Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner

by F.X. Toole

Seventy-year-old F.X. Toole has exploded onto the literary scene with this astonishing first collection of stories drawn from his own experiences in boxing. In these powerful and moving tales, he reveals a complex web of athletes, trainers, and promoters and their extended families, all players in an unforgiving business where victory, like defeat, comes at a dark and painful price.

F. X. Toole breathes life into vivid, compelling characters who radiate the fierce intensity of the worlds they inhabit. In "The Monkey Look," an aging cut man with an incorrigible sweet tooth works the corner for Hoolie, a featherweight "bleeder" with attitude. "Black Jew" brings Reggie Valentine Love and his camp to a brutal elimination bout in Atlantic City, where they are treated like second-class citizens by a promoter. In "Million $$$ Baby," seasoned trainer Frankie Dunn faces the most daunting challenge of his life when he agrees to aid the fearless Maggie Fitzgerald in her quest to become a champion boxer. "Fightin' in Philly" and "Frozen Water" are stories in which youthful dreams of glory and celebrity are threatened by the harsh realities that suffuse both of these narratives. The novella "Rope Burns" is the crowning achievement of the collection, offering a gritty, heartrending account of the indestructible bond that develops between a devoted fighter and his trainer.

In Rope Burns F.X. bole exhibits the skill of a miniaturist: in precise and exquisite detail, he peoples a world rich in unforgettable characters, like Señora Cabrera, the owner of the Acapulco café, who makes low-fat refried beans to keep a local fighter in top form, and an anonymous museum guard with a soft spot for Michelangelo. Toole's faithful dialogue crackles and bites, and the flawed characters he creates cannot help but remind us of our own too fragile humanity. He brings a new understanding to the violence and purity of the sweet science and the world it engenders, opening a window into the fighter's soul that can never he closed.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Sports, Media Tie In, Film, Drama, Novels

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

F. X. Toole was the pseudonym of Jerry Boyd (1930–2002), a boxing trainer and author whose work inspired the award-winning film Million Dollar Baby. In 1988, Boyd began writing about boxing, using the pseudonym F. X. Toole to keep his hobby secret from his colleagues in the boxing world. One of his stories caught the eye of a literary agent, who sold Rope Burns, a collection of Boyd’s stories, in 2000. Boyd died two years later, but before he passed he wrote the posthumously published Pound for Pound (2006) and sold the film rights to his story “Million $$$ Baby.” Clint Eastwood’s adaptation, Million Dollar Baby, won four Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.

Reviews

[Tonkica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kratke priče i novele, originalno objavljene pod nazivom „Užad gori“ su kasnije dobile ime po najpoznatijoj između njih sedam. Djevojka od milijun dolara poslužila je kao ideja za scenarij i osvojila srca gledatelja i kritičara. Ta priča je bila pun pogodak. No, nije bila jedina dobra koja je pripovijedala o boksu iza kulisa. Svaka od njih u zbirci ima svoje čari koje se podvuku pod kožu i s kojima se proživljava put glavnih likova.

Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name F. X. Toole was the pseudonym of Jerry Boyd (1930-2002).

He was a boxing trainer and his writing in these stories clearly display his great knowledge on boxing.

His stories are through various characters in the boxing arena. He tells them through the eyes of the fighter female and male, the trainer and manager and the cutman. He sticks his characters amongst problems in society crime, racism, brutality and politics. He takes his characters through courage, lose, love, hope and triumph.

This would be great for the fighting fan as it’s filled with useful boxing advice.

I have included excerpts below that concern this plus my review of two short stories.

The key ingredients that make a champion are highlighted in one of his stories where he mentions in a paragraph.

“..mental stability, warrior mentality, athletic ability, desire, power, chin and heart.”

Million Dollar Baby

A Million-dollar fighter, that’s what she was to be. A fighting spirit raised in the Ozarks where flipping burgers was not the fate she wanted to remain in. This caged bird wanted to flap her wings and stamp her future literally through her fists to a more independent and prosperous life.

Those days of watching Rocky inspired many a kid to rise up from the poverty or concrete jungle, to don their fists with hand wraps and boxing gloves to tread upon a warrior path, to make a future away from the streets and boredom. I believe the boxing gym and the fighting process does successfully instil hope and betterment for life for many a person especially the youth. Many love to relive the Ali shuffle or the Sonny Liston stare. Boxing is something that holds quite dear to my heart in my youth I spent many a night pounding the bag, shadow boxing, skipping and sparring. I had dreams of making it to the Olympics and going pro. The concern over punch-drunk friends and fighters who have inflicted blood clots in the brain weaned me away slowly but gradually.

The art of fighting can discipline the ferocity and waywardness in a man and in this story a woman. Boxing does wonders and has proved to be a great deterrent against crime with the youth. My legends from boxing are Sugar Ray Robinson pound for pound best fighter, Roberto Duran ‘manos de piedra ‘ and Muhammad Ali and modern fighters like Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Junior.

