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The Last Hart Beating: From the Dungeon to WWE
A Simon & Schuster Canada book. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2025
76 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
March 28, 2026
This is an awesome book by Nattie. I am a huge fan of her uncles Bret, Owen, and Davy. One of the things that got me back into wrestling was the announcement of the Hart Dynasty.
Having the last name Hart, you would think Nattie would be treated like wrestling royalty. However with the family history with Vince the last name might have been more of a curse. Not to mention breaking out of her legendary family's shadow.
This is an awesome and honest book, about hardwork, persistence, and climbing the ladder one rung at time only to be knocked down or passed over for someone who looked the part more.
The gender difference is also a huge part of this book. As crazy as it is to belive Nattie is the first woman from her family to enter wrestling business as an actual wrestler. Partly because at the time women's wrestling was more about models having bra and panty matches.
Nattie was one of the pioneers of women actually wrestling. As much as she loved the business and her family. There was a darkside to both. Nattie show the struggle her and her peers had to go through. The grime as well as the glamour of the wrestling business.
There are so many lessons of persistent, believing in yourself, self worth, loyalty, betrayals and even from mistakes Nattie made that can be used in everyone's life.
Having the last name Hart, you would think Nattie would be treated like wrestling royalty. However with the family history with Vince the last name might have been more of a curse. Not to mention breaking out of her legendary family's shadow.
This is an awesome and honest book, about hardwork, persistence, and climbing the ladder one rung at time only to be knocked down or passed over for someone who looked the part more.
The gender difference is also a huge part of this book. As crazy as it is to belive Nattie is the first woman from her family to enter wrestling business as an actual wrestler. Partly because at the time women's wrestling was more about models having bra and panty matches.
Nattie was one of the pioneers of women actually wrestling. As much as she loved the business and her family. There was a darkside to both. Nattie show the struggle her and her peers had to go through. The grime as well as the glamour of the wrestling business.
There are so many lessons of persistent, believing in yourself, self worth, loyalty, betrayals and even from mistakes Nattie made that can be used in everyone's life.
October 16, 2025
What a fantastic memoir! I grew up idolizing Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Owen Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart - The Hart Foundation was larger than life in my house. My brother and I used to copy their moves, and tried to pull off a Sharpshooter half as smooth as Bret’s and channel “The Anvil’s” wild energy. So naturally, I’ve always had a soft spot for Nattie Neidhart. But my admiration for her goes far beyond her family name. She’s an incredible wrestler in her own right - technically gifted, passionate, and one of the most underrated talents WWE has ever had.
This memoir shows a side of Nattie that fans rarely get to see. She writes candidly about her struggles to stand out in a male-dominated industry, where women were often valued more for looks than wrestling skill. She opens up about trying to please Vince McMahon, battling insecurities about her body, and constantly feeling like she didn’t fit the “Divas Division” mold. Through it all, she never gave up and ultimately became the backbone of the women’s division, by helping make everyone she worked with look like a star. It’s incredibly admirable to have that kind of love and patience for the business while relentlessly chasing your dreams.
Beyond the ring, Nattie also shares deeply personal stories about her family, her father’s battles with addiction, and her love for her husband TJ Wilson. The chapters about her husband (Tyson Kidd) and the horrific neck injury that nearly took his life are absolutely gut-wrenching. I had no idea about the full extent of his “hangman fracture” until reading this book - it’s a miracle he survived, and even more moving to see how they both rebuilt their lives afterward.
The Last Hart Beating isn’t just another wrestling memoir, it’s a story about perseverance, identity, and staying true to yourself in a business that constantly tries to define you. Nattie’s honesty, humor, and resilience make her story unforgettable. She carries the Hart legacy with grace, strength, and authenticity - and reminds us why she’s truly the heart and soul of women’s wrestling. With this book, Nattie proves she can still steal the show and put on a five-star performance, inside and outside the ring. I highly recommend reading this!
This memoir shows a side of Nattie that fans rarely get to see. She writes candidly about her struggles to stand out in a male-dominated industry, where women were often valued more for looks than wrestling skill. She opens up about trying to please Vince McMahon, battling insecurities about her body, and constantly feeling like she didn’t fit the “Divas Division” mold. Through it all, she never gave up and ultimately became the backbone of the women’s division, by helping make everyone she worked with look like a star. It’s incredibly admirable to have that kind of love and patience for the business while relentlessly chasing your dreams.
Beyond the ring, Nattie also shares deeply personal stories about her family, her father’s battles with addiction, and her love for her husband TJ Wilson. The chapters about her husband (Tyson Kidd) and the horrific neck injury that nearly took his life are absolutely gut-wrenching. I had no idea about the full extent of his “hangman fracture” until reading this book - it’s a miracle he survived, and even more moving to see how they both rebuilt their lives afterward.
The Last Hart Beating isn’t just another wrestling memoir, it’s a story about perseverance, identity, and staying true to yourself in a business that constantly tries to define you. Nattie’s honesty, humor, and resilience make her story unforgettable. She carries the Hart legacy with grace, strength, and authenticity - and reminds us why she’s truly the heart and soul of women’s wrestling. With this book, Nattie proves she can still steal the show and put on a five-star performance, inside and outside the ring. I highly recommend reading this!
