Didn't turn out to be really my thing. I don't think it's bad, but I don't think it's particularly good either. Still, probably interesting to wrestling fans. Tftarc!

Thanks to NETGALLEY and BenBella Books for eARC.

[Insert Andy from "The Office" gif -- “And he's delightful!”] Seriously, JR is such a charming, comfy writer. He was my main voice in wrestling and just as delightful there as he is here. If you are or were a wrestling fan (WCW, WWE-/-F, AEW, etc), or definitely if you're a JR fan, then of course you should read this. There aren't chapter numbers, but instead they're marked by a quote, date, and location. The story starts at 1974, ends at 2023, and concludes with index. I liked how he set the timeline, using pop culture and history to mark what's going on, while coinciding with wrestling highlights (ex: “In 1987, The Simpsons first appeared on our screens, Guns N’ Roses released Appetite for Destruction, and Three Men and a Baby owned the box office . In wrestling, Owen Hart won Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year, and WrestleMania 3 cemented wrestling as a pay-per-view behemoth with the historic Hulk Hogan versus Andre The Giant main event.”). However, I have to say for me, the quotes peppered within the chapters fell untethered and random. They disrupted the flow. Overall, I'm glad I requested this and was approved!

Being a fan of Jim Ross, I was excited to read his latest book. Being that I listen to his weekly podcast, I felt a lot of the book was retreads from stories and tales he has shared in a verbal format on the podcast.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I enjoyed this. I always like Jim Ross as an announcer, so it's cool to read his thoughts about the match he announced.

It's always fun to hear from the point of view of a legend that was present in the situations, or matches in this case, that you remember best.

Business Is About To Pick Up by Jim Ross—I enjoyed this upcoming book (releasing 5/7) from iconic professional wrestling commentator Jim Ross. JR combines personal memoir and insider wrestling knowledge as he discusses 50 matches that he announced over his 50 year career. I like hearing behind-the-scenes stories about pop culture and entertainment that I follow so this was another winner book for me. JR was surprisingly introspective about his career and how it may be winding down as he is in his 70s. This is a fun read for pro wrestling fans. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy.

Retelling historical matches in ways that only JR can, this is a must read for all wrestling fans. This was a great trip down memory lane reliving some of my favorite matches that I have ever seen as a wrestling fan, while also learning about ones I either haven't seen or weren't alive for. JR is a master story teller and this was a great insight on what he was thinking during these matches, the back story and how he has stayed at the top of his gamer for the past 50 years.

An emotional ride!

Jim Ross has become known as The Voice of Wrestling. Along with Jerry "The King" Lawler, Good 'Ol JR has filled my youth with many great memories. It was a pleasure to not only relive those iconic moments but to appreciate them even more. There were moments while reading that were very emotional. From a long time fan, thank you very much for being one of the best memories of my childhood.

This is tough to rate because it depends on the intended audience. As someone who has read many professional wrestling memoirs and histories, including by this same author, there is not a lot of new information here. However, for a newer fan or someone with more of an interest in the history of the business, this has a lot to offer. Ross is a colorful storyteller with a career spent interacting with all the most influential people in the industry ever.

As a long-time wrestling fan, I couldn't wait to dive into "Business Is About to Pick Up! 50 Years of Wrestling in 50 Unforgettable Calls" by Jim Ross. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

This book is a nostalgic journey through 50 years of wrestling history, as seen through the eyes of one of the greatest announcers of all time. Jim Ross, known affectionately as JR, takes us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with his trademark wit, insight, and passion for the sport.

What sets this book apart is its unique format. Instead of a traditional chronological narrative, JR presents 50 unforgettable moments from wrestling history, each accompanied by his iconic commentary call. From Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III to Stone Cold Steve Austin's beer-swilling antics, JR's voice brings these legendary moments to life once again.

But this book is more than just a trip down memory lane. It's a celebration of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to entertaining millions of fans around the world. JR's deep respect and admiration for the wrestlers shine through in every page, making it clear that this isn't just a job for him—it's a labor of love.

As a fan, I appreciated the behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes that JR shares throughout the book. From his early days in the wrestling business to his time as the voice of WWE, JR offers a candid look at the highs and lows of life in the squared circle.

What's truly remarkable about "Business Is About to Pick Up!" is its ability to capture the essence of each moment in wrestling history. Whether it's the excitement of a championship match or the drama of a heated rivalry, JR's commentary brings out the emotion and intensity of each encounter.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of the book is JR's personal journey. From his humble beginnings as a young wrestling fan to his rise to superstardom as the voice of WWE, JR's story is one of perseverance, passion, and dedication. His love for the sport shines through on every page, reminding us why we fell in love with wrestling in the first place.

In conclusion, "Business Is About to Pick Up!" is a must-read for any wrestling fan. Whether you're a die-hard follower of the sport or just a casual observer, JR's passion and enthusiasm are infectious. So grab a copy, sit back, and get ready for a wild ride through 50 years of wrestling history. As JR would say, "Business is about to pick up!"

