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The Life and Crimes of Don King: The Shame of Boxing in America Paperback – December 1, 2003

by Jack Newfield (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 198 ratings
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An updated edition of award-winning columnist Jack Newfield’s best-selling biography of America’s boxing mogul, the source for the Emmy-winning movie Don King: Only in America.

When Jack Newfield’s unauthorized biography of Don King first appeared in 1995 it was hailed as one of the most important pieces of sports journalism of the decade. The HBO movie based on the book continues to be a television favorite. Now, for the first time, The Life and Crimes of Don King is available in paperback.

Jack Newfield provided a new introduction and an extensive epilogue--”The Shame of Boxing in America”--for this new edition.

Here’s what critics had to say about the earlier edition:

“Jack Newfield is a writer who understands how to celebrate the rich complexity of American life while pulling the covers off of those monsters who threaten its very essence. In The Life and Crimes of Don King, he provides us with a book that stings in every direction—across class, race, profession, gender, religion, national boundaries, media, and law enforcement. We learn that Don King is an American so purely made of charisma and con that no one could have invented him.”

—STANLEY CROUCH, New York Daily News columnist

“It is difficult to imagine anyone better suited to tell the fascinating tale of Don King’s life than Jack Newfield. In The Life and Crimes of Don King Newfield has brilliantly captured the complex man beneath the flamboyant image and in the process produced an absolutely fabulous story,”

—DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

“Jack Newfield brings a reporter’s craft and fan’s love of boxing to this study of the complex, brilliant promoter Don King. Newfield continues the tradition of great writers like A. J. Liebling, Budd Schulberg, and Norman Mailer who have brought their sharp focus to the world of boxing.”

—CHARLIE ROSE, PBS host

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    344 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 1, 2003
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0974020109
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0974020105
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"For all those with a taste for robber barons and invincible chutzpah, this book is a must." -- PETE HAMILL, author of A Drinking Life

"Newfield brings a reporter s craft and fan s love of boxing to this study of the complex, brilliant promoter." -- CHARLIE ROSE, PBS host

"Newfield has brilliantly captured the complex man beneath the flamboyant image and in the process produced an absolutely fabulous story." -- DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

About the Author

Veteran journalist Jack Newfield was a founder of the "New Journalism" in the 1960s as a columnist for The Village Voice. He was later a columnist for The New York Daily News and The New York Post. He is currently a fellow of The Nation Institute. He is the author of 10 books, has collaborated on numerous documentaries, and is the recipient of the George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism (1980), an Emmy for his documentary on Don King (1991), and numerous other awards

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harbor Electronic Publishing (December 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0974020109
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0974020105
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 198 ratings

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Jack Newfield

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
198 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Rainys A. Blekaitis
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2019
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This book gripped me and I read it in four days. Every boxing trainer needs to read this book if they want to protect themselves and their boxer.
One person found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars Old info but still good
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2022
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I like reading sports books and this was a good one. The info is a bit old but was spot on when he wrote it. Boxing is still a mess and needs some of the suggestions he puts out as a bill of rights.
One person found this helpful
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B
5.0 out of 5 stars Don King boxing promoter or hustler
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2014
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Great book about the in and outs of boxing how Don King ruined so many boxers careers and he didn't care about it.
One person found this helpful
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aziz munir
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2015
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Great read
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History Dean
4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Writing, Terrible Formatting
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2011
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An excellent look into the dark world of Don King and Boxing in general. The writing is superb and the level of research is obvious. However, the Kindle edition is the worst formatted book I have downloaded since I bought the Kindle. The font size changes paragraph to paragraph and sometimes, sentence to sentence. It is distracting and, ultimately, disappointing that the publisher could not be bothered to put this into a more readable format.
5 people found this helpful
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Gregory Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars There's No Better Person Than Don King
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017
I Think Don King Is Boxing. He Built Boxing. He Made Champions. And Everybody Blame Him For What Boxers Do With There Money. Every Boxers Should Had Manage Their Own Money And Not Blame Don King. There's No Better Person Than Don King. Many Boxers Step In The Ring But Their Only One KING. ONLY IN AMERICA. DON KING
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Square Eyes
5.0 out of 5 stars More than a book about Don King
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2007
A superb, meticulously-researched book by an author who truly loves boxing. The career of Don King is well documented here and is as fascinating as you would have imagined. Yet it's more than a biography - an account of how the collective talents of what should have been boxing's Golden Age were squandered through corruption, er...fight engineering (shall we say) and a ratings system based on money not ability. Don King's rise is vividly described - he arrives at a Frazier-Foreman fight with Frazier, but as the fight progresses creeps closer to the Foreman camp and inevitably leaves with the victor. A pattern repeated again and again. The experiences of Tim Witherspoon, Larry Homes and Muhammad Ali make grim yet compelling reading. Finally, we see the Tyson years as yet another athletic talent wasted.

One of the best sports books I have ever read - and deserves a wider readership: So, Amazon, why isn't it available on your UK site?
12 people found this helpful
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Martin Devaney
4.0 out of 5 stars the grifter
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
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well researched book , ive read lots about don king ripping off fighters and how someone hasnt murdered him has me stumped i loathe this character but i have a sneaking admiration not for him but for his audaciousness.
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Top reviews from other countries

Amy
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 19, 2023
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Well written book for any boxing fans who love details on the dark side of boxing.
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Tricia paterson
4.0 out of 5 stars Great interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2021
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Very informative
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umzi4prez
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb insight into the gloomy window of boxing politics
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2012
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Genuinely a great read, I found myself drawn to this book like no other boxing book I have read. If you have ever been baffled by mismatches and non matches this will open the door of enlightenment into why certain fights were not made or made too late. Newfield goes into great depth over the financial gains made through various colourful figures throughout the boxing world. While he manages to keep the portrayal of most of the central figures within the book light hearted and gives them some credibility and even accredites some of the figures as jovial pariah type villains, he manages to keep the underlying tone throughout the book the same level of crude lawlessness carried out by the puppet masters.

I am a sucker for boxing books though, so my views aren't totally objective although, I can appreciate the level of detail, research and love for the sport that went into this book. Newfield remains objective throughout and raises some excellent points about the regulatory bodies although some of his views regarding treatment of fighters, although are justifiable are a tad bit unrealistic.

I suppose as a true fans we all have some level of unrealistic hopes for the sport in order for boxing to gain notariaty although nowadays this seems less to do with corruption in the sport and more to do with a lack of talent amongst the fighters.
3 people found this helpful
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jacqsbak
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 star book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2021
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Bought this book for my partner, who whole-heartedly loved it. He said it was one of the best books he has read. I did come second best to the book for a few days, but it was worth it......
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Angelmatty
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2014
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Started well but then the usual bulls***
One person found this helpful
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