December 16, 2025
"If you want to be the first anything in this family, be the first to leave without being broke or broken. Be the first of us to beat the f*cking House."
This was such an easy read. I think Nattie did a great job of telling her story in a well-structured way that flowed seamlessly from one chapter to the next. It felt polished but not sanitised. I didn't feel like I was being fed a politically correct and surface-level version of her story.
As a Nattie fan, I appreciated the insight into her career journey. Compared to some of the other wrestlers who have memoirs out there, Nattie is so underrated because she has not been afforded the same opportunities as the top stars in WWE. So, her perspective on all the backstage politics and how that interwove with her personal life at times, was very refreshing.
While Nattie's 2017 championship win is the perfect climax for her career, I wish that wasn't also where the book seemed to end. There's a good eight years between then and now that I wish were also reflected in the book. That would be my only gripe. Especially since Nattie also acknowledges that winning championships isn't the be all and end all for a successful professional wrestling career.
"I'm grateful for the early days of my wrestling career, being surrounded by people who knew that becoming a wrestler isn't about perfection, it's about perseverance."
This was such an easy read. I think Nattie did a great job of telling her story in a well-structured way that flowed seamlessly from one chapter to the next. It felt polished but not sanitised. I didn't feel like I was being fed a politically correct and surface-level version of her story.
As a Nattie fan, I appreciated the insight into her career journey. Compared to some of the other wrestlers who have memoirs out there, Nattie is so underrated because she has not been afforded the same opportunities as the top stars in WWE. So, her perspective on all the backstage politics and how that interwove with her personal life at times, was very refreshing.
While Nattie's 2017 championship win is the perfect climax for her career, I wish that wasn't also where the book seemed to end. There's a good eight years between then and now that I wish were also reflected in the book. That would be my only gripe. Especially since Nattie also acknowledges that winning championships isn't the be all and end all for a successful professional wrestling career.
"I'm grateful for the early days of my wrestling career, being surrounded by people who knew that becoming a wrestler isn't about perfection, it's about perseverance."
October 12, 2025
Really enjoyed this audiobook. Nattie telling her story felt really honest and as a lifelong wrestling fan I loved hearing all the behind the scenes stories.
September 26, 2025
I’d like to start this by saying thank you to Simon and Schuster for giving me the opportunity to review this book before it’s release. It has been a true privilege not only as a reader, but as lifelong wrestling fan who grew up idolizing Nattie ‘Natalya’ Neidhart.
WOW. I had to take a second after I finished this book to just sit and think - specifically about the message that was clearly conveyed throughout each chapter, being ‘perseverance and believing in yourself is the key to success.’ The key to success in your career but most importantly the key to success in your personal life, and how you feel about yourself.
Nattie’s story is one that wrestling fans have been able to see through a lens, whether that be through WWE or Total Divas, but never really on a deeper level - and this memoir truly feels like Nattie’s way of controlling the narrative about herself and her family. A reoccurring theme I noticed is how Nattie told her life story by telling us the story of people IN her life, which I think speaks volumes about how much her family and friends have made her the person she is today.
On many occasions while reading I caught myself tearing up, because this memoir was written in a way that feels like a friend talking to a friend about their life, their happiness, their pain. It never felt like a celebrity talking to a fan, or an entertainer trying to entertain - it felt real, raw and personal. Nattie’s humour shines through in many chapters too, giving us another layer to herself as a person and not just the character we see on TV.
This memoir is carefully laid out, written in a mostly chronological way that makes it easy to read but also easy to see Nattie’s growth as a person. The stories she chose to share about the people in her life all have meaning, and being able to hear about how she felt experiencing it and what she learnt from those experiences made me self reflect a lot of my own experiences dealing with similar things. I felt seen reading this book, and I know a lot of other women who grew up watching Nattie would be able to say the same after reading this book. Thank you Nattie for sharing your vulnerable moments with your fans, you truly are a trail blazer - a genuinely strong woman who I can comfortably say I am proud to have idolized as a young girl.
WOW. I had to take a second after I finished this book to just sit and think - specifically about the message that was clearly conveyed throughout each chapter, being ‘perseverance and believing in yourself is the key to success.’ The key to success in your career but most importantly the key to success in your personal life, and how you feel about yourself.
Nattie’s story is one that wrestling fans have been able to see through a lens, whether that be through WWE or Total Divas, but never really on a deeper level - and this memoir truly feels like Nattie’s way of controlling the narrative about herself and her family. A reoccurring theme I noticed is how Nattie told her life story by telling us the story of people IN her life, which I think speaks volumes about how much her family and friends have made her the person she is today.
On many occasions while reading I caught myself tearing up, because this memoir was written in a way that feels like a friend talking to a friend about their life, their happiness, their pain. It never felt like a celebrity talking to a fan, or an entertainer trying to entertain - it felt real, raw and personal. Nattie’s humour shines through in many chapters too, giving us another layer to herself as a person and not just the character we see on TV.
