Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling’s American Dream

Brings the readers into the back rooms of pro wrestling.＂--Tampa Tribune

For over two decades of pro wrestling, Dusty ＂the American Dream＂ Rhodes dominated the ring. Known for his jaw-dropping antics and bone-crunching skills, Rhodes became one of wrestling’s first superstars. In this riveting narrative, Rhodes chronicles his journey through an industry plagued with political infighting, greedy promoters, destructive personalities, multi-millionaires, and great leaders.

There has been much said about Dusty Rhodes, over the years by both his fans and peers. Aside from the frequent fictional prose penned by wrestling magazine journalists and internet smart marks that run rumor-mill websites, however, there has not been much written about him. Until now.

With the exception of a select few, there has been no bigger name or personality in the annals of pro wrestling history than Dusty Rhodes. Of those few, none of them can claim the compelling back story Rhodes shares in Dusty: Reflections of an American Dream of an industry plagued with political loyalties and disloyalties, greedy promoters, manipulative bookers, destructive personalities, multi-millionaires, and great leaders. Behind the ＂million-dollar smile＂ and the million-dollar gate receipts is a man with a story to tell, not just of tall tales, yarns, and fabrications, but of a life filled with aspirations, dreams, disappointments, challenges, controversies, angst, conflict, success, and reflection.

Dusty: Reflections of an American Dream is the story of a transformation from mediocrity to superstardom. It is the story of how the boy Virgil Runnels Jr. became the man Dusty Rhodes and truly lived the ’American Dream’. This is his story.