Boxing Is . . .: Reflections on the Sweet Science - Softcover

Hauser, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1557289425 ISBN 13: 9781557289421

Publisher: University of Arkansas Press, 2010

Synopsis

Thomas Hauser has become “must reading” in the boxing community, and his latest book demonstrates why. Boxing Is . . . brings together all of Hauser’s 2009 articles. In them, Hauser illuminates the behind-the-scenes stories of the year’s most memorable personalities and events. He takes us from Manny Pacquiao’s dressing room in the tense moments before 2009’s biggest fight to an in-depth portrait of the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson, all the while continuing to show why his annual collections, avidly anticipated by fans and critics alike, have become, according to columnist Bart Barry, “an essential part of boxing’s official record and the chronicles of this era most likely to endure.”

About this title

About the Author

Thomas Hauser is the author of thirty-nine books. His first work, Missing, was made into an Academy Award–winning film. He later authored Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, the definitive biography of the most famous fighter ever. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for Career Excellence in Boxing Journalism.

From the Back Cover

Thomas Hauser has become ?must reading” in the boxing community, and his latest book demonstrates why. Boxing Is . . . brings together all of Hauser’s 2009 articles. In them, Hauser illuminates the behind-the-scenes stories of the year’s most memorable personalities and events. He takes us from Manny Pacquiao’s dressing room in the tense moments before 2009’s biggest fight to an in-depth portrait of the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson, all the while continuing to show why his annual collections, avidly anticipated by fans and critics alike, have become, according to columnist Bart Barry, ?an essential part of boxing’s official record and the chronicles of this era most likely to endure.”

From the Inside Flap

Thomas Hauser has become ?must reading in the boxing community, and his latest book demonstrates why. Boxing Is . . . brings together all of Hauser s 2009 articles. In them, Hauser illuminates the behind-the-scenes stories of the year s most memorable personalities and events. He takes us from Manny Pacquiao s dressing room in the tense moments before 2009 s biggest fight to an in-depth portrait of the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson, all the while continuing to show why his annual collections, avidly anticipated by fans and critics alike, have become, according to columnist Bart Barry, ?an essential part of boxing s official record and the chronicles of this era most likely to endure.

Reviews

*Starred Review* Let’s get Hauser’s credentials out of the way. He has written an outstanding Muhammad Ali biography (Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, 1991) as well as 17 other books about boxing. His first boxing book, Black Lights (1986), remains a classic study of a young fighter’s perilous journey in the fight game. He is a frequent contributor to Secondsout.com, where most of these articles first appeared. The collection begins with a detailed biographical examination of the career of Sugar Ray Robinson, considered by many to be the greatest pound-for-pound fighter ever. It’s a sadly familiar tale of poverty, ascendancy, fame, and decline, related in a respectful, objective style. The rest of the book is focused on the boxing events of 2009, from the high-profile career of Manny Pacquiao to the progress of several relatively unknown young fighters learning the trade in New York’s gyms. Hauser also explores the business end of boxing, especially its painful relationship with television, but above all, he is drawn to the people of the sport: the fighters, trainers, promoters, and hangers-on. Virtually every piece is notable for its carefully drawn characters who will linger on the edges of readers’ minds long after the book has been shelved. As always, Hauser is the best. --Wes Lukowsky

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Arkansas Press
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1557289425
• ISBN 13: 9781557289421
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280