This memoir is carefully laid out, written in a mostly chronological way that makes it easy to read but also easy to see Nattie’s growth as a person. The stories she chose to share about the people in her life all have meaning, and being able to hear about how she felt experiencing it and what she learnt from those experiences made me self reflect a lot of my own experiences dealing with similar things. I felt seen reading this book, and I know a lot of other women who grew up watching Nattie would be able to say the same after reading this book. Thank you Nattie for sharing your vulnerable moments with your fans, you truly are a trail blazer - a genuinely strong woman who I can comfortably say I am proud to have idolized as a young girl.
November 1, 2025
Nattie Neidhart’s memoir is a raw and honest exploration of her life, filled with vulnerability, reflection, humor, and a touch of sadness. Reading it felt like having a deep conversation with a close friend over coffee. She candidly shares her experiences growing up in the Hart family, detailing the highs and lows and the immense pressure that came with it.
One of the most revealing and heartfelt parts of the book is her relationship with her father, the legendary Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. She doesn’t hold back in sharing the details of his struggles, his challenging personality, her attempts to help him, and the health issues he faced.
Despite her remarkable achievements in her career, Nattie still feels inadequate and driven to do more. She’s always been the one to make others look good or help them out, but her career and her story are important and valuable.
The book also delves into her relationship with TJ Wilson, another highlight of the book. Their love for each other is palpable, and when she talks about his career-ending injury and the emotional toll it took on him, it deeply moved me.
One minor criticism of the book is its brevity. It’s a little over 250 pages, which feels like it could have been expanded to 350 to 400 pages. For instance, Becky Lynch’s 2024 memoir was 384 pages long. Nattie’s story could have covered more ground, and I wish it had been longer, as she’s an open book, likable, sweet, and a great storyteller.
While she doesn’t hold back and is very detailed, I feel like certain subjects, like Teddy Hart, could have been given more space. Nevertheless, this is a truly excellent book, and I highly recommend it to all wrestling fans. It made me an even bigger fan of Nattie.
One of the most revealing and heartfelt parts of the book is her relationship with her father, the legendary Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. She doesn’t hold back in sharing the details of his struggles, his challenging personality, her attempts to help him, and the health issues he faced.
Despite her remarkable achievements in her career, Nattie still feels inadequate and driven to do more. She’s always been the one to make others look good or help them out, but her career and her story are important and valuable.
The book also delves into her relationship with TJ Wilson, another highlight of the book. Their love for each other is palpable, and when she talks about his career-ending injury and the emotional toll it took on him, it deeply moved me.
One minor criticism of the book is its brevity. It’s a little over 250 pages, which feels like it could have been expanded to 350 to 400 pages. For instance, Becky Lynch’s 2024 memoir was 384 pages long. Nattie’s story could have covered more ground, and I wish it had been longer, as she’s an open book, likable, sweet, and a great storyteller.
While she doesn’t hold back and is very detailed, I feel like certain subjects, like Teddy Hart, could have been given more space. Nevertheless, this is a truly excellent book, and I highly recommend it to all wrestling fans. It made me an even bigger fan of Nattie.
January 1, 2026
This is the best wrestling book I have read. Nattie's is a great storyteller and this book is fully in her voice. Being famous can look so glamorous but her story is a reminder that it isn't an easy road and her life has had her share of tragedy. I felt like the book should have been (or maybe was intended to be) longer. There are so many good stories even hinted at within the photos that were not told - including the first women's match in Saudi or working with Rhonda Roussey. She did a great job of making this book about her - not gossipy, not scathing or dramatic. Nattie has had an extraordinary life and a hall of fame career. As a fellow Canadian, she has always been one of my favorites. Highly recommended this read if you have any interest in sports entertainment.
January 10, 2026
Easily my favourite book of all time. Five out of five stars. I'd give more if I could.
November 1, 2025
Natalya is my favourite wrestler so her book was super informative
October 28, 2025
The Last Hart Beating is a fascinating memoir telling the story of Nattie Neidhart forging her way as a woman and a third-generation legacy in the men-dominated world of wrestling.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and I always appreciate when memoirs are narrated by the storyteller. Nattie told her story so compassionately and lively; I rooted for her from the first to the last word! Her passion and her resilience are admirable. You go, girl! Beat the f****** house!
I‘m not a huge wrestling fan, but I did like to watch it as a teen. I stopped because I got older and started to think about what these athletes did to their bodies and didn‘t agree with how the women in wrestling were portrayed. So when I saw this memoir, I was highly interested in the opinion of a woman who lived it firsthand.
I‘m honestly impressed, because Nattie managed the perfect mix between highlighting her passion for and criticism of wrestling. You can hear that she lives and breathes wrestling, but she‘s also raw and honest about things and times in her career that made her doubt herself and her love for the sport. She got me so invested that her epilogue made me cry.
This book / audiobook is for you if you love wrestling or if you love stories about strong women who never give up. Thank you, Nattie, for sharing your story with us; you are truly inspiring!
Thank you to Nattie Neidhart and Brilliance Publishing for sending me an ALC. All opinions are my own.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and I always appreciate when memoirs are narrated by the storyteller. Nattie told her story so compassionately and lively; I rooted for her from the first to the last word! Her passion and her resilience are admirable. You go, girl! Beat the f****** house!
