The Champ

by Richard Woodley

222 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 1979

Reviews

[Koduvayur Harikrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in a while a movie inspires a book rather than the other way around. This is one such book. Richard Woodley's book, based on Frances Marion's story and Walter Newman's screenplay for the movie of the same name, captures the sentiments brilliantly in words. I came across this book in a second-hand shop years after seeing the movie, and simply had to relive the emotions so beautifully brought out by Ricky Schroder, not yet 10 when he was cast as TJ in the movie. He outshone Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway by a mile in the movie. When one reads the book, it is clear that was what was meant to be. If you haven't seen the movie, you should. But you should read this wonderfully well written book too. It does not matter which you do first - see the movie or read the book