If you are a fan of pro wrestling, this book by Jim Ross (and Paul O'Brien) is a must read. For almost 45 years, JR has been in front of and behind the cameras in the world of pro wrestling. To many, many fans, he is the voice of their favorite sport and in this book he shares stories and background for our favorite superstars. The business of pro wrestling is, most often, more entertaining than the shows they put on, and JR provides a great soundtrack to those stories.

Jim Ross is one of the best storytellers when it comes to books over professional wrestling, along with names like Chris Jericho and Mick Foley. However, when it comes to this book, it is different than the rest.

Jim Ross is telling a story - not only about the last half of his WWE career - but a story about losing the love of his life in Jan.

When Jim's wife died, it left a giant hole and this book not only tells the stories that wrestling fans want to read, but it also goes into detail of the heartbreak and the desire to live on in memory of his beloved wife.

For wrestling fans, this has some great stories (including one about Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, and Jim Ross having a private gathering after Shawn's retirement match). However, for people who love JR, this should leave you with tears in your eyes as he dedicates everything to his beloved Jan.

This is a highly recommended book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this memoir.

Jim Ross, author of Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond, is the current voice of wrestling, no matter what certain Internet trolls might say, and probably one of the best wrestling commentators of all time. When both "The Rock" and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin insist that you are the man to call their matches at the biggest times of their career, that is some popularity among an industry. Which makes his treatment by World Wrestling Entertainment so odd, and forms a major theme that runs through this book.

For every high Mr. Ross had his employer, WWE, tried to bring him down to Earth, embarrassing him in every way possible, about his speech, his weight, even his health issues. Not just dealing with a fickle boss, Vince McMahon, but Mr. Ross was dealing with plenty of health issues, Bell's Palsy and diverticulitis and doubts about his own ability to continue at the high degree he expected from himself. And those are only some of the sorrows Mr. Ross had to deal with as he relays in his memoir.

The book is less a wrestling tell-all, more a glimpse into a very corrosive work environment, that went from super success to losing viewers on tv and morale in the locker room. Vince McMahon is a major character and bête noire. Even now as fired as Mr. Ross has been from this company, he still writes nicely about Mr. McMahon, though he does manage to get a few digs in. I guess in wrestling you never burn all those bridges, just in case.

The book could have used another edit, and maybe even another co-writer, I thought the writing in the book got better as it went, but in the beginning, it really lacked Mr. Ross' voice. Jim Ross has had some incredible hardships, more than enough to break the strongest wrestler, and continues to comment and help those in an industry that has done him some real wrongs. I await his next volume about his career, and long may he commentate.

If you love wrestling you will enjoy this book written by a true legend of ring announcing, though not as interesting as his previous book still a good read.

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I'm told that this book is actually part two of Jim Ross' two part memoir, with part one being his memoir Slobberknocker. I haven't had a chance to read part one, but I was excited to get a chance to read this book.

I grew up watching the WWE during the Attitude Era. I knew that Jim Ross had been a major influence on the WWE, but this book really delves into how much of his heart and soul he poured into the business. While I would have liked more information about some of the events he talks about, to really get all of the details would have put this book into textbook length!

Overall, Ross does a great job of presenting why he and the WWE will in some ways be forever entwined. Jim Ross was the voice of the WWE for an entire generation of wrestling fans. This is most definitely one of the better wrestling memoirs out there.

It was a great read that was interesting to know more about Jim Ross’s story. Especially about the Wwe and the stories that the book.

Subtitle: My Life in the WWE and Beyond

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jim Ross is generally viewed as pro wrestling’s greatest announcer (an opinion I share). This book is the follow-up to Ross’s 2017 biography, Slobbernocker, which updates events in Jim Ross’s career and life from 1999 through the present.


Besides his notoriety as an announcer, during much of this period Ross was also head of WWE’s talent relations department. In that capacity, Ross was in charge of scouting and recruiting new talent, terminating talent when necessary, negotiating contracts, and managing payroll on the talent side. One of the reasons I wanted to read this book is because I was interested in the back-stage operations at WWE, so I found his explanation of everything that went into doing payroll very interesting.