I‘m not a huge wrestling fan, but I did like to watch it as a teen. I stopped because I got older and started to think about what these athletes did to their bodies and didn‘t agree with how the women in wrestling were portrayed. So when I saw this memoir, I was highly interested in the opinion of a woman who lived it firsthand.
I‘m honestly impressed, because Nattie managed the perfect mix between highlighting her passion for and criticism of wrestling. You can hear that she lives and breathes wrestling, but she‘s also raw and honest about things and times in her career that made her doubt herself and her love for the sport. She got me so invested that her epilogue made me cry.
This book / audiobook is for you if you love wrestling or if you love stories about strong women who never give up. Thank you, Nattie, for sharing your story with us; you are truly inspiring!
Thank you to Nattie Neidhart and Brilliance Publishing for sending me an ALC. All opinions are my own.
November 6, 2025
3.5
natalya is very strong. i didn’t know her childhood was as difficult as it was. her home life and difficulties with her father really colored the rest of her life. i also didn’t know how hard the execs were on her.
i’m completely stunned by her farting gimmick. i knew about it but like … idk. the extent to which vince was championing it was wild. nattie is a real team player. and she never really gets rewarded for it (she deserved to be inaugural champion for the women’s ic belt)
i did get a little emotional at parts. i enjoyed the chapter about her match with charlotte flair at nxt takeover. reading about her husbands injury and recovery was sad. wwe did him so dirty! by the end of the book i was so emotional about her journey with her fathers health.
i think the book lacks a solid voice/personality and had times i felt like it couldve done with some edits to make it flow better.
natalya is very strong. i didn’t know her childhood was as difficult as it was. her home life and difficulties with her father really colored the rest of her life. i also didn’t know how hard the execs were on her.
i’m completely stunned by her farting gimmick. i knew about it but like … idk. the extent to which vince was championing it was wild. nattie is a real team player. and she never really gets rewarded for it (she deserved to be inaugural champion for the women’s ic belt)
i did get a little emotional at parts. i enjoyed the chapter about her match with charlotte flair at nxt takeover. reading about her husbands injury and recovery was sad. wwe did him so dirty! by the end of the book i was so emotional about her journey with her fathers health.
i think the book lacks a solid voice/personality and had times i felt like it couldve done with some edits to make it flow better.
January 28, 2026
If you love wrestling and especially the Hart family dynasty this is a nice quick read. There was a lot I didn’t know about her rough childhood and how it shaped a lot about who she is. The story of the Harts is full of triumph and tragedy and her life is no exception. I think it’s interesting to see how someone so loyal to the company still, writes about what I believe was a lot of mistreatment both in her career and how they handled TJ’s injury. With that being said the book can be very funny and you can definitely hear Nattie’s voice throughout. I loved hearing about the filming of Total Divas and would loveee for an oral history of the show to be written at some point.
December 1, 2025
The stuff on her dad and on TJ was really good. She wrote a book here that was very open and vulnerable, so definitely worth a read for people interested in her career. It had some interesting portrayals. It was quite glowing or at least always understanding on Vince, when he clearly doesn’t deserve that. It also made the Bella Twins seem super friendly.
October 31, 2025
Wow…I’ve been a fan of Natalya for several years now. I was so excited when she announced she wrote a book, and October 28th seemed to take forever to get here.
Nattie Neidhart is the definition of persistence, grit, determination, kindness, and grace. I literally felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster as I listened to the audiobook. From laughter to tears to feeling angered on her behalf and then repeated several times over, Nattie’s story is one that reminds us that never quitting is what makes us strongest. This book is raw, powerful, and a beautiful tale of what it took to get where she is. I’m so glad that Nattie decided to write this book because it gives you insight into her incredible work ethic. The message of positivity even in the face of familial and professional struggles is so real.
Congrats, Nattie, and may you be the first to “beat the house.” 🩵
Nattie Neidhart is the definition of persistence, grit, determination, kindness, and grace. I literally felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster as I listened to the audiobook. From laughter to tears to feeling angered on her behalf and then repeated several times over, Nattie’s story is one that reminds us that never quitting is what makes us strongest. This book is raw, powerful, and a beautiful tale of what it took to get where she is. I’m so glad that Nattie decided to write this book because it gives you insight into her incredible work ethic. The message of positivity even in the face of familial and professional struggles is so real.
Congrats, Nattie, and may you be the first to “beat the house.” 🩵
January 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5 !! This book was incredible !! Such an inspiring and immaculate read. So nostalgic, so heart tugging, so funny, such an incredible book by Nattie. I recommend this to all wrestling lovers ! Such a great book !!
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November 29, 2025As a second generation Hart/Neidhart fan, this book was a no brainer for me get.
I loved reading about Nattie’s live and her love of professional wrestling. Considering she’s already one of my favorites, earned a new level of respect for her as well.
I loved reading about Nattie’s live and her love of professional wrestling. Considering she’s already one of my favorites, earned a new level of respect for her as well.
