This Book Is All Elite: The Inside Story of All Elite Wrestling

Published by Random House Worlds on November 4, 2025, This Book Is All Elite: The Inside Story of All Elite Wrestling (authored by Keith Elliot Greenberg in collaboration with All Elite Wrestling) serves as the promotion’s first official hardcover retrospective. Spanning 224 pages, the volume chronicles the company’s origins, rapid rise, and first five years of operation, from the landmark 2018 All In event through to Sting’s emotional retirement match at Revolution 2024 and the record-breaking Wembley Stadium shows.
Greenberg, a veteran wrestling journalist and New York Times bestselling author known for works on pro wrestling history, brings a polished narrative style to the project. The book is presented as an authorized celebration rather than an investigative exposé. It emphasizes the visionary leadership of Tony Khan, the innovative in-ring style, the inclusive backstage culture, and the passionate global fanbase that helped AEW challenge established industry giants almost immediately upon launch in 2019.
Structurally, the text follows a mostly chronological path: the formation inspired by the success of All In, the launch of Double or Nothing and Dynamite, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic with creative empty-arena and cinematic matches, major storylines involving stars like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, and later additions such as CM Punk and Sting. Exclusive interviews with wrestlers, executives, and crew provide behind-the-scenes commentary, offering insights into creative decisions, roster building, and the company’s ethos of athlete-driven storytelling.
Visually, the book stands out as one of its strongest features. It is lavishly illustrated with high-quality, full-color photography — explosive in-ring action shots, candid backstage moments, promotional imagery, and event spreads. Double-page layouts capture the spectacle of packed arenas, particularly the 2023 All In at Wembley, while also highlighting signature moments like the Stadium Stampede matches and cinematic bouts. The production quality is excellent: thick, glossy paper stock, sharp image reproduction, and an attractive design make it a pleasure to flip through even for casual browsing.
That said, the official nature of the project imposes clear limitations. Controversial periods — notably the 2022 CM Punk-related backstage incidents and their aftermath — receive only brief, surface-level treatment or abrupt omission after key highlights. Several reviewers have noted that the narrative feels sanitized, focusing overwhelmingly on positives while glossing over internal conflicts, departures, ratings challenges, or creative criticisms that have been widely discussed in wrestling media. This selective approach makes the book more of a commemorative keepsake for dedicated fans than a comprehensive, unflinching historical account.
The writing is accessible, enthusiastic, and straightforward, avoiding excessive jargon while still conveying the excitement of major matches and milestones. It appeals to longtime AEW supporters who want a polished memento of the promotion’s achievements, as well as newcomers curious about how the company disrupted the wrestling landscape. For those seeking deeper analysis of controversies or unfiltered perspectives, independent wrestling journalism or podcasts remain better sources.
Overall, This Book Is All Elite succeeds admirably as a high-end coffee-table tribute. Its combination of striking visuals, insider quotes, and feel-good storytelling makes it an attractive addition to any wrestling library — especially for fans invested in AEW’s journey. While it prioritizes inspiration over unvarnished candor, the book effectively captures why so many view the promotion as a fresh, athlete-first alternative in modern professional wrestling. Highly recommended for AEW loyalists; a solid but partial introduction for everyone else.