After WCW folded in early 2001, I only watched wrestling sporadically for several years then watched most Monday nights from 2007-2010 due to a work schedule that had me off every Monday. My schedule changed again in 2010, and I watched very little wrestling afterward. Ross was able to shed a lot of light on WWE happenings during the years I watched more closely, and I was familiar with a lot of the incidents that happened during that time.

This book left me sympathetic with Ross for the treatment he received from Vince McMahon and the WWE (especially toward the end of his time with them), and the heart-breaking loss of his wife Jan.

I gave Under the Black Hat five stars on Goodreads. I recently discovered the vast amount of vintage wrestling videos on YouTube, and have enjoyed watching a lot of Ross’s early work in the Mid-South NWA territory and in Bill Watt’s version of the UWF. I really want to read Slobberknocker to get the story of Ross’s early years in wrestling and any stories he has to share about wrestling personalities of that era. If you have any level of interest in pro wrestling and WWE, I highly recommend this book.

Oh, good ol' JR! If ever there was a voice synonymous with professional wrestling, it is his. Having watched wrestling since I was a kid, Jim Ross has called the majority of the matches I've seen and been involved in a few of them too. So you can imagine how thrilled I was, as a huge wrestling fan, to have the chance to read an early copy of Under the Black Hat.

Of all the many wrestling-related books I've read, this is one of my favorites. I learned more about the history of wrestling back in the territory days, about what happens behind the scenes, about life on the road, and about Vince McMahon. I learned about the man behind that iconic voice, whose passion for wrestling eclipses all else and whose love for his late wife Jan shines through on every page.

Some of JR's stories made me laugh out loud, some made me mad, some made me shake my head. Much like pro wrestling itself, this book is at times emotional but always truly entertaining.

Fascinatingly awful stuff.

I've been a big fan of Jim Ross for so long that I can't even remember where I first saw him. Maybe on a UWF broadcast on a grainy UHF station in The Bronx in the late '80s...but by the time I moved to upstate New York and had access to cable TV, Ross' exciting, informative commentary made WCW must-see TV for me and my cousins. A big part of my lack of interest in current wrestling (AEW being the exception) is the sorry state of most announce teams. There is truly no one like Jim Ross. I feel like I know the guy. Which made this a painful book to read.

UNDER THE BLACK HAT: MY LIFE IN THE WWE AND BEYOND, Ross' followup to SLOBBERKNOCKER, covers his tenure in the WWE from the Stone Cold/Rock era to the beginnings of the AEW revolution. There are some fascinating behind-the-scenes moments such as Stone Cold Steve Austin's decision to quietly retire, the death of Owen Hart, and the firing of Stacy Carter, which led to Jerry "The King" Lawler walking out. Much of the book, however, is taken up by some truly disturbing stories about how WWE owner Vince McMahon delighted in publicly humiliating and mocking Jim Ross, often on live TV. One of the common threads in almost all stories that I've heard about Vince McMahon is that he has virtually no empathy for his fellow man, and he revels in shaming people with acts of petty revenge. If there was one single takeaway from this book, it is that I will never give Vince McMahon or the WWE one more cent of my money. I hope that someone, some day, gives this hopped-up white trash what he has coming to him.

Aside from all of that, we also have J.R.'s repeated battles with Bell's Palsy, and the sudden, tragic death of his beloved wife, Jan. Despite all of the battles and heartbreak, J.R. manages to keep things optimistic...at the end of the day, he just wants to be a part of his beloved wrestling. He's been given a new lease on life by his involvement with AEW, and as long as J.R. keeps calling matches, "Bah Gawd!", I'll keep watching.

Behind the scenes look into the world of professional wrestling by a man that knows it all. For fans past or present, this is a treasure. I don't know that it will have appeal outside of fans. I can report that if you have any knowledge of the "players" involved, it is a great read. It truly is a peak behind the curtain. Jim Ross is an icon and should be applauded for his decades of service to an industry that hasn't always treated him well. I enjoyed this book and would definitely suggest it to friends or family that know the legacy of Jim Ross. Job well done!