January 2, 2026
A love story filled with Hart about legacy, passion, self-belief, and commitment to your craft, even when life pins you down on the mat several times.
October 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for access to this audiobook.
This is a well constructed and thoroughly entertaining audiobook. I did not grow up a wrestling fan but am familiar with the Hart family as my dad was a big fan of Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. Being Canadian the mentions of Saskatchewan, IGA, Smiley’s Buffet etc. was nostalgic.
What impressed me most about Nattie in this book was her capacity for nuance. She showed compassion and appreciation for various people while acknowledging how their behaviours hurt her. Hearing about the uphill battle she climbed for women’s wrestling and female athletes in general was inspiring. It was frustrating hearing about how often the women out worked the men for little to no pay off.
Lastly, the analogy of how in wrestling and in the entertainment industry in general you’re “playing against the house” and nobody wins against the house really hit home.
Recommend for anyone who likes memoirs or wrestling and recovering people pleasers.
This is a well constructed and thoroughly entertaining audiobook. I did not grow up a wrestling fan but am familiar with the Hart family as my dad was a big fan of Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. Being Canadian the mentions of Saskatchewan, IGA, Smiley’s Buffet etc. was nostalgic.
What impressed me most about Nattie in this book was her capacity for nuance. She showed compassion and appreciation for various people while acknowledging how their behaviours hurt her. Hearing about the uphill battle she climbed for women’s wrestling and female athletes in general was inspiring. It was frustrating hearing about how often the women out worked the men for little to no pay off.
Lastly, the analogy of how in wrestling and in the entertainment industry in general you’re “playing against the house” and nobody wins against the house really hit home.
Recommend for anyone who likes memoirs or wrestling and recovering people pleasers.
January 1, 2026
I loved the insider, behind the scenes look at wrestling and WWE. Nattie's attitude and approach to work and her life is an inspiration.
November 24, 2025
Now THIS was a great wrestling memoir. Candid, vulnerable, funny and great insights. My only negative was that it ended too soon. Congrats to Nattie, you did your big one on this one!
January 8, 2026
thank you Natty!
Wonderful read! Looking forward to seeing her continue to shine! Hopefully she gets one more run with any of the titles
Wonderful read! Looking forward to seeing her continue to shine! Hopefully she gets one more run with any of the titles
November 21, 2025
really enjoyed this autobiography one of the best ones I've read
January 29, 2026
Nattie NEEDS all the Flowers!!! I love her so much and she is even more loveable that I got to read her story. Hope to meet her one day.
She narrates her audiobook and it was so raw and emotional.
She narrates her audiobook and it was so raw and emotional.
December 20, 2025
One of the most consistent, dedicated and generous wrestlers out there, Nattie bears her soul for the world in this memoir.
Family is the focal point of this novel, with much of it centering around her father and her husband TJ, while also highlighting Nattie’s growth as a wrestler and an individual alongside those harrowing backdrops. There was a point I thought “is this not enough about Nattie?”, but then I quickly realized that’s who she is. Her life is her family, in the bond of her lineage and all the good and bad that comes with it. Putting it into that perspective allowed me to enjoy it that much more.
Family is the focal point of this novel, with much of it centering around her father and her husband TJ, while also highlighting Nattie’s growth as a wrestler and an individual alongside those harrowing backdrops. There was a point I thought “is this not enough about Nattie?”, but then I quickly realized that’s who she is. Her life is her family, in the bond of her lineage and all the good and bad that comes with it. Putting it into that perspective allowed me to enjoy it that much more.
October 16, 2025
I could read a 1000 page book just on Total Divas if im honest.
December 28, 2025
A lot of times, you wish a book was a little bit shorter. I felt the opposite here. This could have easily used another 50-100 pages. I wish there was more about the behind the scenes aspects (ie - Ronda Rousey was not mentioned).
April 2, 2026
This is powerful, painful and poignant memoir of a survivor of straitened circumstances from childhood to maturity.
Nattie Neidhart is more than just the Last Hart Beating, she is the best of the Harts, something readily noticeable when one contrasts her book with those of Diana, Brett and Bruce Hart.
Nattie had a far harder childhood than did her aunt and uncles. While neither Diana, Brett nor Bruce had an opulent childhood, neither did any of them lose their childhood home because their father lost his job and could not find another one. While Stu Hart was old school rocks and shoals who did not care a fig for pronouns, his physical encouragements were always all clearly the result of some misbehaviour on the part of his sons, and it stopped when they ceased and desisted the originating shenanigans.
Nattie's father was living with the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. This manifested as alternating violent foul moods and withdrawal. He self-medicated, which only exacerbated his problems, rendering employment spotty at best, and making life for Nattie, her mother and her sisters an eternal terror of never knowing what would come next.
How did Nattie react? By getting a job to help ends meet. While Bret was a reluctant, petulant, whiny toll taker at the Clearwater resort, Nattie hobbled to work as a waitress and hostess on crutches, smiling to keep the customers happy because it was her job.
