Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family
 |
|
| Author |
Diana Hart Kirstie McLellan Foreword Stu Hart |
|---|---|
| Country | United States and Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Biography |
| Publisher | Fenn |
|
Publication date
|
2001 |
| Pages | 200 pp |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 47270558 |
| 796.812/092/2 B 21 | |
| LC Class | GV1196.A1 H34 2001 |
Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family is a book co-written by Diana Hart, daughter of Stu Hart and Helen Hart, ex-wife of professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith, and the mother of wrestler Harry Smith and Georgia Smith and Kirstie McLellan, a journalist who had previously written the book No Remorse: a Father's Murderous Rage, the Killing Of Paul And Gabi Dolejs The book became an Alberta top ten nonfiction best-seller on its release.
The subtitle, Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family, refers to the Canadian Hart wrestling family, which includes wrestlers such as Smith Hart, Bruce Hart, Keith Hart, Dean Hart, Bret Hart, Ross Hart, Owen Hart, Teddy Hart, David Hart Smith and Natalya Neidhart.
The book is highly controversial and was pulled from stores after Martha Hart, widow of Owen Hart and Diana Hart's sister-in-law, filed a lawsuit.
The writing of the book was at least partially motivated by the death of her younger brother Owen Hart. Hart has also stated that she hoped that the book would lead to her brother Bret respecting her and taking her seriously, which she did not feel he had done during the investigation and trial which surrounded the death of Owen Hart.
McLellan has stated that she and Hart know each other personally and Hart approached her to make the book together.
The book focuses mainly on the realities of professional wrestling. Under the Mat recounts Diana's life growing up in the Hart home, being sister to Owen and Bret, witnessing their rise to fame and the terrible tragedy which claimed Owen's life. She remembers her father training some of the WWF's and WCW's biggest names in her family's basement gym, the famous Dungeon, and recounts their tales to stardom.
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