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The Eighth Wonder of the World
- The True Story of André the Giant
- Narrated by: Graham Rowat
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
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The Eighth Wonder of the World
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Summary
A definitive and exhaustive biography
Is there a way to find truth in the stuff of legend? You may think you know Andre the Giant - but who was Andre Roussimoff? This comprehensive 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. But more importantly, The Eighth Wonder of the World transports listeners beyond the smoke and mirrors of professional wrestling into the life of a real man.
Born in France, Andre worked on his family's farm until he was 18, when he moved to Paris to pursue professional wrestling. A truly extraordinary figure, Andre 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.
With exhaustive research, exclusive interviews with family and friends, and an exploration of Andre's amazing in-ring career and the indelible mark he left on pop culture, Laprade and Hebert have crafted the most complete portrait of a modern-day mythical being.
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What listeners say about The Eighth Wonder of the World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark O'Connell
- 13-04-21
Best wrestling book in years.
It is about time Andre got a biography that focused on who he really was and tries it's best to highlight the legends and myths about him, but also to point out which ones are accurate and which ones are not. Towards the end it gets very emotional. Beautiful book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Day
- 06-11-20
Brilliant
A great insight into his great career and struggle through life. Brilliantly narrated, a very enjoyable audio book
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 15-10-20
7* book - DUD narrator
I can understand why this book got so much critical acclaim from the likes of Jim Cornette. It really is the definitive story of André the Giant and should be the standard by which all future wrestling biographies are judged. Easy to pick up for a non-wrestling fan due to the extremely detailed writing where everything is placed in context and enough gems that even the most hardcore fan of wrestling will learn something. The references to other biographies and other wrestling books is greatly appreciated giving the text an almost academic feel. I will be purchasing the Mad Dog Vachon book on the back of this work.
However, the narrator is awful. Everything is monotone cheeriness and there is more than one pronunciation error (Tony Skee-a-voni!). The material made the book gripping, the narrator tried his hardest to kill it. I'd really like to see somebody step up and take the mantle of designated wrestling book reader. The voices of wrestling have made a big impact through the years, having a serious name attaching themselves to this role in the future would be fantastic. I'd still highly recommend the audiobook if you're unlikely to purchase the book though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J Morris
- 24-05-20
Amazing but . . .
. . . some unforgivable pronunciation errors and misreadings. Still an incredible story of an incredib!e man that cuts through much of the myth and BS.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mr b e bell
- 03-03-21
Great book with great narration.
So many times I get audiobooks and it’s the narration that kills it for me.
I’m not sure why but I found this book so easy to listen to.
I had a weekend with a 1400 mile drive and I listened to the full story.
I’ve read other Andre books and watched docs but they’re all tall tales.
Great to get some factual information.
A really great wrestling book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- michelle weller
- 21-04-22
great
this story tells of a legend who was kind and genorous and loved by many
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jack
- 07-02-23
Andre…what a Giant and what a Man!
Absolutely brilliant super detailed book with plenty of information about Andre’s wrestling career as well as his personal life and him as a person however I do wish it was balanced a little better but overall great book.
Andre truly one of those legends of wrestling I still cannot truly believe actually existed.
I wish that Andre and Undertaker match happened!
Rest in Peace Andre
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael O'Neill
- 22-11-23
Really enjoyed
Sure there is a lot of filler but the nostalgia hit was brilliant and he is such a nice guy it really was a pleasure to hear all those stories about him.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mook
- 22-04-24
Andre, what more needs to be said
A funny, heart warming yet saddening story about a literal Giant in the world of pro wrestling.
If you are a fan of Wrestling then this is a MUST for you
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- T J Widdows
- 14-06-20
Too much emphasis on event statistics
I think this book could have done with several proof reads before the final edition was published.
The Authors seemed to spend far too much time listing attendances and appearances which I feel would have been better as an appendix at the end. If they had cut this out I think they could have cut several hours and made for a better book.
In terms of narratorion the pronounciation of certain names and places started to get irritating after a while.
I feel I've learned more about Andre from interviews/ podcasts from the wrestlers who knew & worked with him than I did from this book.
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