Diana, Bret and Bruce all take potshots at each and every one of their siblings. Nattie says that her sisters had cut their father out of their lives, as had their mother, because they simply could not deal with him and his situation anymore. She particularly points out how her sister Muffie would not allow her father in her house because she was fiercely protective of her kids. While Diana, Bret and Bruce attribute every "wrong" their siblings "committed" to alleged personal flaws, Nattie explains the actions her sisters and her mother took as reactions to an extreme situation.
The contrast between Brett and Nattie carries on into the ring. Brett famously repeated that he had "a thing about titles." Nattie says "I didn't care about winning. I still don't." Whereas Brett and Bruce constantly air their regrets about not being afforded the status they esteemed they were due, Nattie willingly took on the role of jobber and trainer because she was committed to the team. Whereas Brett and Bruce moan, whinge and lament about how "Wrestling is not what it used to be!", Nattie acknowledges as a sine qua non that the WWE, like Manchester United under Sir Alex and Liverpool when Graeme Souness was there, operated under a permanent Yezhovshchina where you are only as good as your latest match, where you can be terminated on a whim, where something that has been planned for months can also be abandoned on a whim.
One can see this as Nattie going into the WWE knowing what happened to Brett and her father, something which she openly acknowledges. However, when one remembers what she said in her earlier chapters about taking jobs when he father was not working, about hobbling to work at her restaurant job on crutches, one sees that the way she behaves in the WWE is actually a continuation of the work ethic she assumed as a result of her family's situation.
Likewise, Nattie provides some context about her mother "Ellie" that neither Diana, Brett nor Bruce do. Reading the latter three, one would think that "Ellie" was just a gold-digger manipulating her parents for personal gain. Nattie, on the other hand, shows that her mother had to be the fiscally responsible one in her family because her father simply could not be. She reports how Ellie took on several menial jobs after Jim Neidhart lost the house--something Diana, Brett and Bruce never experienced even though Stu was often skint--and how she always stressed saving over spending. Brett in his book accuses Ellie of compromising with the WWE "to get her husband a job." When one reads in Nattie's book how Ellie was working menial jobs because her husband could not work, one understands why.
The thing is, Nattie never mentions what Diana, Brett, Bruce and Marsha Erb do, namely that, after Owen's death, Ellie and Diana argued for their parents to come to terms with the WWE while Brett and Martha Patterson-Hart made the opposite case. Could this be because Nattie was not personally a witness to the events in question? Yes. Neither Diana, Brett not Bruce's memoirs, nor Marsha Erb's biography of Stu put Nattie at the scene of any of the confrontations; the closest being that Brett says that Nattie's sister Jenni joined in one of the heated arguments against him. Here again, however, one goes back to Nattie's description of her adolescent years getting a job to help out because her father could not work. At the same time, one also goes to Nattie's willing embrace of the role of jobber and trainer, as well as her characterisation of her mother and her sisters decision as being situational rather than the result of personal weakness. Nattie comes across, in short, as a person inclined to mend fences rather than to air out dirty laundry.
One other aspect of Nattie's memoirs stands out in contrast to those of Diana, Brett and Bruce. All through her career into the late 2010s, Nattie was also a caregiver for her father, Jim the Anvil Neidhart. Every time there was a high moment in the ring, there was also a terrifying escalation of the situation with Anvil's worsening Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Whatever their troubles, neither Bruce nor Brett nor Diana ever had to bottom line Stu and force him, by law, to enter rehabilitation. Nattie had to do this with Anvil.
Despite all of those, Nattie--again in stark contrast to Diana, Brett and Bruce, never says a bad word about anyone. She praises Bruce for helping her get into wrestling. She praises Brett for helping her navigate her entry into the WWE. Whereas Diana, Brett and Bruce point out Davey Smith's problems, Nattie only says about him how he praised her early performances in the ring. (She does not mention Diana by name in her book, but, in the Total Divas segment on Anvil's memorial , she speaks kindly and warmly to Diana about her (Diana's) part in the memorial.)
When one overlays the chronology of Nattie's going to Japan and her entry into the WWE shortly thereafter--instances in which she solicited and received Brett's advice with the chronology of the other books, one sees that these events happened at precisely the same time that Brett and Martha were feuding with Ellie and Diana over the lawsuit. Yet, in her book, Nattie only describes Brett as being helpful and kind to her. Indeed, she says more than once that she has a special bond with Brett, at the same time that she talks about her closeness with her mother, who, as per Brett's book, allegedly told Brett that she never liked him. This could mean that, by the time Nattie wrote her book, there was some reconciliation. This could also mean that Nattie is the strongest of the Harts, that Nattie is a reconciler, a peacemaker.
Likewise, Nattie openly and directly acknowledges that there was bad blood between the Harts and the WWE--but she gives a fair and balanced account of Vince McMahon. Her account on him show him to be extremely demanding, highly eccentric and unpredictable, but also as willing to listen and having a warm side.
As well, Nattie unwittingly shows how her grandparents were exceptionally strong people. Like John Quincy Adams, they were in economic straits often in their lives and yet, not once, did they go down the path of Michael Wildt's Unbedingte , and neither did Nattie, who knew hard straits far more often than she knew other things. This reinforces something Professor Nicolas Patin said about the Unbedingte as a whole in his biography of Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger, something missed out by Richard Evans. Being in unenviable economic straits alone is insufficient to make one an Unbedingte , and sharing the views of the Unbedingte is key to putting one in their fraternity.
