Keith Elliot Greenberg – författare

Named for his catchphrase, 'Listen, you pencil-neck geeks' and written with Keith Elliot Greenberg, this is the colourful autobiography of one of the most memorable personalities ever to enter the wrestling world. Freddie Blassie weaves vibrant tales of fellow stars like John Tolos, The Destroyer, Killer Kowalski, Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik. He talks frankly about his carefully cultivated reputation, which included routinely biting opponents and spitting out their blood, and about his controversial dealings such as the infamous "boxer versus wrestler" bout with Muhammad Ali, who was then managed by Blassie. Outside the ring he details his numerous sexual exploits and writes candidly about his three marriages. He reflects throughout on the international superstardom of his heyday and on the cult status he attained in the later years of his career. A mirror on a half-century of wrestling history, this is a book every true wrestling fan will love to read.

Earning five World Series rings and a slew of other awards, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is on top of the world. Few Major League Baseball players ever come close to this level of success or name recognition. As USA TODAY, the Nation’s No. 1 Newspaper, puts it, “Derek Jeter, best player on the best team, brightest light in the biggest city.” Jeter had always wanted to play for the Yankees. When he was a senior in high school, the Yankees drafted him and his dream came true. In the next few years, he went from a homesick minor leaguer, to the American League Rookie of the Year, to the World Series Most Valuable Player. Jeter has also been team captain since 2003 and is the Yankees all-time leader in hits. Find out how a kid from Kalamazoo, Michigan, became a baseball sensation!

"Classy" Freddie Blassie is universally acknowledged as one of the most hated heels in wrestling history. Freddie really knew how to antagonize the fans -- how to "get heat." Death threats were frequent, enraged fans stabbed him twenty-one times, and he was even doused with acid. Undeterred, Blassie just took the action up a level. He reveled in being the heel. It was almost commonplace to see him biting his opponents and then spitting out their blood. Blassie would routinely "file" his teeth during interviews. His matches in Los Angeles'' Olympic Auditorium brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Freddie''s style and unpredictability made him a natural for the medium and he became one of the biggest draws in the wrestling business. In the early ''60s, this notorious heel was invited to wrestle in Japan. Blassie both horrified and mesmerized sedate Japanese society. It was reported that a number of Japanese television viewers suffered fatal heart attacks after seeing Blassie bloody an opponent in the ring.A child of immigrants, Freddie grew up in a working-class neighborhood in south St. Louis. At seventeen, Freddie made his wrestling debut in a carnival. Unhappy with his choice of occupation, his family persuaded him to keep his "real" job, and for a while he worked as a meatcutter. But after serving in the Navy in World War II, Freddie returned to the world of wrestling, which was at the time still something of a carnival sideshow. Here he picked up his catch phrase: "pencil neck geek."Early in his career, Blassie wrestled on cards promoted by Jess McMahon, and would later work for both his son, Vincent James McMahon, and his grandson, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the current owner of World Wrestling EntertainmentTM. Even after his active days in the ring came to an end, he showed that he still had the power to generate heat: "Classy" Freddie Blassie became the manager of heels, transferring to a whole new generation of wrestlers the style and knowledge that had made him a legend of wrestling.Blassie is still provoking the public, with his autobiography -- Legends of Wrestling: "Classy" Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks -- written with Keith Elliot Greenberg. Freddie weaves vibrant tales of his days in wrestling with the likes of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, The Rock, George "The Animal" Steele, Capt. Lou Albano, John Tolos, The Destroyer, Killer Kowalski, Nikolai Volkoff, and the Iron Sheik. He frankly chronicles his dealings with colorful members of the wrestling fraternity and the promoters, even recounting the controversies -- like the infamous "boxer vs. wrestler" match with Muhammad Ali, who was managed by Blassie. His out-of-the-ring stories are equally compelling. Freddie details his countless sexual exploits and his three marriages. He reflects on the cult status that he gained after his song "Pencil Neck Geek" rocketed to the top of the Dr. Demento Show playlist. He recounts his touching relationship with comedian Andy Kaufman, who cast him in Breakfast with Blassie -- an underground classic in which Blassie uttered: "What the hell ever happened to the human race?"

In Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die, readers take an evocative journey with author Keith Elliot Greenberg as he pieces together the puzzle of James Dean''s final day and its everlasting impact. Greenberg travels to Dean''s hometown to talk with folks who knew the star, and all the way to the California roads that underlay the tires of the actor''s infamous Porsche Spyder. Taking the story back and forth in time, Greenberg gives insight into what drove Dean to live on the edge – the early loss of his mother, his relentless drive to explore for the sake of his craft. Dean once said, “Dream as if you''ll live forever. Live as if you''ll die today.” He lived to experience, and the one love that compared to his love of acting was his love of racing cars. Greenberg puts the event in historical context, reflecting on the world Dean lived in at the time, an era after World War II, the end of the Korean War, the advent of rock and roll, with the sixties coming down the pike. The star''s too-soon departure froze him as a symbol of American Cool, and as proven by the 20 000 people who return to Dean''s grave each year to pay homage, a major influence on youth culture for myriad generations. With fresh interviews with insiders, riveting storytelling, and acute attention to details – from vehicle specs to Dean''s stops along the way (including for an ominous speeding ticket) to how the news reached the world – Greenberg delivers a thoughtful look at this historical moment.

To Alice Cooper, the outlaw quality of rock 'n' roll is little more than theater. “Just because I cut the heads off dolls, doesn't mean I hate babies ” he once said. But others have lived by the criminal philosophy espoused in their work. “The only negative thing about murder is that when you kill someone, they...no longer suffer ” said Norwegian black-metal rocker Varg Vikernes of Mayhem in 1993, the same year he stabbed musical rival Euronymous to death.His tale is prominently featured in Where You Goin' with That Gun in Your Hand? The True Crime Blotter of Rock 'n' Roll. The book examines a total of 21 fatal crimes tied to the music industry, such as the murders of Marvin Gaye, Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur, and Selena. In the case of Vikernes – dubbed the most violent musician in the history of metal – the performer is the perpetrator. In other instances – the deaths of John Lennon or Run DMC's Jam Master Jay, for example – the star is the victim. Other chapters deal with conspiracy theories involving musicians whose lives ended prematurely (e.g., the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones, the Doors' Jim Morrison, and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain).Each story is written as a compelling narrative, in a style the author perfected while writing several true-crime books, as well as December 8, 1980: The Day John Lennon Died and Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die: James Dean's Final Hours.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the few NFL players to record both 1,000 rushing yards and receiving yards in a single season. Read all about McCaffrey''s hobbies, exercise routine, and more.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the few NFL players to record both 1,000 rushing yards and receiving yards in a single season. Read all about McCaffrey''s hobbies, exercise routine, and more.

With his blazing speed, quick hands, and solid route-running, Cooper Kupp has become one of the most feared wide receivers in the NFL. But he didn''t start out as a star. He played college football at a school not known for producing top players and wasn''t picked until the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Follow his journey as he went from small teenager to Super Bowl MVP. Plus, learn more about Kupp''s life on and off the field.

With his blazing speed, quick hands, and solid route-running, Cooper Kupp has become one of the most feared wide receivers in the NFL. But he didn''t start out as a star. He played college football at a school not known for producing top players and wasn''t picked until the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Follow his journey as he went from small teenager to Super Bowl MVP. Plus, learn more about Kupp''s life on and off the field.

Michel Jordan and LeBron James are both basketball legends. Both players led the NBA in points and won many league titles. But which player is the true NBA all-star? Dig into their careers, achievements, and stats to decide for yourself.

Michel Jordan and LeBron James are both basketball legends. Both players led the NBA in points and won many league titles. But which player is the true NBA all-star? Dig into their careers, achievements, and stats to decide for yourself.

Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning are two of the most talented passers in NFL history. But which player is the best? Dive into their award-studded careers and impressive stats to pick your smackdown winner.

Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning are two of the most talented passers in NFL history. But which player is the best? Dive into their award-studded careers and impressive stats to pick your smackdown winner.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Michel Jordan and LeBron James are both basketball legends. Both players led the NBA in points and won many league titles. But which player is the true NBA all-star? Dig into their careers, achievements, and stats to decide for yourself.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning are two of the most talented passers in NFL history. But which player is the best? Dive into their award-studded careers and impressive stats to pick your smackdown winner.