What a past fw years for terrific boxing books !

Its truly been amazing no doubt.
I remember the first time I met my boxing historian hero Herbert G. Goldman back in the mid 90s and broaching this very subject.
I was hoping he had something in the works himself or could lead me to something worthwhile. His response was very disappointing...boxing books..wouldn't waste my time.....nobody buys them...the ones we have are mostly terrible...the only good one is Brown Bomber by Barney Nagler.

And now "The stock has gone to Pluto" as the guy said in Wall Street.

 

It takes a tremendous amount of research and other work to produce a book like Steve Compton's biography of Harry Greb, let alone Bill Paxton's earlier biography of Greb. I think you can say that Greb is the best-served boxing figure ever when it comes to the quality of Compton's and Paxton's biographies of him. It is ironic because James R. Fair's biography of Greb, Give Him to the Angels, was far less than stellar, to put it mildly.

- Chuck Johnston

 

@chuck Johnston

Are you the same chuck j that wrote the book about La fighters?

 

I am drawing up my Xmas list!

 

And Tyson's autobiography (The Undisputed Truth) hits shelves tomorrow as well. Pre-ordered my copy from Amazon last week.

 

Tracy Callis and I wrote that book.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Enjoyed it thanks

 

Speaking of Give Him To The Angels, By James Fair...The short Harry Greb bio. I bought the book in I believe 1947, read it, and foolishly loaned it out to a friend, who promptly lost the book. Today it is worth good money solely for it's rarity...I also loaned out "Black Dynamite" books written by Nat Fleischer in the 1940s, loaned some out and again were never returned... Never again...

 

Well you can't, can you! :twisted:

 

I just started reading "The Four Kings" about Duran/Leonard/Hagler/Hearns and their fights. Very good so far.

I also enjoyed the Jack Dempsey bio "Ring of Pure Fire".

 

Nat Fleischer's Black Dynamite series has quite a number of inaccuracies. As someone who has been trying to track down information on Sam McVey over a span of several decades, I can tell you that the biographical sketch of him in the Black Dynamite series is far from being accurate.

In regards to Roger Kahn's biography of Jack Dempsey, Ring of Fire, it is somewhat interesting because Dempsey had quite a life. But I am not a big fan of that book. I simply don't think it is close to being in the class of Steve Compton's biography of Harry Greb. The problem is that Kahn and many other writers of boxing biographies didn't do amount of research or put in the effort that Compton did. Of course, a professional writer would have an extremely tough time making a living while doing it like Compton.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Chuck - what are your all-time favorite boxing books? What books do you recommend?

 

Steve Compton's biography of Harry Greb and Clay Moyle's biography of Sam Langford would be at the top of my list. Give me more time to compile a more comprehensive list of my favorite boxing books.

- Chuck Johnston

 

I own Compton's and Moyle's is on my short list. I look forward to reading your list.