Not a Fat Guy
I met Tony in Dempsey's bar right after the Frazier-Quarry bout. He gave me an autographed picture of himself that I will always treasure. The book seems to make fun of his lifestyle but doesn't avoid the guts and determination he always showed. Several of the fights seemed take too long to elaborate on (several chapters) but the story keeps going.
Quick read, crisp rendering of an unusual man
I grew up in Orange and met Galento twice, decades after the big Louis fight. Both times he was amusing, colorful, and intimidating. I am thankful for this book; its portrayal is rather accurate to the man. One minor complaint: the book at times seems anti-boxing. Yes, boxing is brutal but it has its virtues which cannot be fully elaborated on here. And professional boxing ain't nothin' compared to the streets of Orange I knew!
Tony Galento: Quick Rise, Quick Fall, But Forever a Star
The book should be of great interest to living boxing or history fans who remember the era and add dimension to those who don't.
The book conjures up moments of history without being academic or tone-deaf to the human side. Author Monninger is a first class novelist and prolific writer; this one has the distinction of detailed research and facile delivery. Monninger creates the period as if you are living it. I might have done without reading a few sections too heavy in boxing detail such as the measurement of the forces of a heavyweight fighter's punch. In the ring with mere amateurs, I've had ribs broken twice by body shots, a broken nose, various cuts and an infinite number of bruises. It rather kills the fun of it all to read that a heavyweight's punch delivers a force of 2800 newtons. But the story of the determined loser-hero willing to risk all to make his mark on history is a testament to all of us who struggle to find inspiration.
Like Joyce Carol Oates well-known book `On Boxing', this story of Two Ton Tony Galento is something of a departure from traditional boxing literature. It's funny, it's fascinating, it entertains, and it's one of the markers by which America's time is measured.
Fantastic Highlight of a Forgotten Footnote !!!
As a boxing historian and a huge reader, I found "Two Ton" to be one of the best additions to the boxing library in many years. The author did a superb job in his research and in portraying the men and their time. It is a terrific read on many levels and highly recommended ...
Tons of Good Reading
Nice book. Easy read. Learned a lot about a guy I knew almost nothing of (Two Ton Tony Galento) and learned a lot more about a guy I already knew pretty well (Joe Louis).
They could not have been more polar opposites. Louis was a physical specimen, well off from some big pay-day fights, reserved, a gentleman, supremely talented and, of course, black. Galento was white, short and fat, a tavern owner who needed the money, a clown, a plodder in the ring and a bit of a lout. The one thing they did have in common was their chosen profession.
This may have been a five star special, but there are a few instances where the author goes a little Joyce Carol Oates on us and loses the narrative voice of the book. Don't get me wrong--I have nothing against Joyce Carol Oates, but I only enjoy her stuff when I'm reading Joyce Carol Oates.
Two Ton Tony literally makes his two seconds of fame (the two seconds Joe Louis was on the canvas during their fight) last a lifetime. The author suggests that causes a lot of 'what if' thoughts to creep in. I look at it as at least he got the two seconds which is a lot more than I can say for most of us.
(9 reviews)
