Customer Reviews

Without Apology: Girls, Women, and the Desire to Fight

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If you have half a heart, this book will simply blow you away. Leah Cohen has a way with ideas, and the novelist's ability to hold you to the page. In this book, she approaches women's boxing with scepticism but then decides to wade in and try it herself. A slight mother of three, she discovers things about her own makeup she never suspected, and emerges with respect for other girls and women who put the gloves on. The mere description of having her hands wrapped before a fight will bring tears to your eyes. Even more moving is the story of the impact of training and sparring on the underprivileged girls being trained at the Somerville gym by coach Raphaella. This book weaves the technique of boxing together with the heartbreak of coming from a troubled background, and emerges in the clear, clean daylight of salvation. Ms. Cohen is a very talented writer and thinker. She makes you love the girls in her story.

I first got interested in boxing while reading an article in a Reader's Digest magazine so I went looking for books on women's boxing. This was the first one I found. It is not just about boxing but about women's desire to fight but I like reading books about society. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned more about boxing and also why girls and women are interested in boxing. It's the story of the author and how she got in the lives of some girls and their coach at a small boxing club. She ends up being interested in boxing herself and joins them, training and eventually sparring. Meanwhile those around her lost interest. She cites other books about the desire of women to fight of which a few I am now going to read. As a Girl Guide leader I work with girls and this book has provided a little insight into their minds. The society I live in is nothing like the society of these girls but girls all over the world are alike in some ways and I was reminded of this as I read. Anyone interested in women's boxing, women's need to fight (not only physically), women's anger or women's sociology in general should read this book.

Cohen's attention lights up the "heart," "damage," and "muscle" of an extradinary boxing coach, her female fighters and their families. There is a sense that Cohen's obeservation and participation was a significant force among them. More than an impersonal documetary, "Without Apology" is a moving journal of self-achievement for Cohen. As always, she is able to convey deep insight with seemingly effortless clarity and delicacy. Simply put, this is a page-turner! I was instantly hooked to find out what would happen to each and every soul. The accompanying education about "Girls, Women, and the Desire to Fight" was woven into the fabric so well it hardly scratched at all.

Didn't like it and won't recommend to my friends. We all box and train and most of this book is not true!