Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules

A. J. Mendez

Apr 2017 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

The New York Times Bestseller

Recently retired WWE superstar AJ Mendez Brooks is a powerhouse—strong, quirky, and totally confident. But that wasn’t always the case. With humor and tremendous heart, she opens up for the first time about her harrowing struggle to understand her demons and the diagnosis that helped her gain control over her life.
 
Everything I was told should be my greatest insecurities and weaknesses, everything that I’ve been labeled—SHORT, NERDY, SKINNY, WEAK, IMPULSIVE, UGLY, TOMBOY, POOR, REBEL, LOUD, FREAK, CRAZY—turned out to be my greatest strengths. I didn’t become successful in spite of them. I became successful because of them.
 
Growing up AJ was a quiet girl trying to act “normal” when she felt anything but. As her family struggled with drug addiction, poverty, and mental illness, she found escape through comic books and video games, and was inspired by the tough and unconventional female characters. It wasn’t until she discovered pro wrestling that she learned superheroes could be real.
 
Determined to become the superhero she’d always admired, AJ trained and sacrificed for years to achieve her dream of wrestling professionally. Yet she quickly faced industry pressure to play the role of the damsel in distress and to dress more provocatively to cater to male fans. But she fought back and created an ass-kicking alter ego that was a genuine representation of herself: nerdy, enthusiastic, and a little bit crazy. 
 
With humor and tremendous heart, AJ opens up for the first time about her harrowing struggle to understand her demons and the mental illness diagnosis that helped her gain control over her life. What most people view as a hardship, AJ embraced as inspira­tion for her superhero persona, shattering the stigma attached to mental illness.
 
Charting her journey from a scrappy girl in an unstable home to an empowered wrestling champion, Crazy Is My Superpower is an un­flinchingly honest story and brave confessional about her long road to self-acceptance.

Ratings and reviews

I read this book to learn about AJ Lee's struggle with bipolar disorder, learn about her life as a wrestler and the challenges of a female wrestler. This book covers her journey from a child in a low income area to her journey in to adulthood. The themes I have noticed in this book are women being reduced to sex objects in the workplace and in athletics, finding success well struggling with a mental illness & following your dreams against the common perceptions. Everyone pictures wrestlers as these 6 foot five gods or these sex symbols in the case of women. AJ Lee was an incredible wrestler without being too overly sexualized, glamorized or put in a atypical box. She is 5 ft 2 and could kick your head off! I think this is part of what made her such a special wrestler to me in 2010 to 2015 when I followed her career. Although it is not a detraction from the story I would of loved to hear AJ Lee talk about working with Vickie Guererro. Just because they are both highly influential Hispanic women in the WWE Universe. Should you buy this book? If AJ Lee was as captivating to you as she was to me, absolutely. If you are not a wrestling fan, I am sorry to say this is not the book for you. Yes the story is mainly appealing if you remember the key moments of AJ's career the way I do. From her being in Natalya's stable, to the boyfriend drama, to the excitement of her valet story and becoming a multiple time champion!

Unlike most books this book started out good and got better towards the end. The end really touched my heart. And when she thanked everyone at the end of the book it just showed how very humble she is. The book is very hilarious, has great flow and self deprecating humor a lot of us could relate to. The book feels very raw which I highly appreciate as it feels more genuine like your fulling engaged in the book. Like you could see a scene play out in front of you.

First of all, I have been with AJ since the beginning. I love her so much as a wrestler, and as a person in general. She has gut-busting humor, and I haven't even met her, and gives off good vibes in general online. I have wanted to read this book ever since it has come out, and now I have accomplished one of my goals! I give it a 5 star. Love you AJ! And it's how she has fought through her difficult child hood, to being the best diva in the world. And me as I know and always say, 6•16•13 was one of the best days ever. Great job AJ! And it helps for me because my mental ability is the same as AJ's. I can really relate to this wonderful woman. I love you AJ! Sgood job paving ypur own Hugh and low roads! You have had your up's and down's, but you're that one strong woman who can get through it! ~AJ (yes, my nickname is the same.)

About the author

AJ MENDEZ BROOKS is a former WWE wrestler and three-time Diva champion under the ring name AJ Lee. She is an animal rescue ambassador for several organizations including the ASPCA, and works with Girls Make Games, a program encouraging young women to pursue science and tech-based careers. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Phil 'CM Punk' Brooks.