Jack Dempsey, best book about him?

I found that book to be pretty hacky and lightweight.. and had some inaccuracies. I prefer Dempsey's autobio (obviously not objective but very entertaining and gives the reader a real feel for the man) and Roberts' bio.

 

I think his book was called Championship Fighting. Dempsey was a very smart guy. He knew what to do in the ring, even if he didn't always do it.

 

"Jack Dempsey The Manassa Mauler" by Randy Roberts 1979. Very readable with anecdotes new to me. As far as I am aware, this is an unbiased view on Dempsey's life and fights. Harry Greb shows up on 6 pages.

 

Preferred the Roberts book to the auto', read many years ago. The Championship Fighting book was only about technique and tactics that Dempsey put his name to. I think the autobiography was simply called "Dempsey" in collaboration wit Bob Considine and I can vaguely recall one called "Massacre in the Sun". I also enjoyed Kahn's The Flame of......, but apparently it was heavily biased because of the author's friendship with Jack.

 

I'm suggesting the auto bio in addition to Roberts' book. There is a real energy in the auto-bio but by definition it is not an objective study on his career. It offers something that an objective study could not give. That said, it would be nice to see a Pollack-like treatment of his career.

 

Let us know how it is!

 

You need to read it. It's made for you.

 

As someone who owns two biographies and three autobiographies of Jack Dempsey, I feel that the best one to buy is a biography of Dempsey by Randy Roberts. However, I think that Roberts should done more research about Dempsey's life before writing the book.

- Chuck Johnston

 

First and foremost must read is Dempsey by the man himself 1960...to me the rest is secondary...I would go with Kahn's next but the 60 auto was the best

 

There hasnt been a really good, really well researched bio of Dempsey, which is odd considering how many books on him there are. A Flame of Pure Fire was pure hero worship, even devoting a chapter to the numerous imaginary ways Dempsey would have defeated all of the other great HW champions. Roberts is probably the least biased but as Chuck stated his wasnt great either.