Boxing Scene Book Club

[Yogi]

I've read alot more, but I can't remember the titles or authors. I just finished a book by Joyce CaROL Oates but I can't remember.

What did you think of Oates' book, Asian?

Well, if you enjoyed it even a little then you got more out of it than I did. I mean, Oates' is a wonderful writer who has a way with words that few have, but...The book was written in sort of a way too romantic type of way or something like that, which just didn't fit into what I think a boxing book should be (limited info in it, as well, with a couple/few factual errors...second part is no biggie, because they are easy to see).

P.S. If the Patterson book mentioned earlier in the thread is the one written when he was still champion (or maybe just past it...written in the early 60's, I believe), then that was a good one, especially for a boxing biopgraphy...Been quite a while since I've read it, though, as it's been a good 15 years.

[iron mike tyson]

ricky hattons book is the only boxing book ive read and id recommend it to anybody

[Kid Achilles]

Yogi is it true that Oates makes a reference to Dempsey loading his gloves for Willard as a fact and not a myth? I remember picking it up, flipping through it and reading that, and putting it right back on the shelf. Might have been another book on boxing written by a woman.

[jason100x]

My boxing library has grown quite a bit over the last few months. Here is my pile of books about boxing.

Beyond Glory-Joe Louis vs. Max Schmelling by David Margolick (my latest read and an excellent book)
John L. Sullivan And His America by Michael T. Isenberg
John Tunney-the Golden Guy Who Licked Jack Dempsey Twice by John Jarrett
Smokin' Joe by Joe Frazier with Phil Berger
King Of the World by David Remnick
A Flame Of Pure fire-Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s by Roger Kahn
Jack Dempsey-The Manassa Mauler by Randy Roberts
The Holyfield Way by James Thomas
The Ageless Warrior-The Life Of Archie Moore by Mike Fitzgerald
The Devil And Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches
Rocky Marciano by Russell Sullivan
Cinderella Man by Jeremy Schaap
Unforgivable Blackness-the Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson by Geoffrey Ward
Chaos, Corruption, Courage And Glory by Thomas Hauser
I Don't Believe It, But It's True by Thomas Hauser (the above two are an incredible series of compelling essays about the last few years in boxing, in the ring and behind the scenes)
Muhammad Ali-His Life And Times by Thomas Hauser
Pound For Pound-A Biography of Sugar Ray Robinson by Herb Boyd
Joyce Carol Oates-On Boxing
The Sweet Science by AJ Liebling


The books on boxing skills and training in my collection are:
How To Be An Ass Whipping Boxer-JC "Champ" Thomas
Championship Streetfighting-Boxing as a Martial Art-Ned Beaumont
The Savage Science Of Streetfighting-Applying The Lessons Of Championship Boxing To Serious Street Survival-Ned Beaumont
Boxing Mastery-Mark Hatmaker
Boxing-The American Martial Art-R. Michael Onello
Box Like The Pros-Smokin' Joe Frazier with William Dettloff
Championship Fighting-Jack Dempsey
The Boxer's Guide To Performance Enhancement-Ross Enamait

[jason100x]

I just started the Joyce Carol Oates book. Looks like it will be an interesting read, but not be all end all about boxing. Yeah, it does seem to be written in rather romantic way.

[Kid Achilles]

Jason that's an impressive list you have there. I have Championship Fighting by Dempsey on my computer but I envy you for having the real deal. That's an expensive book.

They really need to do a reprint.

[THE REAL NINJA]

My boxing library has grown quite a bit over the last few months. Here is my pile of books about boxing.

Beyond Glory-Joe Louis vs. Max Schmelling by David Margolick (my latest read and an excellent book)
John L. Sullivan And His America by Michael T. Isenberg
John Tunney-the Golden Guy Who Licked Jack Dempsey Twice by John Jarrett
Smokin' Joe by Joe Frazier with Phil Berger
King Of the World by David Remnick
A Flame Of Pure fire-Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s by Roger Kahn
Jack Dempsey-The Manassa Mauler by Randy Roberts
The Holyfield Way by James Thomas
The Ageless Warrior-The Life Of Archie Moore by Mike Fitzgerald
The Devil And Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches
Rocky Marciano by Russell Sullivan
Cinderella Man by Jeremy Schaap
Unforgivable Blackness-the Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson by Geoffrey Ward
Chaos, Corruption, Courage And Glory by Thomas Hauser
I Don't Believe It, But It's True by Thomas Hauser (the above two are an incredible series of compelling essays about the last few years in boxing, in the ring and behind the scenes)
Muhammad Ali-His Life And Times by Thomas Hauser
Pound For Pound-A Biography of Sugar Ray Robinson by Herb Boyd
Joyce Carol Oates-On Boxing
The Sweet Science by AJ Liebling


The books on boxing skills and training in my collection are:
How To Be An Ass Whipping Boxer-JC "Champ" Thomas
Championship Streetfighting-Boxing as a Martial Art-Ned Beaumont
The Savage Science Of Streetfighting-Applying The Lessons Of Championship Boxing To Serious Street Survival-Ned Beaumont
Boxing Mastery-Mark Hatmaker
Boxing-The American Martial Art-R. Michael Onello
Box Like The Pros-Smokin' Joe Frazier with William Dettloff
Championship Fighting-Jack Dempsey
The Boxer's Guide To Performance Enhancement-Ross Enamait

I've read a few of them . I had a chance to pick up a hand book on how to box printed in the 1920's but didn't have the cash on me went back to get it and couldnt find it .

[jason100x]

Jason that's an impressive list you have there. I have Championship Fighting by Dempsey on my computer but I envy you for having the real deal. That's an expensive book.

They really need to do a reprint.

My apologies about the Dempsey book. I should have made a notation that it was the internet version, no, sadly I don't have an actual hard copy of the book. I wish I did. It is ridiculously expensive for an old copy. I wish that a company like Paladin Press would reprint it; they already did a reprint of Demspey's World War 2 training manual so I don't see why they can't do one for Championship Fighting.

[jason100x]

Anyone have this book? It looks interesting.

The Black Lights: Inside the World of Professional Boxing (Sweet Science: Boxing in Literature and History) (Paperback)
by Thomas Hauser

[Mr. Ryan]

What did you think of Oates' book, Asian?

Well, if you enjoyed it even a little then you got more out of it than I did. I mean, Oates' is a wonderful writer who has a way with words that few have, but...The book was written in sort of a way too romantic type of way or something like that, which just didn't fit into what I think a boxing book should be (limited info in it, as well, with a couple/few factual errors...second part is no biggie, because they are easy to see).

P.S. If the Patterson book mentioned earlier in the thread is the one written when he was still champion (or maybe just past it...written in the early 60's, I believe), then that was a good one, especially for a boxing biopgraphy...Been quite a while since I've read it, though, as it's been a good 15 years.

The Patterson book came out right after the Liston fight I believe, or right before it.

The Oates book I read was one she edited, it's called Reading the Fights. I haven't picked up "On Boxing" as of yet.