No Is a Four-Letter Word by Chris Jericho REVIEW

When Chris Jericho’s third autobiography, The Best in the World: At What I Have No Idea, was released in 2014, friends of mine asked how anyone’s life could be interesting enough to warrant so many volumes. My response was to point out how Y2J was living not just one of his dreams, but two: pro wrestler with the WWE and rockstar with his ever-more successful metal band, Fozzy. If Mick Foley could fill two large books with his life story from tales on the road as a wrestler, then imagine how many stories Jericho has amassed from his dual-life. He has plenty to tell and his first three books were all highly rated and a breeze to read through.

When Mick Foley had exhausted his life story he switched it up, writing a pair of novels and releasing a couple of books that took the form of a diary. Hardcore Diaries and Countdown to Lockdown both follow the Hardcore Legend in the build-up to particular events, offering a different perspective on his life. When Jericho’s last book brought his life’s story almost up to date, it was time for him to take a different approach too and the result is No Is a Four-Letter Word: How I Failed Spelling But Succeeded in Life, a book that promises to share 20 of the first ever Undisputed Champion’s ‘most valuable lessons for achieving your goals and living the life you want’.

Jericho admits during the early pages – following the foreword from Paul Stanley of KISS – that his literary agent pitched the idea for the book to him, yet that doesn’t mean any of the content has been taken lightly. The format sees each of the 20 chapters outline a principle and provide examples of how following that behaviour has benefited the rockstar-wrestler. The principles are each named after the person or fictional character that Jericho learnt it from; the list (of Jericho) includes Ted Irvine (Chris’s father and former New York Rangers player) Gene Simmons, Vince McMahon and Yoda.

Some of the principles are stronger than others, some are obvious and others are quite a surprise to find in a self-help book, such as The Steve Austin Principle that teaches us to sometimes be a bit of an asshole. The quality of the anecdotes and their strength against the principle they are highlighting also varies. Stories from behind the scenes of WWE provide excellent insight for wrestling fans, while metalheads will appreciate tales of Lemmy, Paul and Gene from KISS, Slash, Metallica and more. Jimmy Fallon introducing Jericho to Keith Richards also delivers a surprisingly satisfying narrative. And then there’s the time Jericho stalked Paul McCartney at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

Constant Readers (a nod to Stephen King that Jericho pleasantly utilises to address his audience) of Jericho’s books will immediately recognise the same tone and style found in his trilogy of autobiographies. While it would prove difficult to recommend this instalment as a true self-help or motivational book, especially to those without an interest in pro wrestling or rock ‘n’ roll, Jerichoholics will find that these pages go down smooth and may even learn a thing or twenty. If you think of it as Volume 3.5 of the life of Jericho (drink it in, maaaannn), you wouldn’t be far off.

With the book closed, this Constant Reader is looking forward to seeing what form Jericho’s next words take.