After having read Jim Ross’s last two memoirs, I came into this book with high hopes. With a storied career like JR’s and his “warts and all” approach to his previous memoirs, I eagerly read through this book over two days. As a super fan of professional wrestling for the past 3 decades, i was hoping for a new perspective on these classic wrestling moments that JR had a front row seat for. Instead, I got a history of the past 40 years of wrestling with a couple of backstage insights from JR. That’s not a bad thing! But I felt like as a super fan, this was more so a rehash of wrestling’s major moments instead of JR’s personal experiences leading up to these moments. I would definitely recommend this as a jumping off point for new and casual fans of pro wrestling fans that would love a deeper dive into this sometimes crazy business but for the hardcore fans, this might not be an instant buy, especially if you’ve read JR’s last two fantastic books.

If anyone knows how to write a book about wrestling it is JR.

The format was the first thing that drew me in, how the chapters were titled by his tag lines on commentary.. By making the chapters shorter it made it much easier to read than some of the wrestling memoirs that I have read and it kept you engaged.

Another thing that kept me engaged was that he was very broad with his choices of matches. they weren't all from just one era in his career which was great for a long time fan like myself that wants to read about more than current day wrestling.

I thought the format on this was very cool, using important matches to highlight different elements of the industry. Ross is (rightfully so) pretty critical of Vince McMahon and I'd be interested in seeing either another book or what this book would have looked like written even a year later with everything that's come out.

Good luck reading this book in any voice other than JR himself, especially when the format of the book is built around his calls. The format worked well for me, and made for easy jumping off from the book. Read a chapter, watch the match. Repeat fifty times.

The book moves quick. Each chapter starts with JRs call of an important match from his career. He uses that call to describe the match itself, the wrestlers involved, his own biography or just the nature of the business at that time. It kept the reading fresh. I don't think I would have been as interested in 50 straight retellings of old matches. This book is ghostwritten, but the tone sounds like JR to me. His humour and voice are there. My main gripe with the book is a small one, it's when he crams in a couple examples of what was going on in the year he's talking about. It felt lazy and boring. Otherwise, I enjoyed it all.

https://prowrestlingbooks.com/business-is-about-A third volume of autobiography is always a challenge, but the gimmick here doesn’t really hit.

As the likes of Mick Foley and Chris Jericho have shown, later chronological volumes usually prove diminishing returns with too short a period to cover. The alternative is a fresh format, something that works well in some cases (Bobby Heenan) and not so well in others (Jericho again).

Here the gimmick is 50 short chapters, each based around an incident in Ross’s career and pegged onto a line of commentary (though in most cases we get multiple occasions.) The big problem is that many of his most important career moments have already been documented in his previous books. What’s left is a combination of chapters making a single point (racial portrayals have progressed in the business), covering less important moments (Jeff Hardy was elevated despite losing to Undertaker) and elements from Ross’s personal life that are sometimes clunkily connected to a match call to fit the format.

It’s the last of these categories where the book most often shines, with genuinely touching insights into Ross losing his wife in a tragic car accident, coping with the adjustment to single life, using work as a creative outlet, and commemorating Brodie Lee.

The problem is that as much as a traditional biographical sequel might not have stretched to a full volume, there’s not really enough fresh or compelling content to justify this book’s approach either. That’s particularly emphasised by the majority of chapters listing a host of cultural and news events that took place in the relevant year, not only coming across as lazy Wikipedia cut-and-paste, but destroying the work done by Ross and his co-writer Paul O’Brien to capture the voice of Ross as if he were telling a story naturally.

There’s certainly enough here to justify your time reading, but it’s tough to recommend it as a must-purchase.to-pick-up-50-years-of-wrestling-in-50-unforgettable-calls-by-jim-ross/

Following the success of his two memoirs, SLOBBERKNOCKER and UNDER THE BLACK HAT, Jim Ross returns with BUSINESS IS ABOUT TO PICK UP! 50 YEARS OF WRESTLING IN 50 UNFORGETTABLE CALLS.

Beginning in 1974, Ross highlights several of his biggest moments behind the announce table throughout the years. The book spotlights several professional highs like his call of the trilogy of excellent matches between Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair or the brutal clash between Bret Hart and Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. He praises Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25 as "the perfect wrestling match" and also mentions how much it meant to him to be one of the few who knew Steve Austin's match with The Rock at WrestleMania 19 was Austin's last match. The book is filled with moments that had me taking a stroll down memory lane in my thirty plus years of being a fan.

JR is not one to sugarcoat things and if anything, this book is brutally honest. Ross understands that with his age, coupled with his numerous health scares, the time left on his clock is much shorter than the time that's already passed. It's a sobering thought to have and one that is often no doubt difficult for many to accept. Ross will be the first person to criticize himself and with his writing here, he pulls no punches. The way in which he details his struggles to stay active and relevant in a business that requires so much of its participants is tough to read at times. The sheer drive he has to stay on the road and contribute to a business he loves when his body is far from cooperative is admirable to say the least, even if any mistake he makes is amplified by social media making his job that much more difficult.

