BECKY LYNCH

A memoir from the Irish wrestler known as The Man.

Quin (b. 1987), aka Becky Lynch, a native of Dublin, is a different character from her main role in professional wrestling, the latter being “vulnerable, often foolish, and a whole lot more complex.” She describes herself average “in every aspect of life, average height, average weight, average anxieties, average grades, average upbringing.” Thanks to wrestling, she’s traveled the world and battled challengers as the longest-reigning women’s champion on the WWE Raw program. Quin started off as a kid without much direction, thanks to a father with none of his own to speak of, always staying a step ahead of the school authorities and occasionally the police. As a disgruntled teen, Quin discovered wrestling—the real kind, with real rivalries and broken bones—and found her calling. After time on the Irish circuit, she got called up to the big league by Vince McMahon, “our almighty overlord,” a mercurial and volatile fellow who had made televised pro wrestling a huge hit in the U.S. and abroad and who paid attention to every last detail of the script, the arc of which, character by character, was as complex and unshakable as any soap opera. Woe be to the actor who went off-script, as Quin did from time to time, bringing down McMahon’s wrath: “Why the fuck did you no-sell it? You fucked everything up.” Still, McMahon knew to back off once the point was made, and Quin knew to be careful next time out, even if she describes herself as “a firecracker of emotion” inclined to take all the make-believe seriously. Happily, she doesn’t take herself as seriously as the game, and WWE aficionados will enjoy the craic.

A treat for fans of The Man and pro wrestling, with plenty of peeks behind the curtain.