Female boxing was in the past not celebrated as much as now and only recently it has been included in the Olympics. The first woman to win a Gold in female boxing was a British fighter in the London 2012 Olympics. I watched that fight, and few others, is was best bit of boxing I had seen in a while since I gave up watching boxing for years, I was enjoying the fight there was a real challenge taking place history was being made. She dropped her opponent for a standing count and delivered some nice combinations and right-handers.

Nicola Adams the worlds first woman to be a Olympic Boxing Champion in London 2012 Olympics.

There are some other issues that are highlighted in this short story in this excerpt.

“Most important, he simply didn’t like seeing women getting hit. Regardless, there were now girls in the amateurs, and soon they’d be going to the Olympics. There would be more and more of them, so they would get better and better. That meant they’d be better than the ones currently fighting, and people said that would be good for the game. He didn’t care how good they got. Girls getting busted up went against everything he believed in.

Okay, he thought, times have changed. Dames are doing what guys is doing, but that don’t make it right. And then there were the practical reasons. Scheduling fights around periods. And bruised tits. And what if one was pregnant and had a miscarriage because of a fight? That, and he couldn’t cuss.”

In the end man or woman now has a choice. This story centers more on this woman’s professional pursuit of the sport. When she finally makes it to Madison Square Gardens then she’s was in the right direction. The only way some try to win is dirty fighting those after bell punches, rabbit and kidney punches and thumb in the eyes. She had everything to win but one opponent was to make her future in boxing null. The road the trainer and fighter chose to take was sad but it makes you ponder on what would you have done?

The movie adaptation with Clint Eastwood was just as much as a tearjerker.

I would have loved to read of her return to the ring in a kind of Rockyesque way but such is the reality of life that we have to settle with something less but heartfelt and memorable in this story. This story is a great story featuring a woman’s journey through a male dominated sport, the dangerous but noble art of boxing.


Rope Burns
This is the longer story of this collection. It is about a fighters hope and dreams quashed. There is racial tension, the Rodney king beating and riots. A tale from the streets where a few characters are killing left right and center in their own neighborhood for money and power. One white trainer hopes to take one black fighter to the Olympics and make him into a million dollar fighter but yet again your and not amidst a Rocky movie. This is bloody and there is some vengeance. This and million dollar baby the two better stories of the novel.


Excerpts from this book:

“When Frankie Dunn told a fighter how to move and why, the fighter could see it through Frankie’s eyes, and feel it slip on into his own flesh and down into his bones, and he’d flush with the magic of understanding and the feeling of power. Some called the old man Doc, some called him Uncle Frank. Old-time black fighters and trainers called him Frankie Dunn Frankie Dunn, repeating his name with a node or a smile. Frankie loved Warriors.”



“Trainers, swaying like cobras, worked with their fighters, isolated in the noise and the heat and the steam. Some hunched close to whisper, others yelled out loud. Sweat poured off everyone, even the dozen or so onlookers who sat in the short stretch of low bleachers facing the two rings. Boom boxes blared different music from four corners and along the walls, making the place sound like a cell block.”

“Most important, he simply didn’t like seeing women getting hit. Regardless, there were now girls in the amateurs, and soon they’d be going to the Olympics. There would be more and more of them, so they would get better and better. That meant they’d be better than the ones currently fighting, and people said that would be good for the game. He didn’t care how good they got. Girls getting busted up went against everything he believed in.

Okay, he thought, times have changed. Dames are doing what guys is doing, but that don’t make it right. And then there were the practical reasons. Scheduling fights around periods. And bruised tits. And what if one was pregnant and had a miscarriage because of a fight? That, and he couldn’t cuss.”

“Frankie said, “Watch my hips turn as I go from foot to foot. Ass is where the power comes from, understand?”

“He taught her how to stay on the balls of her foot, how to generate momentum off her right toe; how to keep her weight over her left knee, to flex on it when she fired her jab; how to double up and triple the jab, which would keep the opponent backing up on her heels. He taught her how to cut off the ring, how to slip punches and counter off lefts and rights. No matter how hard he drove her, she was always ready for more. His heart went out to her, macushla-mo cuishle in Gaelic: darling, my blood.”

“Frankie said, “You can’t give up hope. Even the doctors say-“
she cut him off.”Aint no hope. I’m deadweight, cant you see? Aint no insides to this body you’re lookin at. The bird in me can’t fly.”

“The pretty fighter was the man, and fighting pretty meant you were slick in the way you moved, the way you threw punches, and the way you slipped punches; that you moved while you punched, so that you kept your opponent off balance and missing and without thump in his punches.”

“Trick him. Boxing is a game of lies.”

“There’s a saying in boxing: don’t forget the people you meet on the way up, because they’re the same ones you’ll meet on the way down. To that Mac always added: First your legs go, and then your money, and then your friends.”

“mental stability, warrior mentality, athletic ability, desire, power, chin and heart.”

Find with movie trailer also @ http://more2read.com/review/million-dollar-baby-stories-from-the-corner-by-f-x-toole/

[Sandra Nedopričljivica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hvala autoru što je napisao Djevojku od milijun dolara (jednu od priča iz ove zbirke), a posebno Clintu Eastwoodu što je znao što napraviti s tom pričom. Ništa više od toga, nažalost. :(

Ali Nedopričljivi su se ipak uspjeli raspričati o knjizi: https://gkr.hr/magazin/citateljski-os...

