Books
If you haven't been listening to '80s jams and fluffing your hair up a little more than usual, you're probably not obsessed with the latest Netflix show Glow. But for so many of us, the show was just the latest in a string of hits that Netflix keeps churning out. And if you have fallen in love with the fierce and fabulous Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, you've probably already binge watched your way through the entire first season in record time. So, what will you do now that you're already struggling through the wait for new episodes? Read, of course.
Luckily books will always have your back when you're looking for some serious entertainment, and there are so many great reads that will give you the same feels as Glow, even in the height of your TV withdrawal symptoms. Maybe you love the '80s feel and want to know more about the era's pop culture. It could be that hanging out with a group fierce female fighters are more your speed. Or you could simply be fascinated by being a struggling actress, or my how friendships can overcome betrayal and stardom. Whatever the case there is a book out there that will keep you occupied until Glow's triumphant return...or at least in between re-watches.
1
'Sisterhood Of The Squared Circle: The History And Rise Of Women's Wrestling' by Pat Laprade and Dan Murphy
If the wrestling in Glow has you hooked, you're definitely going to want to check out Sisterhood of the Squared Circle. This book presents the fascinating history of women’s wrestling, from the carnival circuit of the late 1800s to today’s hugely popular matches. With more than 100 wrestler profiles, find out how the backstage politics, real-life grudges, and incredible personalities, from trailblazers to today's stars, shaped the business.
2
'The Fair Fight' by Anna Freeman
Another book about fierce female fighters, The Fair Fight takes a look at fictional female boxers in the 18th century. Born into a brothel, Ruth's future looks bleak until she catches the eye of Mr. Dryer. A rich Bristol merchant and enthusiast of the ring, he trains gutsy Ruth as a puglist. Soon she rules the blood-spattered sawdust at the infamous Hatchet Inn. Dryer's wife Charlotte lives in the shadows. When Dryer sidelines Ruth after a disastrous fight, and focuses on training her husband Tom, Charlotte presents Ruth with an extraordinary proposition. As the tension mounts before Tom's Championship fight, two worlds collide with electrifying consequences.
3
'She's a Knockout!: A History of Women in Fighting Sports' by L.A. Jennings
If you're more curious now than you'd ever thought you'd be about women in fighting sports, She's A Knockout will tell you everything you never knew you wanted to know about women fighting for entertainment. As far back as the 18h century, female fighters battled at varying levels, from county fairs to elite events. With new opportunities to compete in legitimate arenas from the Olympics and the Golden Gloves to wrestling tournaments and Ultimate Fighting Championships, women are now able to fight in ways their predecessors never could. Jennings chronicles the stories of these strong and resilient women including wrestlers, mixed martial arts competitors, and boxers, and the different issues they have encountered.
4
'Pinned' by Sharon G. Flake
If you want to take the wrestling theme back into fiction and give it a little YA twist, Pinned is the perfect pick. Autumn and Adonis are each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school’s most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis is confined to a wheelchair. But he’s a strong reader who loves books. Even so, Adonis has a secret he knows someone like Autumn can heal. Told in alternating voices, Pinned explores issues of self-discovery, friendship, and what it means to be different.
5
'Someday, Someday Maybe' by Lauren Graham
If following the misadventures of a struggling actress is more your speed, you'll love Lauren Graham's Someday, Someday Maybe, inspired by her own experiences as a young aspiring performer in New York. Franny Banks is a struggling actress with just six months left of the three-year deadline she gave herself to succeed. But so far, all she has to show for her efforts is a degrading waitressing job. It's hard to tell if she'll run out of time or money first. Her father wants her to come home, her agent won't call her back, and her classmate Penelope, who seems supportive, might just turn out to be her toughest competition yet.
6
'Fireworks' by Katie Cotugno
Friendship in the face of betrayal and stardom plays a huge part in Glow, and if you're looking for a lot more backstabbing, supporting, and overall wading through the sometimes very murky waters of best friendship, get your hands on Fireworks. Though this one is set in the 90s it is also delighfully nostalgic. It was always meant to be Olivia. She was the talented one who had been training to be a star her whole life. But everything changes when her best friend Dana is discovered too, and both are offered places in a new girl group. It should be a dream come true, but as the days of grueling practice and constant competition take their toll, things between Olivia and Dana start to shift...and there’s only room at the top for one girl.
7
'Paper Girls' by Brian K. Vaughan
If kick ass ladies of the 80s are what you're after, the Paper Girls graphic novels are right up your street. In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood. It's the girl power of Glow with the eerieness of Stranger Things with that perfect throwback feel.
8
'Fifty Fashion Looks That Changed The 1980s' by Paula Reed
It's hard not to fall for the delighfully tacky 1980s styles seen on every character in Glow, and if you're a fashion history fan looking to learn more about the ensembles that made the decade, Paula Reed's book needs a place on your bookshelf. This beautiful reference work showcases 50 iconic outfits from one of fashion's most influential and exciting decades. Featured designers and style icons will include Anna Wintour, Manolo Blahnik, Princess Diana, Madonna and many more, along with lively and informative text on each.
9
'Back To Our Future: How The 1980s Explain The World We Live in Now--Our Culture, Our Politics, Our Everything' by David Sirota
If you're itching to find out more about the crazy 80s pop culture on full and unabashed display in Glow, this book is for you. Wall Street scandals. Fights over taxes. Racial resentments. A Lakers-Celtics championship. The Karate Kid topping the box-office charts. Bon Jovi touring the country. These words could describe our current moment—or the vaunted iconography of three decades past. In this entertaining book, journalist David Sirota takes readers on a rollicking DeLorean ride back in time to reveal how so many of our present-day conflicts are rooted in the larger-than-life pop culture of the 1980s.
