I think many here are familiar with the terrific series of books board contributor Apollack has published. His series on the heavyweight champions (Sullivan, Corbett, Fitz, Jeffries, Hart and Tommy Burns) are exceptional archives and resources for all historians and fans alike to enjoy. I predict all will become collector's items in the years to come. An undertaking of this magnitude is a labor of love. A ton if work is involved and the reward is rarely lucrative. A key element to keeping this fine series going ( imagine a Johnson or a Dempsey volume) is public awareness ... it is kind and good that several boxing forums have mentioned his work but I am asking all who have enjoyed them to take it to the next step ... Take a few minutes of your time, go to AMAZON.COM and give the books coverage and the high review ratings they deserve. This way his work gains the additional exposure it deserves only from the non-boxing board crowd but the casual fan as well .... an high start rating on an AMAZON.COM can really help get the word out there ... NOTE: My motive for this is entirely selfish. I have enjoyed Apollacks work tremendously and apprciate the exceptional effort he must be putting in ... I have never spoken to Apollack about a post of this nature and he surely did not request it ... Thanks ...
I totally understand that the costs are a limiting constraint but it is the reality of self-publising such a large work ... The Fitz book is outstanding !
Adam uses nothing but primary sources. Makes his books invaluable, especially from a researcher's standpoint.
These books are the best boxing books that have been written, if you are actually interested in the fighter's boxing career, as opposed to ancillary aspects of his life. I've read a lot of boxing books, probably most of the major ones written over the last 30 years, and these are BY FAR, the best. They collect and present information that just wouldn't be accessible to the boxing public otherwise. To say Adam has performed a service to the sport and the documentation of its history is an understatement.
Finished the Jeffreis book a while ago. I think the Fitz is next. They are fantastic, riveting reads. You'd pay the same money to see some Mayweather farce and get about 1/10,000th the experience.
we almost never agree on anything, but I think you hit the nail on the head. you just cannot in any honesty argue a thing about the boxers he has covered unless you read his book on them. I think his conclusion are fairly drawn, his research exhaustive and one day he will be rewarded far beyond monetary consideration when he's elected to the hall of fame, but until then if you are a fan of boxing and the heavyweights, purchasing his books is a show of support for him and all he's done.
Both were amazing ... if you find the time a positive review on Amazon would be a huge help to the author, his quest and ultimately the publishing of more volumes .. Imagine Johnson, Willard and Dempsey ?
I can honestly say any of us know next to nothing about any of these guys till we read Adam's work ... it is simply another level ... invaluable.
I agree, if someone does any fantasy matchups with these guys they don't know what they're talking about until they read these books.