Raging Bull II

by Chris Anderson, Jake LaMotta

Contains the story of Jake La Motta, the controversial boxer, and his transformation into the older, wiser performer he is today, revealing his loves, conflicts, fights, and terrors

Hardcover

Published November 1, 1986

About the author

Librarian note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read Raging Bull: My Story and found it compelling enough even though it has an unlikeable narrator, who was obviously, Jake La Motta. The sequel doesn't involve boxing so it's more about La Motta's life during and after the movie version was made. It ultimately winds up as an account of his divorce and three or four subsequent marriages. All of these relationships are profoundly abusive. As a female, it's hard to read description after description of how he beat his wives, and he never changes his behavior. It should really be looked at as a view of domestic violence from the abuser's perspective. Only without a good author.

[Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a continuation of Jake La Motta's life as he and friend Rick (really Peter Savage) attempt to make a deal to get the movie version of Raging Bull out while Jake gets himself through three more marriages (which he regrets his abusiveness), his constant self-conscious obsession with wife #2 Vickie, to his sixth marriage, which he finally has realized what love is truly about. It is clear that Jake La Motta had gone through hell and back and back again only to finally find a place where he feels peace. Recently, the movie version is being shot.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raging Bull: My Story is a colorful but tragic story about a rather despicable man. In his honest and often self-pitying biography, Jake LaMotta admits to being an abuser, a rapist and a thief. Yet, his remarkable talent, perseverance and achievement as an athlete make him a somewhat admirable character, as well. The fact that LaMotta, while capable of capsizing his own friendships, marriages, and careers, was adaptable enough to regain social and professional stability numerous times is inspiring. It’s tragic, though, that he never seemed to learn from his pattern of mistakes.