The Real McCoy

by Darin Strauss

An intriguing second novel based on the life of turn-of-the-century icon and charlatan "Kid" McCoy follows the audacious, irrepressible championship boxer, jewel thief, scam artist, and womanizer from city to city in pursuit of his next con, living life to the fullest along the way. By the author of Chang and Eng. 50,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery

326 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

A recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and a winner of the American Library Association's Alix Award and The National Book Critics Circle Award, the internationally-bestselling writer Darin Strauss is the author of the novels Chang & Eng, The Real McCoy, and More Than It Hurts You, and the NBCC-winning memoir Half a Life. These have been New York Times Notable Books, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and NPR Best Books of the Year, among others. Darin has been translated into fourteen languages and published in nineteen countries, and he is a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU's creative writing program.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Only slightly less so at the end. Doing endings must be hard...

[Robert Natale · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't wait for it to be over.

[Katherine Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small town guy reinvents himself with the help of a Chinese flim-flam man who becomes his mentor. ...This is an episodic and picaresque novel with large ambitions and great characters. It is reminiscent of both the work of E.L. Doctorow and Thomas Berger (Little Big Man). The narrative sometimes gets a little sprawling, but we are always engaged in Virgil’s struggle to reinvent himself. The material could be a real “actor’s piece,” and there’s enough going on with the plot to keep an audience thoroughly engaged.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. It ended the way it should have ended and not the way I necessarily wanted it to. Strauss's use of language was really playful and fun at times-- i.e. "Who would she be, the duck or the elephant?" [sic:] Overall I enjoyed it and would read another of Strauss's books if given the chance.

[Sew4mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok....not sure i would recommend it when there is so much better on the shelves...but interesting

[Thomas McDade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Google The Real McCoy to get the scoop on the guy who inspired this fiction! Amazing fellow!

[Ron Fitzwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good story about a boxer I had never heard of before. Interesting look at a different era of America.

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing and in need of an editor who wasn't the author's friend.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strauss is a great, gifted stylist. I'll say it, reminded me of reading Gatsby.