Lita: A Less Travelled R.O.A.D -- The Reality of Amy Dumas FROM THE PUBLISHER
Lita -- see her just once in the ring and you can never forget it. The breathtaking off-the-top-rope fearlessness that she shows keeps you on the edge of your seat. You simply can't believe she's going to be able to pull off the move, and then Lita takes it to the next level. That's her reality, that's why she is a WWE Superstar.
Taking unexpected risks, daring to do what no one has done before, that's the reality of Amy Dumas, the remarkable woman behind Lita. Even as a young girl, Amy was determined to challenge herself and the world around her. She found personal freedom in the hardcore punk rock scene of the nineties. The positive force of the music and culture helped define the reality of Amy Dumas.
Her willingness to try anything once set her on the path to World Wrestling Entertainment. Captivated by the high-flying style of the luchadors she saw on television, Amy was hungry to discover more about them. She just had to learn how they did those amazing moves. With only a guidebook for a companion, Amy set out for Mexico City where she was quickly invited into the secret world of lucha libre, Mexico's unique brand of professional wrestling. She returned to the States, resolute in her goal to make it as a professional wrestler.
Amy found people who saw her determination and her heart, and agreed to train her. As her skills improved, she began traveling the highways and byways of America, working night after night in independent promotions around the country. Along her journey, Amy met an assortment of colorful characters as well as a number of wrestlers who would prove influential in her career. Among them were two local North Carolina stars who had just signed with WWE -- Matt and Jeff Hardy. Amy formed an instant bond with the dynamic Hardy Boyz, whose spectacular style and high-flying bravado inspired her own bold in-ring style.
It wasn't long before Amy -- now christened Lita -- joined Matt and Jeff in WWE, and the three friends became international sensations as Team Extreme. Lita proved a true pioneer in women's wrestling, daring to get in the ring with the boys -- including Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock® -- and never backing down. It took a broken neck suffered on the set of a television series to stop her...but only temporarily. Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D -- The Reality of Amy Dumas is the stirring tale of one young woman's amazing journey to the top of the wild, wonderful world of WWE.
FROM THE CRITICS
VOYA - Patrick Jones
This biography is among the best of those recently published that show larger-than-life sports entertainers as real people. The Lita book is a lot more about her life before wrestling, primarily because she has only been in the business a few years. The book recounts her life growing up, her many jobs including that of performing as a stripper, and her single-minded desire to become a professional wrestler, which included traveling to Mexico to learn the trade although she spoke hardly a word of Spanish. Lita's passion for the wrestling business shines through, as does her passion for animals. There are almost as many references to her dog, Cody, as there are to many of her fellow WWE performers. There is still plenty here, and Lita's story is inspirational for young women in her desire to become more than wrestling eye-candy, to become a real athlete. VOYA Codes: 3Q 2P S A/YA (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2003, World Wrestling Entertainment, 352p.; Photos., Ages 15 to Adult.