This is a powerful book of surviving and caregiving, and of constant adaptation.
Nattie Neidhart is more than just the Last Hart Beating, she is the best of the Harts, something readily noticeable when one contrasts her book with those of Diana, Brett and Bruce Hart.
Nattie had a far harder childhood than did her aunt and uncles. While neither Diana, Brett nor Bruce had an opulent childhood, neither did any of them lose their childhood home because their father lost his job and could not find another one. While Stu Hart was old school rocks and shoals who did not care a fig for pronouns, his physical encouragements were always all clearly the result of some misbehaviour on the part of his sons, and it stopped when they ceased and desisted the originating shenanigans.
Nattie's father was living with the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. This manifested as alternating violent foul moods and withdrawal. He self-medicated, which only exacerbated his problems, rendering employment spotty at best, and making life for Nattie, her mother and her sisters an eternal terror of never knowing what would come next.
How did Nattie react? By getting a job to help ends meet. While Bret was a reluctant, petulant, whiny toll taker at the Clearwater resort, Nattie hobbled to work as a waitress and hostess on crutches, smiling to keep the customers happy because it was her job.
Diana, Bret and Bruce all take potshots at each and every one of their siblings. Nattie says that her sisters had cut their father out of their lives, as had their mother, because they simply could not deal with him and his situation anymore. She particularly points out how her sister Muffie would not allow her father in her house because she was fiercely protective of her kids. While Diana, Bret and Bruce attribute every "wrong" their siblings "committed" to alleged personal flaws, Nattie explains the actions her sisters and her mother took as reactions to an extreme situation.
The contrast between Brett and Nattie carries on into the ring. Brett famously repeated that he had "a thing about titles." Nattie says "I didn't care about winning. I still don't." Whereas Brett and Bruce constantly air their regrets about not being afforded the status they esteemed they were due, Nattie willingly took on the role of jobber and trainer because she was committed to the team. Whereas Brett and Bruce moan, whinge and lament about how "Wrestling is not what it used to be!", Nattie acknowledges as a sine qua non that the WWE, like Manchester United under Sir Alex and Liverpool when Graeme Souness was there, operated under a permanent Yezhovshchina where you are only as good as your latest match, where you can be terminated on a whim, where something that has been planned for months can also be abandoned on a whim.
One can see this as Nattie going into the WWE knowing what happened to Brett and her father, something which she openly acknowledges. However, when one remembers what she said in her earlier chapters about taking jobs when he father was not working, about hobbling to work at her restaurant job on crutches, one sees that the way she behaves in the WWE is actually a continuation of the work ethic she assumed as a result of her family's situation.
Likewise, Nattie provides some context about her mother "Ellie" that neither Diana, Brett nor Bruce do. Reading the latter three, one would think that "Ellie" was just a gold-digger manipulating her parents for personal gain. Nattie, on the other hand, shows that her mother had to be the fiscally responsible one in her family because her father simply could not be. She reports how Ellie took on several menial jobs after Jim Neidhart lost the house--something Diana, Brett and Bruce never experienced even though Stu was often skint--and how she always stressed saving over spending. Brett in his book accuses Ellie of compromising with the WWE "to get her husband a job." When one reads in Nattie's book how Ellie was working menial jobs because her husband could not work, one understands why.
The thing is, Nattie never mentions what Diana, Brett, Bruce and Marsha Erb do, namely that, after Owen's death, Ellie and Diana argued for their parents to come to terms with the WWE while Brett and Martha Patterson-Hart made the opposite case. Could this be because Nattie was not personally a witness to the events in question? Yes. Neither Diana, Brett not Bruce's memoirs, nor Marsha Erb's biography of Stu put Nattie at the scene of any of the confrontations; the closest being that Brett says that Nattie's sister Jenni joined in one of the heated arguments against him. Here again, however, one goes back to Nattie's description of her adolescent years getting a job to help out because her father could not work. At the same time, one also goes to Nattie's willing embrace of the role of jobber and trainer, as well as her characterisation of her mother and her sisters decision as being situational rather than the result of personal weakness. Nattie comes across, in short, as a person inclined to mend fences rather than to air out dirty laundry.
One other aspect of Nattie's memoirs stands out in contrast to those of Diana, Brett and Bruce. All through her career into the late 2010s, Nattie was also a caregiver for her father, Jim the Anvil Neidhart. Every time there was a high moment in the ring, there was also a terrifying escalation of the situation with Anvil's worsening Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Whatever their troubles, neither Bruce nor Brett nor Diana ever had to bottom line Stu and force him, by law, to enter rehabilitation. Nattie had to do this with Anvil.
Despite all of those, Nattie--again in stark contrast to Diana, Brett and Bruce, never says a bad word about anyone. She praises Bruce for helping her get into wrestling. She praises Brett for helping her navigate her entry into the WWE. Whereas Diana, Brett and Bruce point out Davey Smith's problems, Nattie only says about him how he praised her early performances in the ring. (She does not mention Diana by name in her book, but, in the Total Divas segment on Anvil's memorial , she speaks kindly and warmly to Diana about her (Diana's) part in the memorial.)
