For this week's Question of the Week, we asked Torch readers about their thoughts on Bret Hart after reading his recently released autobiography. How much was their opinion changed - positively or negatively - after reading Bret's detailed account of his life and wrestling career? Let's go to the second batch of feedback...

Derek Price, Torch reader: The Hitman was, bar none, my favorite when I was growing up, and it's really fascinating seeing how he developed. It sounded like Hart House was a really tumultuous, yet exciting place to be around during those years. When I first started reading advance press on the book, I was really let down about his infidelity and drug use on the road, since he was a childhood hero of mine. Of course I don't condone it, but he is still a sympathetic character to me. I always try to go into these books objectively and keep reminding myself that a lot of what is said is the author's perspective and not necessarily the truth. Reading about Bret's life growing up, it's hard to blame him for a lot of the crazy stuff he gets involved in.

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Jerome Cusson, Torch reader: To me, it's awfully courageous for him to be so open about all of his problems. I am, and always will be, a Bret Hart fan regardless of whether he dabbled in steroids or cheated on his wife. The man is a human being, capable of making the same mistakes as anyone else. Is Bret Hart a bad person? I don't think so. I do agree with most of your analysis. When I re-watched the Bulldog-Hart match from Summerslam after I watched his first RF Video shoot interview, I could see some of the things he was talking about. I guess the stuff that disturbed me the most dealt with family issues. I know all families have a certain amount of dysfunction, but before this book I had no idea this sort of tension went back so far. I really thought all of it stemmed from the Bulldog's drug problems and Owen's death, when really it was just the tip of the iceberg.

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Sanjiv Shukla of Clearwater, Fla., Torch reader: Bret’s memoirs reinforced all of the reasons why I held (and continue to hold) Bret in high esteem. While I was certainly disappointed with the numerous accounts of drug/steroid use and infidelity peppered throughout his book, my disappointment was more than offset by his loyalty and professionalism towards the industry he grew up loving, the fans who adored him, and to the company which made him. I feel it is imperative for anyone assessing Bret’s story to have their perspective tempered by applying the appropriate context of the industry; wrestling as Bret knew growing up was a much different entity than it is today.

While there is no universal answer to Bret’s appeal among wrestling fans, certainly his skill in the ring and his model of hard work were contributing factors. His memoirs do nothing to denigrate these attributes. In addition, he earned the respect of his peers in the industry for these traits as well as his devotion to “the business”, which he states throughout (most succinctly, “nobody ever shit in my crown”). I am happy to be a mark for someone who has earned the respect of true legends such as Harley Race, Dory Funk, and Undertaker.

Anyone who has been exposed to WWE for any protracted period of time is aware of its propensity towards revisionist history. Bret was silent for a number of years after Montreal (outside of his column for the Calgary Sun), and in that time the WWE machinery did its best (arguably very successfully) to minimize his contributions to the industry and, more deplorably, to trivialize the events of Montreal. I appreciated that Bret’s book was in no small part a one-man counterpunch to this revisionist movement by a billion-dollar enterprise. His candor only underscores the credibility of his words as a whole, even to the most ardent of skeptics. Life-long Hitman fans can read the book with confidence, while Hitman detractors can get a credible alternative perspective to WWE-endorsed fluff.

You can still contribute! If you've read Bret Hart's book, send in your feedback and thoughts on how your opinion of Bret has changed or been reinforced. Click the "Contact Us" button above and send your feedback to James Caldwell.

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