I never thought I'd have any knowledge of wrestling until I worked for Borders Books and did a number of book signings with the wrestlers. Jim Ross was my contact and he was amazing. He was gracious, patient, and generous. He worked harder than anyone! He should be known to all.

Jim Ross returns with his second book; this one covers from Wrestlemania XV to his departure from WWE and signing to AEW. To Ross’s credit, the book picks up immediately where the first one left off without any overlap. You could easily read the two books back to back. The book is a quick and easy read just like his previous book. This was a different point in Ross’s career so there is less detail about his announcing craft and his talent relations duties in WWE. We here about Ross’s transition away from the VP of Talent Relations position, his inclusion in more television storylines, and his numerous demotions and returns to WWE during this period.
The book culminates with Ross’s sudden loss of his wife. Him does a great job including her and his personal life in the stories included in both books so this part is heartbreaking and incredibly well written.

The book provides a lot of insight into the idiosyncrasies of Vince McMahon but seeing how Ross’s no longer Vince’s “right hand man” at this time, it’s hard to understand why he put up with it.

My favorite parts of the book were Ross’s retelling of interactions with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, when he left the WWF in 2002 and during the weekend of his last match at Wrestlemania XIX. I also enjoyed the story of him considering joining TNA and his interactions with the Carter family. There is also an awesome Wresltemania 26 story.

If these things sound interesting to you will enjoy this book. Ross doesn’t always provide a lot of background on the people or storylines he mentions, but those are readily available on the internet. You can tell Ross is making an effort to make the book as succinct and easy to read as possible for a wrestling fan. Because of this you will not find any detailed story on the podcast or Barbeque sauce business.

I enjoyed Jim Ross’s first book more because it covered things I didn’t know much about such as the territory system and the booking of WCW. This book did provide me some insight into Jim’s role and place in WWE and his relationship with Vince McMahon.

I feel like both books are best read together unless you are only a fan from 1999 on or want to hear some mostly negative Vince McMahon stories. Each book took me around 1-2 days so it would not be too time consuming to read them together.

I enjoyed the book and would give it and 8.5/10 as far as wrestling books go.

I noticed Jim only gives a little insight into his opinions on matches in these books. I would love for his next book to be “My favorite Matches that I Have Called” or something to that effect where he would give his opinion on the matches and provide extra insight on backstage reception of the match.

A quick read covering the Jim Ross and mostly the WWE from from 1999 until 2019. This books serves as the follow-up to JR's first book, Slobberknocker. JR's various roles with the WWE, both on front of the camera and behind it provide for interactions with every name you possibly know from the time period. JR seemingly has stories on everyone and he certainly loves his chosen profession. This book is an homage to the JR's time in wrestling, and not a juicy tell-all. JR does not avoid the biggest controversies during this time period, but some of the stories do feel a bit watered down. The book does give a good glimpse of how the sausage is made in the recruitment of talent, creating stories, the business of wrestling, and talent development. Any wrestling fan will enjoy this read.

Jim Ross has proven again that not only is he the best storyteller in announcing, but also in writing as well. As great as his first book was, this was even better. The stories and tribute to his late wife were very moving and his tales of wrestling days will satisfy both fans and nonfans of in the ring action. Five stars for sure.

A slobberknocker of a read. Definitely one of the best wrestling books I’ve read (and I’ve read more than my share). A quick, entertaining, insightful read.

Wrestling biographies have flooded the book shelves over the past decade. Some have been great, some just OK and some have been severely lacking. JR’s new book fits in the first category.

What makes this book stand out is the voice of JR coming through the ages. This is the voice of wrestling. He speaks with authority on wrestling, yet adds a touch of humanity to each story he recalls.

This book brings the stories to life without needing to add shock or dirt to get the reader’s attention. JR simply does what he does best; he paints a picture using words. He is a master and this book highlights him at his best.

