Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner

Rating:
Summary: A Less Than Great Book
Review: I was jazzed to read this book. People were calling it a boxing classic, James Elroy, my hero, called it the best book every written about boxing. I read reviews where it was mentioned along with the Nick Adams stories. And, F.X. Toole got his start in Zyzzyva, the best literary journal in the country. That's why I was so dissapointed. It suffered first from the short story book syndrome. All of the stories were essentially the same. A boxer is looking for a trainer or a cutman. The trainer says "No, I don't train women," or "No, I don't do fights in Mexico," but is always convinced to take the job. From there it gets predictable. In every story the characters are the same and the white guy is the only one with any real depth of character. I wanted to like this book. I would not have bought a hardcover otherwise. But I feel this book was published because the marketing people thought they could sell a book written by a 70 year old boxing cutman previously unpublished. The story behind the book made for great reviews and magazine copy and so the book is selling. But marketing is not what makes a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I'm not sure what's not to like about this series of short stories. Those who don't like F.X. Toole seem to fall into two categories. Either his characters are stereotypes or he's not literary enough. I found some genuinely interesting characters and stories with a point that are a refreshing change from the dusty introspective work that comes out of so many university creative writing departments these days. Toole was a careful observer of the craft of boxing and probably an ardent reader of Hemingway. His writing is traditional, and he's a wonderful storyteller.

If you like boxing novels like "The Professional" or "The Harder They Fall" but found reading "Fat City" to be a pointless chore, then this book is for you.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre
Review: The reviewer who wrote the "NOT A CONTENDER" review hits this book on the head. I too listened to Ellroy's recommendation and like that reviewer found the book to be lacking...it's not that the book is awful mind you..it is just that it is full of cliche characters adn repetitive themes.