Every Time I Talk to Liston

...to appreciate this straightforward and well told story. The characters' outward actions and innnermost thoughts are both profound and entertaining. In the background is scary Sonny Liston and his heroic wife - who knew that Liston could be made to be so sympathetic? The plot progresses along at a good pace, with chapters designated as "Round 1" "Round 2", etc - very clever. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Brian DeVido has written a great book! With more interesting characters and plot twists than you will find in most summer movies, this is a boxing novel for folks who are fans of the sport and for those who are simply fans of good books. DeVido's own boxing background gives this book a real feel of authenticity. Life in the ring comes alive as DeVido injects each chapter with the exhaustion and exhilaration of the sweet science. Life outside the ring is also described with a careful eye as we move from the margins of the boxing world (the sparring partners, trainers, promoters and reporters) to the center of a run for the championship of the world. Finally, DeVido's decision to weave in the story of Sonny Liston, who becomes a kind of patron saint of this and perhaps every boxing story, provides another level of depth, feeling, and tragedy to the book. This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. Don't wait for the movie, read it now.

This book is full of movement, and it never lets up. The characters are one's we remember--flawed, good hearted, all of it. The writing, too, is just flat out good. You won't put this one down.

A sports fan I am not, but I LOVED this book. Brian DeVido is a former Virginia Golden Gloves heavyweight champion who knows boxing intimately, yet his portrayal of the complexities and nuances of the boxing scene are so well-crafted that even though I was ignorant of the fight world, I was sucked right into the story. 'Every Time I Talk to Liston' is understandably graphic in places given its subject matter, but the violence isn't gratuitous - it's just part of the sport, providing an intriguing and emotional backdrop for the characters, who really shine. Not only did I come away from this book feeling as though I understood a sport which previously had been incomprehensible to me (men hitting each other? what's up with that?), I CARED about the outcome, which DeVido masterfully leaves in doubt right up until the very end.Fast-paced, with likeable characters and wonderful insights ("You got to be a little crazy to be the best in anything." - Amos 'Scrap Iron' Fletcher), 'Every Time I talk to Liston' is a satisfying, heart-warming story about a man who refuses to give up.

When I started to read this book, I didn't know what to expect. What I found was a "page-turner" of a book! Brian DeVido has captured the hard world of boxing and relates it to the reader in a very realistic way. We almost feel every punch and jab as if we were inside the ring ourselves. Amos, "Scrap Iron" Fletcher, is a down and out boxer who searches to find a way to be successful in the game that he loves. The character development of Amos, the protagonist, proceeds seemingly effortlessly, from beginning to end. Along the way, Amos seeks the approval of Sonny Liston's spirit as his mentor. The plot is convincing and well woven in rounds instead of chapters. This book is not just for the boxing afficionado. It is for EVERYMAN!!DeVido has a clever style that ropes you in and keeps you coming back for more. If you are looking for an exciting book... get Every Time I Talk To Liston.