The Clinton School of Public Service will host journalist and author Alison Lyn Miller for a conversation about her newly released book, “Rough House: A Father, A Son, and the Pursuit of Pro Wrestling Glory.”
The program will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. in Sturgis Hall. Presented in partnership with the Oxford American and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, the event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
In “Rough House,” Miller delivers an immersive, unforgettable account of the multibillion-dollar world of professional wrestling through the eyes of Hunter James, an aspiring star born into a wrestling legacy. The book follows James as he navigates the grueling world of indie wrestling from backyard training grounds to “enhancement-talent” spots in the WWE, all while striving to finish what his father started.
While the story begins in Georgia, a pivotal moment in the narrative takes place in the Natural State.
“The book is the product of five years of immersive reporting in and around small-town professional wrestling rings,” Miller said. “One pivotal scene actually unfolds in Arkansas. As a high school junior, Hunter travels with a pair of longtime Georgia wrestlers to Glenwood, Arkansas, to perform in his first-ever show in front of a live audience at the Pike County Fairgrounds. When the promoter asked for his entrance music, he replied with the first thing that came to mind, ‘Look What the Cat Dragged In,’ his father’s song.”
The program will feature a moderated discussion between Miller and Caroline McCoy of the Oxford American. Joining the conversation is special guest Randy Johnson, a technical director for KARK 4 News who performs in local rings as Avrion Gray and works to build wrestling culture in Arkansas when he is not at the news station.
John T. Edge, host of ESPN’s TrueSouth as well as a November 2025 Clinton Presidential Center Presents speaker, wrote that “Miller pulls the curtain back on a grand American spectacle” with “empathy and grace and insight.”
“She shows us all that, while suplexes and body slams can be faked, the honest human dramas that draw wrestlers to ‘this brutal ballet’ are universal and revealing,” Edge wrote.
That focus on the underlying humanity of the ring resonates with Miller’s own journey through the reporting process.
“It started as a subculture dive and ended up a father-son story,” Miller added. “I guess you could say I came for the suplexes and stayed for the stories.”
Miller will sign copies of “Rough House” immediately following the program. Attendees may purchase a copy of the book through the Clinton Museum Store, available for on-site pickup during the event or post-event delivery.
For more information and to reserve your seat, visit the registration website.