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Title: A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s by Roger Kahn ISBN: 0-15-100296-7 Publisher: Harcourt Pub. Date: 05 October, 1999 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.83 (23 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Pretty good book on early 20th century boxing
Comment: I didn't know much about Jack Dempsey before reading this book, but I definitely learned a lot about him from this bio. Kahn portrays him as the greatest heavyweight champ ever who was not only blessed with great boxing skills but also great strength of character - imagine the guts it took to reject Al Capone's offer to fix a fight for him. The book justifiably concentrates mainly on Dempsey's fighting career which included bouts with Willard, Carpentier, Firpo, and Tunney rather than spending much time discussing his pre and post boxing life. This bio does a fine job discussing not only Dempsey but also the characters that surrounded him including his difficult first wife and the boxing promoters Rickard and Kearns. The only problem I have with this book is that because the author knew his subject personally and obviously admired him a great deal, Dempsey is portrayed as a man who was larger than life and who had very few flaws. Though this characterization of Dempsey may be true, the author never hesitates to be openly affectionate toward him. Anyway, this a pretty good book and deserves a read.
Rating: 4
Summary: Excellent biography containing some decent 1920's US history
Comment: I am usually a history buff (especially US history), but unfortunately some of the historical sections interpersed througout Jack Dempsey's biography is rather dull and cuts away from the action and flow of the Champ's life story. Although I like historical background about various miners' towns where Jack grew up and how their fortunes came and went, there too often appears the political accounts of some of our less distinguished presidents like the corrupt Harding and "Silent Cal" Coolidge. These sections bored me and distracted from the flow of Jack's life.
As for Dempsey's biography, it is well written and researched. From his early days as a hobo to his (and the world's) first $1 million dollar gate, his life is filled with excitement and poignancy. Kahn does a very good job of balancing the action and the drama inside and outside of the ring.
Jack Dempsey is portrayed as a true people's champion with very few faults if any. If this autobiography is accurate, Jack Dempsey truly can be called one of the great American sports heros. I certainly recommend this book (minus the minor gripe about the dull historical political accounts) to anyone remotely interested in the Champ.
Rating: 5
Summary: Beautifully written, fascinating life
Comment: Bought the book in paperback in a bookstore - then bought a hardcover copy to keep. I don't do that often! The descriptions of the fights made me feel like I was ringside. The writing was excellent - not just the fights, but the overall structure and background stories.
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Title: John L. Sullivan and His America (Sport and Society) by Michael T. Isenberg ISBN: 0252064348 Publisher: Univ of Illinois Pr (Pro Ref) Pub. Date: August, 1994 List Price(USD): $20.95 |
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Title: Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times (Sport and Society) by Russell Sullivan ISBN: 0252027639 Publisher: Univ of Illinois Pr (Trd) Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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Title: Gentleman Jim Corbett: The Truth Behind a Boxing Legend by Patrick Myler ISBN: 186105212X Publisher: Robson Book Ltd Pub. Date: December, 1999 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
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Title: Bare Fists: The History of Bare-Knuckle Prize-Fighting by Bob Mee ISBN: 158567141X Publisher: Overlook Press Pub. Date: 17 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Papa Jack : Jack Johnson And The Era Of White Hopes by Randy Roberts ISBN: 0029269008 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: March, 1985 List Price(USD): $17.25 |
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