Book Review – Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling by Jim Ross
It’s been a while since we’ve featured a book review here on the site but I knew when I read that Jim Ross was finally releasing an autobiography, I would definitely be interested in reading it. Being that “Good ‘Ol JR” was on my TV way before he was the voice of WWE throughout the Attitude Era, I knew his book would be a must-read for me due to being a fan of the UWF and NWA in the 80s and 90s. I knew “Slobberknocker” was already a bestseller pretty much right out of the gate, and with a foreword by Vince McMahon and and afterword by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, how could this book go wrong?
If you are a wrestling fan of the 70s or 80s era, Jim Ross provides a fascinating look at how a fan with no connection or “in” to the pro wrestling business could find a way to get work in the business, and even to go on to become a legend in his own right. JR provides stories of his interactions with old time wrestlers and how he was able to become accepted and respected along the way. Jim starts off by giving some background on his early life and upbringing, which only adds to his story of becoming such a prominent figure in wrestling.
Of course Jim Ross’ time working under Bill Watts is covered, as Watts is responsible for giving JR his first big break in wrestling. I read a few other previous that complained that this book didn’t cover more of Jim’s time in Mid-South/UWF, but after reading it myself, my opinion is that Jim Ross just had SUCH a storied career that it was virtually impossible to cover every single aspect in detail. And along with those details, Jim Ross holds nothing back when it comes to describing drug and alcohol abuse and of course colorful language used behind the scenes.
What Jim does cover is all the major occurrences throughout his career along with his interactions with numerous legends in the business like Bill Watts, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, Randy Savage, Vince McMahon, The Rock, and countless others. Of course JR’s time in WWE is covered in detail, including his hiring and firings from the company and his bouts with Bells Palsey. Jim’s perspective on historic moments like The Montreal Screwjob and Mankind falling off the Hell in a Cell are covered along with many other memorable moments from The Monday Night War.
One thing that did surprise me about this book **Minor Spoiler** is that it ends at WrestleMania 15. I didn’t know this going in, but I felt this left the door was left WIDE open for a second Jim Ross book. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jim Ross’ time early time in the business through his time as the voice of the Attitude Era, there is MUCH more Jim could cover such as the sale of WCW, the death of Owen Hart, his exit from WWE, his Hall of Fame induction, and the untimely passing of his wife Jan in 2017.
If you are a fan of 70s and 80s wrestling or even an Attitude Era fan, you should definitely enjoy Jim Ross’ book. If you are a new fan of wrestling but enjoy pro wrestling history, you too can learn a great deal from JR’s book. Jim Ross’ “Slobberknocker” is a bestseller for a reason and I definitely recommend you give it a read.
