Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling by Mick Foley Review: A Champion Memoir With Heart and Humor

Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling is the second autobiography of professional wrestler Mick Foley, originally published on May 8, 2001, by HarperEntertainment, with a mass market paperback reprint following in June 2002. The book picks up where Foley's debut memoir, Have a Nice Day!, left off, spanning the period from January 1999 through his retirement at WrestleMania 2000 in April of that year. It closes with an epilogue marking the birth of his son Michael Francis Foley, Jr. The narrative alternates between behind-the-scenes accounts of WWE events and Foley's personal life away from the ring, including his well-documented passions for theme parks and Christmas. As the publisher's synopsis frames it, readers are again given a "bird's-eye view of the behind-the-scenes action in the World Wrestling Federation."

Foley Is Good debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list — a distinction confirmed by multiple sources and one that cemented Foley's status as a genuinely bankable author, not merely a celebrity with a ghost-written vanity project. Critical coverage covered the book's release with a profile by Dinitia Smith titled "A Wrestler Who Prefers the Pen to the Pin," published May 22, 2001. SLAM! Wrestling's Vinnie Bartilucci called it "another great book from Mick Foley" in a review published just days after the book's release. That a wrestling autobiography could reach the very top of mainstream bestseller charts — following Have a Nice Day!'s own number-one debut — marked a notable cultural moment for sports-entertainment memoir.

The book's primary asset, according to its reception, is the continuation of what made its predecessor work: unfiltered candor delivered with genuine comedic energy. The publisher's synopsis specifically highlights "total honesty and riotous humor" as defining qualities, and the book's celebration of Foley's career high point — championship reigns, high-profile feuds, mainstream crossover — gives the narrative a more jubilant tone than the grind-and-sacrifice arc of Have a Nice Day!. The book provides Foley's own account of landmark moments, including the story behind his "I Quit" match with The Rock, and engages directly with cultural controversies surrounding the WWF, including debates over "backyard wrestling." This willingness to address criticism head-on, rather than sidestep it, is part of what distinguishes the book from standard athlete autobiography.

Because Foley Is Good is a direct continuation of Have a Nice Day!, readers unfamiliar with that first volume may find themselves at a disadvantage. The book assumes familiarity with the characters, feuds, and emotional groundwork laid in Foley's debut memoir; it is designed as a sequel, not a standalone entry point. Dedicated WWE fans of the Attitude Era will find the coverage richest, as the book is rooted in a specific and eventful period — the final chapter of one of that era's most beloved performers. More casual readers drawn by Foley's reputation as a writer rather than his wrestling legacy will still find the alternating personal-life chapters — covering family, personal quirks, and life outside the squared circle — offer a wider portal into the book than pure wrestling content alone.

The book's celebratory register gives it energy and readability, but also limits its scope. Because Foley is writing from the vantage point of hard-won success, the narrative lacks the underdog urgency that gave Have a Nice Day! much of its dramatic tension. The "I Quit" match with The Rock and his championship runs are covered with pride, not vulnerability. Foley Is Good is a victory lap by design — entertaining, but less revelatory as biography. If you're looking for a behind-the-scenes account of the Attitude Era's peak delivered with humor and unfiltered voice, this delivers; the Amazon link in the sidebar has the current price.