Joe Louis: My Life (Dark Tower Series) [Paperback]

Joe Louis (Author), Edna Rust (Author), Art Rust (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997 | Series: Dark Tower Series

Told in his own words, the story of boxer Joe Louis--one of the greatest sports figures of this century--encompasses all the excitement of his career and some of the best fight descriptions ever published. Drugs, women, business failures, the collapse of his first marriage, battles with the U.S. government over taxes--these and other personal conflicts are recounted with startling candor and honesty.

Product Details

• Paperback: 277 pages
• Publisher: Ecco Pr (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880015322
• ISBN-13: 978-0880015325
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great social history, March 30, 2004

By 

Jack Cheng "jakcheng" (West Roxbury, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Joe Louis, My Life (Hardcover)

Besides the entertaining account of Louis' life, this book includes some great anecdotes about American life in the middle of the 20th century, especially African American society.

Among the celebrities who merit a few pages are Lena Horne (who had an affair with Louis) and Jackie Robinson (Louis claims he helped integrate the Armed Service baseball teams). The descriptions of Harlem at its peak are terrific.

Despite all the revelations of infidelity and his terrible money sense, Louis comes across as warm and likeable. The descriptions of boxing matches are readable even to a non-sports fan, although at some points they tend to blur together. Lots of great pictures, too.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THAT LEGEND WE CALL 'BROWN BOMBER', December 6, 2002

By 

reviewer (Zurich, Switzerland.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joe Louis: My Life (Dark Tower Series) (Paperback)

Oh, the "Brown Bomber"; that champ ranks among the greatest of all time.
The time I spent reading Joe Louis' autobiography was fascinating. Everything about the book depicted that gentleness that was his off-ring trademark. Yes, Color-Bar affected him like any other Black person of his generation, but he took it along in his strides. It is only the grace of God that transformed this poor sharecropper's son into one of the most famous persons of the 20th Century.
His record of 12-year reign as a champion, backed-up by an equally outstanding 25 title defences is still a burning candle that no heavyweight has been able to extinguish. I am only saddened by the fact that (American) racism (in those days, and to some extent today) did its best to hinder those credentials; as well as the joy that the post-ring gentleman deserved. May his soul Rest In Peace!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joe's Best, October 1, 2002

By 

thesavvybamalady "swblkdiamond" (Prichard, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Joe Louis My Life (Paperback)

This book came out two years before the Bomber died,and it was real good.I always remember hearing my parents talking about how they would hear Joe Louis fights on the radio,and how proud they felt.To this day they speak highly of him.Here, He is candid on his life,including his father's mental illness,women,boxing,financial challenges,marriages,etc.He don't leave nothing out. And I have enjoyed it then and now. I had some misconceptions about him, and was glad he cleared them up. Great for the generations that knew nothing about Joe, and those that did and wish to remember.