I think that's what makes him such an endearing figure. Ross is an unselfish and giving person in an industry that is populated by ruthless and exploitive people in positions of power. In his memories of his late wife Jan, particularly the chapter about his 2007 induction into the Hall of Fame where he can still picture her sitting in the front row, I couldn't help but feel for the battle he waged against his own self-confidence and his place in the world following her tragic death in 2017. Ross writes with a certain level of emotion and poise about how deeply she is missed not just by himself, but the many performers who stayed at the Ross' home and how Jan was such a force of positivity in their lives.

In light of recent revelations surrounding the abhorrent conduct of Vince McMahon, it was interesting to read JR's thoughts on the women's division in 2004, when Trish Stratus and Lita became the first women to main event an episode of RAW. Prior to today's modern-day wrestler where workrate is paramount, the look and presentation of a wrestler was the most important. Ross writes about Vince's turn from "lady wrestlers" in the 80s and early 90s to what Vince dubbed "athletic tens", where beauty was most important and wrestling acumen became "negotiable". Ross doesn't get too into the weeds here, and I'm not looking to put words into his mouth, but it seems to add more fuel to the fire of Vince's belief that women were moreso objects to be lusted over and not true entertainers.

Ross has been a constant in an industry where turnover is exceptionally high. The volume of criticism he receives for on-air flubs can at times be unfair, but does reflect his own admission that he seems to push himself beyond his limits when the strength required isn't there some days. The fact that this is his third memoir, there is still a hunger for the stories he tells and the insight he continues to provide for an industry that is always evolving.

Good ol' JR delivers another incredible book about him and the wrestling business. I personally was glad to read about how AEW has been treating him. I remember from back in the day in WWE. Highly recommend for fellow wrestling fans!

If you look at my reading history, you would think that this would be the last book I would actively hunt for. That's where you are wrong. I've attended many WWF/WWE live events BECAUSE of Jim Ross.

But, let's back up. I have know of Jim Ross my entire life. Being an Oklahoman, it's kind of like a small town. You know all the bigger names, the talkers, the 'stars'. There's always a connection. Mine is that Jim Ross and the rest of the WWF/WWE would stay at the hotel where my sister managed VIPs when they would stay in Orlando. Jim found out that she was from Oklahoma and instantly because her friend. Year after year, anytime the show was in town, we had tickets because Jim wanted to see a kind and familiar face.

BUT I DIGRESS. Business Is About to Pick Up is Jim Ross's third book. He has taken 50 of the most memorable matches, over 50 years, he takes readers behind the scenes and expands on moments that we only saw on screen.

Jim writes like he talks so I can only imagine that the audiobook is a treasure.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and my fellow Okie, Jim Ross, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I can still remember Mankind’s Hell In A Cell match like was yesterday. Jim Ross’s commentating stuck with me for years. The man can talk. That’s why this book is so good.

I liked the first few chapters where he talked about all the territories and how he got into the business. Then came the matches, and I fell in love with the book.

I read a lot of wrestling books, and this is one of the best by far. A blend of memoir, matches, and backstage stories, that mixes together way better than it should. I got chills reading the Hell In A Cell match.

I will read anything,and that means I need to go back and read Ross’s other books, that Jim Ross writes.

My only problem with this book is that occasionally you can tell when the co author is writing. It throws the tempo off a bit.

I couldn’t recommend this more!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Anyway, I didn't know what to expect from this since Good Old JR already has two wrestling books out that cover 99% of his career but it wound up being my favorite of the three.

This book celebrates Jim Ross's 50 years of wrestling by revisiting 50 points during his life, from working for Bill Watts and Leroy McGuirk in NWA Tri-State to Mid-South to the Flair vs. Steamboat trilogy to the WWF/WWE and beyond. The deeper focus on those various points make this a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoyed JR's previous books. It doesn't feel like he's treading the same ground, even though it easy could.

My one minor quibble is that by the time it comes out, the AEW chapters will already be a year out of date since the Brawl-Out just happened and CM Punk is still with the company but with the enormous lead time in publishing, that's actually pretty current.

4 out of 5 stars. JR probably has another book in him yet with all the juicy road stories he hasn't shared yet.

Being a wrestling fan and growing up listening to Jim Ross call all of my favorite memorable wrestling matches, this book was a home run!

The book goes back through the entirety of Jim’s career from his early matches in the territory wrestling, into his vast career the WWF/WWE, all the way into his most recent AEW calls. I really enjoyed how he went into details on why he considered the matches described as calls that will always stick with him. Waves of nostalgia hit me as he talked about his huge calls during the 90’s and 2000’s with the WWE. Jim does an awesome job touching on each of the matches and small details he remembered, but not going into too much detail either. This has even inspired me to go back and watch about couple of them again, this time listening closer to his broadcasting, picking up the small details he described in the book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and BenBella books for the this advanced copy in exchange for my honest and fair opinion. This is a must read for current wrestling fans as well as fans in the past that want just a few refreshing hits of nostalgia to remember what it was like when he was at the announcers table. I loved this book and think Jim Ross did an awesome job, which has inspired to go back through some of his other books as well