing Wrestling Combat Sports Fiction
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Editorial reviews

The ECW was always an underdog in the world of wrestling, smaller and scrappier than its bigger brothers, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. In journalist Scott E. Williams' Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW, Karl Miller intrepidly narrates the now defunct company's fascinating backstory, from its genesis in 1992 to its collapse in 2001. Miller's clear and sympathetic voice performance underlines the brutality of the sport, while critically unveiling the truth behind questions that still linger, including the ECW's relationship to Vince McMahon and the WCW, and the real reasons the ECW died.

What listeners say about Hardcore History

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    247
  • 4 Stars
    116
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    186
  • 4 Stars
    96
  • 3 Stars
    59
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    10
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    252
  • 4 Stars
    91
  • 3 Stars
    25
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ECW

If you loved ECW back in it's hayday or are just a fan of hardcore wrestling in general, youll love this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good not great.

I enjoyed the book but the reader mispronounced several names and the story was alright but I feel it could have been told a little better. All in all though I did enjoy the book and enjoyed it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

More detail than I expected

Out of the dozen or so wrestling books I have read, this one stands out. It contained more detail than I was expecting, and while very pro-ECW, did present the negative aspects of the company.

Other than some strange mispronounced names every once in a while, the narration was better than multiple other wrestling audio books. There should be a requirement that book narrators be at least marginally familiar with the subject matter.

The only nitpick I have is the exclusion of some small details that a fan of ECW would recognize as missing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I never saw ECW

interesting book kind of makes me wonder what ECW was like I saw a couple of videos on YouTube don't think it was my cup of tea but the book was outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

EC Dub!!!

I enjoyed listening to this story. I love wrestling and it’s great getting more back story to everything. Congrats on HOF Hayman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Get a narrator with product knowledge

What a great book on the history of ECW! it is well written and has tons of quotes and backstage stories. As good as the book is, the narrator ruins it. His voice is flat with little intonation. I can forgive that, but I can't forgive the mispronounced names throughout. He could have jumped on YouTube to hear the names, he could have asked the author, he could have done his homework. Instead, we are treated to Chris Benoyt (Benoit) and Tony Skee-ah-voon (Schiavone) He ruined the entire book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

E C DUB!!!!!!!!!

What did you love best about Hardcore History?

Any and everything ECW..... Those three letters being chanted in a shabby little bingo hall in south philly, 20+years later still brings a smile to my face

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hardcore History?

I loved the accounts of the mass transit incident

Which character – as performed by Karl Miller – was your favorite?

Not characters

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not that kinda book

Any additional comments?

Good read/listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great history of ECW

Having grown up watching ECW this book was extremely entertaining and spot on. The narrator was alright, but not unbearable. The inside details and story do ECW justice. Now we just need an updated version. If you liked this book try also: The Death of WCW. It is an excellent listen with a great narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

interesting trip down memory lane

As a long time fan of professional wrestling, listening to the story of one of the most entertaining wrestling organizations ever was a treat. (Could have been told in a more condensed fashion.)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well written, good coverage

I believe at some point the author notes that he's a newspaper writer, or maybe I made that up, I really can't remember. However this book reads like it was written by a newspaper journalist - which isn't bad since the book is strong on substance and structure but that also means its not strong on narrative and 'heart'. By that I don't mean it's dry but it does feel fairly detached at times.

With that out of the way I enjoyed the book as a recap of the history of ECW. It seems well researched and moves at a good pace. I knew a good part of the general history but this book fills in a ton of details. If you have any interest in the subject you'll most likely enjoy the book.

The reader does a good job even if it is a pretty straight read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful