Andre the Giant: Life and Legend

Brown, B. (2014). Andre the Giant: Life and legend. New York: First Second. Andre Roussimoff was born in France with a rare condition known as acromegaly in which the patient produces too much growth hormone. This condition can be painful and lead to an early death. Andre the Giant was seen as a freak to many, but was greatly loved in the wrestling community. He led a life of glamour with a successful career, but spent much of his life in emotional and physical pain. He lived in physical pain due to his condition, but his emotional pained stemmed from the way people made fun of his great stature. At one point in his life he was over 7 feet tall and weighed 500 pounds. Andre the Giant died in his sleep in 1993 in Paris France at the age of 47. Not only is graphic novel full of interesting facts about Andre the Giant, but it is also filled with wrestling jargon. Brown’s passion, admiration, and knowledge of wrestling can clearly be recognized throughout this novel. Students who love wrestling will love this graphic novel about one of wrestling’s greatest legends. This graphic novel is recommended for students in 9th grade and up.