Alison Lyn Miller: Rough House - in Conversation with Hunter James

Join us for a special author event featuring author Alison Lyn Miller in conversation with professional wrestler Hunter James, the book’s subject, as they discuss Rough House: A Father, a Son, and the Pursuit of Pro Wrestling Glory.

Get a 10% discount on the book when you RSVP on Eventbrite and present it at the bookshop register.

“Truly, this is a book that belongs on the shelves of not just wrestling fans, but anyone who wants to understand the agonized American soul.” ―Josephine Riesman, author of Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America

Professional wrestling is both a cultural phenomenon and a multibillion-dollar industry that has launched some of the biggest names in entertainment. But what does it take for a wrestler to break through? In Rough House, journalist Alison Lyn Miller introduces Hunter James, an aspiring star born into a family of wrestlers in Georgia. Hunter lifts, runs, and pounds protein, sculpting himself into a human action figure with the goal of being signed by a major promotion and finishing what his father started. Miller’s immersive, unforgettable account shows us what happens when Hunter enters the bruising world of indie wrestling―where gymnasiums become arenas, trampolines serve as training grounds, and young men fight for glory.

Rich with drama, humor, and heart, Rough House is a ringside seat to a coming-of-age story that reveals the escapism, self-actualization, performance, and violence inherent in one of America’s most dismissed pastimes. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the spectacle, this true story will leave you cheering for more.

Alison Lyn Miller has reported and written about independent professional wrestlers around her home state of Georgia and published related pieces in Sports Illustrated and Gravy. She has also written for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Washington Post, and Garden & Gun, among other publications. She lives in Athens, Georgia.

Hunter James is a professional wrestler in Georgia and the subject of the book Rough House. He's a 2021 graduate of Apalachee High School and has been wrestling since, well, forever.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Hub City Writers Project