When one overlays the chronology of Nattie's going to Japan and her entry into the WWE shortly thereafter--instances in which she solicited and received Brett's advice with the chronology of the other books, one sees that these events happened at precisely the same time that Brett and Martha were feuding with Ellie and Diana over the lawsuit. Yet, in her book, Nattie only describes Brett as being helpful and kind to her. Indeed, she says more than once that she has a special bond with Brett, at the same time that she talks about her closeness with her mother, who, as per Brett's book, allegedly told Brett that she never liked him. This could mean that, by the time Nattie wrote her book, there was some reconciliation. This could also mean that Nattie is the strongest of the Harts, that Nattie is a reconciler, a peacemaker.
Likewise, Nattie openly and directly acknowledges that there was bad blood between the Harts and the WWE--but she gives a fair and balanced account of Vince McMahon. Her account on him show him to be extremely demanding, highly eccentric and unpredictable, but also as willing to listen and having a warm side.
As well, Nattie unwittingly shows how her grandparents were exceptionally strong people. Like John Quincy Adams, they were in economic straits often in their lives and yet, not once, did they go down the path of Michael Wildt's Unbedingte , and neither did Nattie, who knew hard straits far more often than she knew other things. This reinforces something Professor Nicolas Patin said about the Unbedingte as a whole in his biography of Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger, something missed out by Richard Evans. Being in unenviable economic straits alone is insufficient to make one an Unbedingte , and sharing the views of the Unbedingte is key to putting one in their fraternity.
This is a powerful book of surviving and caregiving, and of constant adaptation.
December 19, 2025
As a lover of wrestling but didn’t grow up in the area of Natalya’s uncles and father, it was great getting to learn more about the history of how they got into wrestling and the way wrestling evolved overtime. It was also eye opening getting to see her journey into wrestling and certain women she trained and certain moments in her career that I got to witness on screen but not witness behind the scenes. I felt a lot of emotions while reading this book because it was funny, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking, inspiring…just a lot of feels. I’d recommend this to any wrestling fan especially those who grew up watching Natalya.
December 21, 2025
This is an excellent read for any wrestling fan! Nattie is not only kind hearted when you meet her in person but her story really allows you to see that you can find the light and hope in the darkest of places. Her story is of perseverance, consistency, and empowerment. She is the definition of an underdog and truly is the low-key legend of the Hart family. I loved every bit of this read and even if you aren't a fan of wrestling, her book touches on a lot of reliable topics about relationships and suffering in silence.
February 18, 2026
This book wrecked me.
I’ve watched Nattie since her early days on Total Divas, and honestly, she’s one of the reasons I got into wrestling in the first place. I thought I knew her — the strong Hart family representative, the steady professional, the woman who always seemed composed no matter what. But this memoir shows how much she was carrying behind that strength.
Her chapters about TJ’s injury absolutely broke my heart. The fear, the uncertainty, the possibility of his career ending — you can feel how terrifying that was. It’s not just about wrestling; it’s about watching the person you love lose the thing that defines them. And the way WWE handled the situation, the pressure, the business side of it all — it shows how brutal the industry can be behind the curtain. Wrestling is a dream, but it’s also a machine.
Her honesty about her dad hurt just as much. The love she has for him is undeniable, but so is the pain. The addiction, the disappointments, the complicated emotions — she doesn’t sugarcoat any of it. That vulnerability made this story feel real in a way that stayed with me long after I finished.
This isn’t just a wrestling memoir. It’s about legacy, grief, loyalty, love, and trying to survive in an industry that doesn’t slow down for heartbreak. It made me cry. It made me angry at times. And it made me respect her even more.
I thought I admired her before. After reading this, I understand her.
Five stars.
🩷🖤
I’ve watched Nattie since her early days on Total Divas, and honestly, she’s one of the reasons I got into wrestling in the first place. I thought I knew her — the strong Hart family representative, the steady professional, the woman who always seemed composed no matter what. But this memoir shows how much she was carrying behind that strength.
Her chapters about TJ’s injury absolutely broke my heart. The fear, the uncertainty, the possibility of his career ending — you can feel how terrifying that was. It’s not just about wrestling; it’s about watching the person you love lose the thing that defines them. And the way WWE handled the situation, the pressure, the business side of it all — it shows how brutal the industry can be behind the curtain. Wrestling is a dream, but it’s also a machine.
Her honesty about her dad hurt just as much. The love she has for him is undeniable, but so is the pain. The addiction, the disappointments, the complicated emotions — she doesn’t sugarcoat any of it. That vulnerability made this story feel real in a way that stayed with me long after I finished.
This isn’t just a wrestling memoir. It’s about legacy, grief, loyalty, love, and trying to survive in an industry that doesn’t slow down for heartbreak. It made me cry. It made me angry at times. And it made me respect her even more.
I thought I admired her before. After reading this, I understand her.
Five stars.
🩷🖤
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