The Book of Boxing

This appears to be an updated version of the classic anthology, The Fireside Book of Boxing, edited by Heinz. I guess people don't read around the fireside anymore, but they buy Sports Illustrated, so the title is itself more contempo, as are some of the entries. The original has been on my shelf for years, and has been pawed through with great pleasure since those golden days of yesteryear. Anyone interested in boxing or prose style (with a little verse here and there) will treasure the collection.

W.C. Heinz and Nathan Ward's Book Of Boxing is also a winner, though less visually packed: text with selected illustrations peppered throughout covers the finest writers of the sport, revealing their observations, the events which marked boxing history, and its dark side. An intriguing survey will fascinate any boxing fan.

It's great to see this collection out again; I remember reading it with my father and brother when I was a kid. Now Heinz and Ward have made it better than ever, with the best pieces of newspaper writing, fiction, and even poetry ever composed about the sweet science. It covers everything, from Homer in the Iliad right up through the Holyfield/Tyson "bite fight." (ouch!) Plus‹a portfolio of good boxing shots in the middle. This is just the sort of terrific compilation that we need to raise kids on today, and give them some sense of what's best, and what lasts about sports.

This is absolutely the best book on boxing currently in print. If you're a boxing fan, it's a must-have; to collect the original books where all these great essays and stories originally appeared would require an entire library. If you're not knowledgable on boxing but have often found yourself curious about its lore and legend, this is the place to start.