This book made me laugh and also brought tears to my eyes. One of the best wrestling books on the market, but with JR on the proverbial mic, you shouldn't be surprised. A very strong book which fans of true pro wrestling will treasure.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Jim Ross is one of the greatest performers in wrestling history. Not in the ring, of course. There, his resume is somewhat less than legendary, as he would readily agree to. But every iconic match needs a great announcer calling the action and selling the story taking place in the ring. And few names have as many of those iconic matches under their belt (or hat, as the case may be) as Jim Ross. Mankind vs. The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25. I could go on to make this just a list of all the great matches that J.R. has called, but the point has been made.

Ross’ lengthy (and on-and-off) career at WWE wasn’t just about his calling matches, though. As most wrestling fans know, the announcer also worked in the WWE office where he wore various hats at different times, most notably as the head of Talent Relations in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Ross became one of Vince McMahon’s most trusted men in WWE, resulting in a long and sometimes strained relationship between the WWE Chairman and the announcer/executive.

All of this becomes fertile ground to harvest for Under the Black Hat My Life in the WWE and Beyond. Ross’ second memoir follows up on his successful first book about his life, Slobberknocker, to chart his course through the weird and wonderful – but also brutal and sometimes heartless – world of pro wrestling as seen through Ross’ eyes.

Under the Black Hat picks up directly where Slobberknocker left off, at WrestleMania XV in 1999. Ross takes an anecdotal approach to the nearly 20 years that follow, telling individual stories of significant events in his personal and professional life that lace together to chart his life up until the end of his WWE contract in April of 2018. Throughout Ross talks about his struggles with his place in WWE and his relationship with Vince McMahon, which becomes extremely complicated and fraught as more executives and writers come into the company to bend Vince’s ear. Ross recounts many of the more humiliating storylines he went through and his reactions to them, crediting his late wife Jan for keeping him balanced as much as he was able to be.

The episodic style also runs through some of the more infamous points in Ross’ career that he was witness to or part of, including the infamous “Plane Ride From Hell” that saw Scott Hall and Curt Hennig lose their jobs and the J.R.-moderated WWE 2K14 promotional event that turned into a bit of a fiasco and led to one of Ross’ many departures from the company during the time chronicled in the book.

But at its core, Under the Hat is really about Ross’ relationship with McMahon and with Jan. Many of the McMahon stories – and the other ones – have been discussed by Ross at other times whether on his podcast with Conrad Thompson or during interviews and speaking tours. But the way Ross relates them in the book is on a very different level. With the exception of the Michael Cole/Jim Ross feud, there’s not a lot of snark going on here. Ross is more interested in conveying how he actually felt, what thoughts were going through his mind.

And as a professional storyteller for the last 40-plus years, that’s where Ross shines. It’s hard not to laugh at how he describes McMahon’s eccentricities or get emotional when he recounts some of the darkest days of the last two decades like Jan’s tragic passing, or touching moments like Shawn Michaels and Undertaker helping lift his spirits after a major professional disappointment in 2010. While the book covers a lot of ground in 320 pages, it’s a breezy read that doesn’t lack for those emotional touches, which all feel authentic and heartfelt.

For those fans who want dive into this book in the hopes that they’ll find plenty of juicy scandals, there’s certainly enough of that. Ross confirms things like how Jeff Jarrett’s departure to WCW went down and the rise of frustration among talent as storylines bogged down under the yoke of creative weight. He’s isn’t afraid to be critical of WWE and/or McMahon about the likes of the Invasion, the Kiss My Ass club and such; his reaction to the legendarily awful “Mr. Heinie” segment is difficult to read. But he also very much stands up for McMahon and the company at several points when he could have easily taken a shot. The end result is a book that feels far more authentic than not; at worst it’s skewed by perspective, which is natural to even the best of us.

Ross only lightly touches on his move to AEW in the book, so people looking for details on that jump will be disappointed. (On the other hand, his meeting with the Carters about TNA is told in detail.) But that feels right; a story like this is still evolving and growing, perhaps better told in bits on his podcasts for now.

