The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told: Thirty-Six Incredible Tales from the Ring [Paperback]

Jeff Silverman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004 | Series: Greatest

A diverse collection, complete with all the drama and excitement of a championship bout.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every once in a while, a book publisher comes up with a great concept for a series of books that deserve more than superficial recognition. Such a series is "The Greatest (fill in the blank) Stories Ever Told", anthologies that should win places on many bedside tables. On the long winter nights that lie ahead, such stories make great reading."--The Lexington County Chronicle

"The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told assembles some of the best writing available on the sweet science and illuminates boxing in all its literal and symbolic glory. Each piece in this varied collection connects with the sort of powerful punch one can only expect from the world's greatest writers."--Boxing Digest

From the Back Cover

The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told delivers a knockout collection of not only the best writing ever penned on the subject of “the sweet science,” but also stories that relate to the larger human issues this brutal sport has come to symbolize and embody. Whether the tale is about the
triumph of a heroic champion, a tragic death in the ring, the shady tactics of fight promoters, or victories against seemingly impossible odds, each story in this varied collection connects with the sort of powerful punch one can only expect from the past century’s most talented and celebrated writers of both fiction and nonfiction. Included in these pages are contributions from:

Damon Runyon • Rod Serling • Ring Lardner • Dashiell Hammett
W. C. Heinz • Jack London • A.J. Liebling • Joyce Carol Oates
Norman Mailer • Ralph Ellison • George Plimpton • Pete Hamill
Jimmy Cannon • Jim Murray • Red Smith • Nellie Bly • Paul Gallico
Robert M. Lipsyte • Gene Tunney • Clarence Riordan • Homer
William Hazlitt • Frank Deford • Irwin Shaw • Heywood Broun • Mark Kram.

This collection is perfect for fight fans and non-fight fans alike, and with its all-star lineup of “contenders” throwing “haymakers” and “uppercuts” in every round, it stands as the definitive volume of short stories on this enduring pugilistic pastime.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592284795
• ISBN-13: 978-1592284795
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A knockout, December 17, 2002

By 

"agmania" (Saginaw, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told: Thirty-Six Incredible Tales from the Ring (Hardcover)

There is so much good writing on boxing that it's hard to know where to start picking the best, but Jeff Silverman did an amazing job of putting together a collection that honors the old warhorses and still comes up with new surprises. Some of the great writers of the 20th century are represented with their short stories -- Ring Lardner, Damon Runyon, Dashiell Hammett, Irwin Shaw and Jack London. It was fun to find that writers like O. Henry and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about boxing, too. In the non-fiction corner, selections by Frank Deford, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, James Baldwin and Robert Lipsyte were all first rate, and some of the really old writing from the 18th and 19th century was lively and entertaining. With its sweep of boxing history and literature, it's a must for every boxing fan's bookshelf.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pulling no punches, February 21, 2007

By 

a reader (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told: Thirty-Six Incredible Tales from the Ring (Paperback)

A beautifully edited anthology that will appeal not only to devotees of the sweet science, but to any fan of great writing. Silverman includes work by some of America's greatest essayists (Liebling, Plimpton, Mailer, Baldwin) and most popular fiction authors (O. Henry, Jack London, Dashiell Hammett, Damon Runyon, Richard Ford). The excerpt from Pierce Egan's 1829 classic BOXIANA (a favorite of A.J. Liebling's) is a special treat. The only thing missing is David Remnick on Muhammad Ali; but you can't expect everything from a 368-page collection. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sweet boxing poetry, January 23, 2010

By 

Scott Woodruff "woodenpearl" (Austin,TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told: Thirty-Six Incredible Tales from the Ring (Paperback)

Just a great sampling of writing on the sweet science from many different perspectives. The one by Daniel Mendoza is amazing,as he was one of the first champions - from the turn of the 18th century. The way he thought and expressed himself is so interesting. Pearce Egan was the first great boxing writer, and his piece was mesmerizing. Frank DeFord on Billy Conn was great, as was Jack London on the Johnson-Jeffries fight. Jimmy Cannon, Ring Lardner, Paul Gallico, and A.J. Liebling all contribute classic stuff. I like learning about the PEOPLE involved in boxing as much as the events and results of the fights, and this book was right up my alley.