Yes, You Should Read Yes! by Daniel Bryan
When most people think of a pro wrestler, they think of athletic giants in neon spandex, with more muscles than brains. That’s not a descriptor you’d use for Daniel Bryan, an under six-foot tall bearded Washingtonian who looks more like he’d be your barista at an earthy-crunchy coffee shop than a big name pro-wrestler. Yet not only is Daniel one of the greatest pro-wrestlers of the modern age, he managed to climb to the very top of the biggest wrestling company, World Wrestling Entertainment. With Daniel currently sidelined due to an unfortunate injury, he found the time to write about his journey to the top of the mountain, called Yes! My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of WrestleMania.
Before I praise this book, I need to get one important and big criticism out of the way. The book patterns itself into chapters that start first with a third-person account of Daniel’s routine and life during the days leading up to his big Wrestlemania match in 2014, before Daniel himself continues his own story. These third-person segments are written by Craig Tello, and they are simply awful. It’s like getting segments of a cheap reality show spliced into a biographic documentary, the over-dramatic style absolutely clashing with Daniel’s down-to-earth tone. You can comfortably skip these sections and miss out on nothing. I recommend you do so.
Daniel’s story is exactly as the book titles it: improbable. He goes from being a poor wrestling student surviving off PB&J Tortillas (because bread cost too much) to the main event at Wrestlemania, all because of three important factors: hard work, passion, and luck. While Daniel might not be as great of a storyteller as other wrestling autobiographers like Chris Jericho or Mick Foley, he tells his story so honestly and frankly that everything is absolutely endearing. He is as humble as he is talented, and you can’t help but cheer him through his triumphs and foibles (even if you already know he’s going to come out on top).
So, should you be checking out this book from your local library? Yes! Yes! Yes! you should. Just be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy when you reach the epilogue , it is absolutely devastating. Unfortunately Daniel's story of triumph quickly becomes one of tragedy.