Under the Black Hat sees Ross more interested in recounting the toll that his experiences 2000s and 2010s experiences in WWE weighed on him, and the people who were there who pulled him up and gave him the strength to shoulder or escape that weight. In some cases, that often includes the very people who put the weight on him in the first place. Above all, it reads like a story that (correctly) isn’t over yet, one which says that despite the frustrations, anger, tragedy and pain, he’s come through the other side. That’s as much a reason to cheer for this story as anything else.

Under The Black Hat is the second volume of a two-book series detailing the life and career of Hall of Fame pro wrestling broadcaster, Jim Ross.

I’ve yet to read Jim Ross’ first book, Slobberknocker. No real reason other than the fact that I haven’t yet gotten around to it. While I do plan to still read that one, I jumped at the chance to read Jim’s new book when it was offered to me for review from the publisher.

The second part of Ross’ story covers the year 1999 all the way to present day. Given that timeline, you get stories about the Attitude Era, the failed launch of Vince McMahon’s XFL and the many repeated attempts to remove Ross from commentary and replace him with someone else. The latter being the most frustrating. I’m not about to victim blame here because let’s face it, we all have to eat a little crow once in a while during our careers, but the way in which Ross had been treated over the years by McMahon and the WWE came across as sociopathic at times – hazing and bullying at its finest. While he doesn’t appear to hold any ill will, I can’t understand the way in which Vince’s mind operates.

Ross also tells of the infamous Summerslam fiasco that resulted in his forced “retirement” from WWE. Ross had been tasked with moderating a panel in which fellow Hall of Famer Ric Flair had a few too many resulting in several non-PG stories. For those plugged into the online wrestling chatter, you may already be familiar with this story and Ross’ telling of the event pretty much matches up with what was reported. Fortunately, this would lead into Ross beginning his podcast and exploring speaking tours.

Outside of the more unsavory moments in Ross’ WWE career, I liked reading about the various hats (pardon the pun) that Jim had worn for WWE over the years. Not only was he responsible for some of the most iconic calls in the history of wrestling itself, he had also been placed in charge of scouting and developing prospects who would blossom into bonafied superstars (John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Dave Bautista, just to name a few). Also, as weird as it sounds, I really enjoyed Jim’s breakdown of how payroll and WWE’s bonus structure is worked out. I’m a geek for stuff like that.

The most painful aspect of the book deals with the loss of his wife, Jan. Jan was Jim’s anchor through the toughest and most difficult moments of his life as well as the person whom he shared his highest of highs. Losing your partner is beyond difficult, but to lose them suddenly and without warning can only be a level of grief I can not even begin to imagine.

If you’re looking for some AEW (All Elite Wrestling) stories, you’re not going to find them here. Jim rarely speaks at all about his new role, but he’s only been in this new role since Spring of 2019 and you have to imagine the book had to have been mostly written by that point.

I think in terms of learning new information, I can’t say that I feel like I learned a whole lot. Then again, I’ve read countless books written by wrestlers, historians and industry professionals that cover this same time period. That said, I can’t say I was bored at any point. For lapsed fans from the late 90s to modern fans alike, Jim Ross’ Under The Black Hat is a smooth and easy read that tells the story of one of wrestling’s most valuable players.

1. I'm not a wrestling fan.
2. I've been to several live WWE/WWF matches BECAUSE of Jim Ross.

30+ years ago, Jim Ross met my sister in Orlando and they became friends. We are Oklahomans and Jim saw a kindred spirit in my sister. Years later, when OK would host live events, Jim would give us tickets. So, there's that.

Under the Black Hat is Jim, 100%. The love that he has to his wife is the paramount lesson throughout the entire book and I think that says the most about him.

This is an excellent memoir of wrestling fans or just people who enjoy entertainment. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and fellow Okie, Jim Ross for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Being a wrestling fan of over 20 yrs, I love reading these biographies. JR is one of my favorite commentators and I always loved seeing him on tv. Reading this was a great look into his life and makes me miss the good old days when it first started. Great book and definitely worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.