John L. Sullivan and His America
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HomicideHenry
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 18722
- Joined: 08 Sep 2005, 00:43
John L. Sullivan and His America
Anyone else read this book? I read it, and must say, though the book deals with alot of the times and customs of the day, the book was pretty damn good. Gave me a good out look on Sullivan's over all ability and his actual reign as champion, which I might say wasn't as remarkable as I previously believed it to be---BUT, I'm on to reading Adam Pollack's book on John L. and will see if a more 'trained' boxing historian can give a better insight to the fights than Michael Isenberg did in his book on Sullivan.
Re: John L. Sullivan and His America
Isenberg's book is outstanding, perhaps the best most detailed book on his life with a full well written overall sociological view of the time.
Pollack's book was a disspointment at the end, barely mentioning the Corbett fight and not dwelling at all on the last twenty some years of John L. Sad to say, I found it lacking not in what's in the book but what was omitted.
Pollack's book was a disspointment at the end, barely mentioning the Corbett fight and not dwelling at all on the last twenty some years of John L. Sad to say, I found it lacking not in what's in the book but what was omitted.
Re: John L. Sullivan and His America
sounds like its worth a punt thenenrique wrote:Isenberg's book is outstanding, perhaps the best most detailed book on his life with a full well written overall sociological view of the time.
Pollack's book was a disspointment at the end, barely mentioning the Corbett fight and not dwelling at all on the last twenty some years of John L. Sad to say, I found it lacking not in what's in the book but what was omitted.
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dr_devious
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 5349
- Joined: 29 Dec 2005, 09:19
Re: John L. Sullivan and His America
I've read it, and can highly recommend it. One of the best boxing books I've ever read. Sullivan and the whole era makes for compelling reading.
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HomicideHenry
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 18722
- Joined: 08 Sep 2005, 00:43
Re: John L. Sullivan and His America
I read Pollack's book on Sullivan, and while I am impressed by it, as it touched upon the color line more so than Isenberg, the book does have its faults. Isenberg I think is superior to Pollack, when it comes to Sullivan. Pollack didn't touch upon the Corbett fight other than to say Sullivan lost, while Isenberg went to great depths and lengths to detail who Corbett was, and his standing in the field at that time.
However, Pollack did go into the changes Sullivan made to his style and shown some facts that I didn't previously know. Both books should be used together, but as a whole Isenberg trumped.
However, Pollack did go into the changes Sullivan made to his style and shown some facts that I didn't previously know. Both books should be used together, but as a whole Isenberg trumped.