BoxRec

I just recently picked up a copy of "Unforgivable Blackness" and was curious if anyone has read it, as well as any other biography on Johnson and how would you compare "Unforgivable Blackness” to the others?

"Unforgivable Blackness” seems like it was pretty thoroughly researched as compared to some other boxing biographies that you may see.

barry wrote:I just recently picked up a copy of "Unforgivable Blackness" and was curious if anyone has read it, as well as any other biography on Johnson and how would you compare "Unforgivable Blackness” to the others?

"Unforgivable Blackness” seems like it was pretty thoroughly researched as compared to some other boxing biographies that you may see.

I saw large parts of the TV series. Interesting but very slow.

I've read it... excellent book, with loads of infomation but also nice to read as well. I've also read the bios on Johnson by Denzil Batcholar, Finis Farr (Black Champion) Robert H Decoy (The Big Black Fire) ...also have Papa Jack which I havet had the chance to read yet. All of them worth reading imo... Johnsons Autobiography is interesting but bit of a let down as he doesnt go into his fights in much detail... still some nice insights though...

I enjoyed the Johnson bio's by Denzil Batchelor and Randy Roberts, but I haven't read the one by Farr, or Johnson's autobiography, which he is suppose to have fictionally embellished in a lot. A friend just sent me the biography on Joe Grim, which arrived today, so I'll probably read it now.

Is the Grim book recent, when was it published?.

"Unforgivable Blackness" was pretty written. The author isn't afraid to point out some of Johnson's bad qualities.

I did read Papa Jack by Randy Roberts several years ago. "Unforgivable Balckness" doesn't seem to cover very much new ground though.

Ambling Alp wrote:"Unforgivable Blackness" was pretty written. The author isn't afraid to point out some of Johnson's bad qualities.

I did read Papa Jack by Randy Roberts several years ago. "Unforgivable Balckness" doesn't seem to cover very much new ground though.

Theres loads more information in 'Unforgivable Blackness' I like all the quotes from the newspapers of the times etc... it paints a very vivid picture of Johnson. I'd definately say its the most detailed Biography on Johnson... and probably the best overall.

I have Black Champion, The Big Black Fire, Papa Jack, and Johnson's own autobiography. Does Unforgivable Blackness tell us anything that a combination of all the others already hasn't? This isn't meant to be a jab at the book. Just asking if you already have all the others would it be worth your while to add Unforgivable Blackness to the mix.

I also have a documentary on Johnson narrarated by Brock Peters with music by Miles Davis.

THE DANCING MASTER wrote:I have Black Champion, The Big Black Fire, Papa Jack, and Johnson's own autobiography. Does Unforgivable Blackness tell us anything that a combination of all the others already hasn't? This isn't meant to be a jab at the book. Just asking if you already have all the others would it be worth your while to add Unforgivable Blackness to the mix.

I also have a documentary on Johnson narrarated by Brock Peters with music by Miles Davis.

I have the other Johnson books as well but still found 'Unforgivable Blackness' useful and a good read. There is quite a bit more detail here than in some of the other books and also there is quite a bit on the society of the time. There are a lot of events and stories in here that arent in the other books on Johnson and all in all it is a more indepth look at Johnson and the people around him.

The biography, UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS, by Geoff Ward,
is very good for the most part, but I found possibly two errors.
One possible error is about one Bob Thompson who weighed
200-plus pounds. There WAS a capable fighter named Bob
Thompson, a black lightweight/welterweight who fought out
of Salt Lake City and Los Angeles during Johnson's early
years. Also according to the book, Bull Young, a heavyweight
who died from injuries sustained in a bout with Jess Willard,
was a giant. In fact, Young was very short in height for
a heavyweight.

- Chuck Johnston

Hey Chuck, The Bob Thompson thing bothered me as well. In fact, I told Geoff that Thompson was not a big man but probably closer to a middleweight at the time he fought Johnson. I sent him pictures and a career description of Thompson but he seemingly didn't use it. All in all though, the book is very good and I think handles Johnson's career far better than any of the predecesors. Randy Robert's book had a number of mistakes.