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boxing is not a sport for people with weak stomachs. It can be brutal. It can be deadly. It can be gut-wrenchingly ugly. But it can also be magic, sweet, and pretty....even beautiful. My Grandpa was a Golden Gloves boxer in his younger days and when I was little he still had a speed bag in his garage. He could make that bag sing even then. I loved to watch him with it. I would have loved for Grandpa to have read these stories by F. X. Toole. He would have said Yes, the man knows boxing.

This is an intense, raw, sometimes disturbing but always memorable collection of short stories. The title story became a stunning movie, but others are just as worthy of attention, especially Fightin' In Philly and Rope Burns. The language is real, you must be prepared for that. The violence is bloody. You must be prepared for that too.

But also be prepared to meet characters that you would want in your corner in any situation. Be prepared to read exquisite flashes of poetic writing you might not expect. And be prepared to have this be the final short story collection by Toole. He died in 2002, not long after selling the movie rights to Million Dollar Baby. One other book is all we will have from this amazing author: Pound for Pound: A Novel was published after his death.

I grew up watching Joe Frazier, Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard...pretty boxers in the sense that Toole means when he uses the word. There was magic around them, just as there is magic in this book.

[Sara Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

Fenomenal book. Recomend it!

[iva° · Rating 3 out of 5]

f. x. toole je pseudonim boksačkog trenera koji je svoja iskustva, upotpunjeno maštom, predočio u zbirci "priča iz kuta" od kojih je najpoznatija "djevojka od milijun dolara" na temelju koje je clint eastwood napravio ono savršenstvo od filma. tooleove priče su vrlo dobre, boksački tvrde i nisu puko prepričavanje mečeva ili samih scena borbe (iako ima i toga), nego više daje uvid u ono što se događa ispod i oko boksačkog svijeta. uvjerljiv je, srčan, ali nesentimentalan i imaš osjećaj da je htio iz sebe izbaciti ono što se varilo dekadama u njegovoj utrobi, uz minimalna dotjerivanja. nije literarno jako štivo, ali zanimljivo za ući nakratko u svijet boksača.

sama priča "djevojka od milijun dolara" ima 40tak stranica i -ako si gledao film- ustvari je tek kostur oko kojeg je eastwood isprepleo fantastično i bogato djelo.
"frankie joj je sklopio oko vrškom prsta, palcem se uvjerivši da maggieno srce više ne kuca. s cipelama u ruci, ali bez duše, bešumno se udaljio stražnjim stubištem i nestao, očiju suhih poput zapaljena lista."

[sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be fooled- this book was originally published as "Rope Burns," and one story in it, "Million Dollar Baby," was turned into the movie with Hilary Swank. It's not one of those weird cheesy books that gets written after a movie comes out.

It's a collection of short stories about the world of boxing. Toole's writing is clean and straightforward, almost scientific. Half of the excitement happens in the ring, where Toole narrates each blow like a former boxer reliving the glory days. The other half happens during preparation for fights, when the characters train, eat, cheat, argue, bet, and negotiate. My favorite story in the book, "Rope Burns," follows a boxer and his trainer in the days leading up to and the aftermath of the L.A. Riots.

If you've ever boxed, or trained to box, you'll like reading about the intensity of that experience. Toole narrates not only the physical conditioning his characters undergo, but also the psychological and emotional terrain they navigate. I learned a lot of new things about boxing culture reading this, like the role of a boxer's "cut man" in the ring.

Recommended, even if you don't like boxing. The entire book is like a love letter to the world of boxing from someone who knows it well, and it's hard not to get caught up in the exhilaration of that experience.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind the scenes look at the gritty life of boxing. This book has several stories from someone who was right there.

[Christina Dalcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody perfect in every way. Toole gives his readers a gritty and realistic peek into the world of boxing. I’ll be reading this one again and again and again.

[Cláudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Que leitura fantástica. Nestes pequenos contos, F.X. Toole relata o boxe na sua pureza, sem filtros e detalhes esquecidos. Não recomendo este livro a pessoas que não gostam da modalidade, uma vez que existem muitas expressões próprias do desporto e uma pessoa que não esteja familiarizada tem de estar constantemente o seu significado.

[Saman]

اين نوشتار نه نقدي‌ست درباره‌ي فيلمي كه از اين رمان ساخته شد و نه بررسي و يا تشريح و ستايش همه‌ي عواملي كه اين فيلم را جزو آثار برتر سينماي جهان كرده است. بهانه‌ي نوشتن اين چند خط كه در پايين خواهد آمد، گفت و گويي بود بين من و يكي از دوستانم كه چند وقت پيش هنگام پياده‌روي با هم داشتيم. دوستم از من پرسيد: سامان، مي‌تونم ازت يه سئوالي بپرسم؟ گفتم: البته. گفت: تو خودت رو آدم خوشبختي احساس مي‌كني؟
پاسخ دوستم را در حد و اندازه‌هايي كه دوستي‌مان اجازه مي‌داد، دادم كه صد البته اينجا محلي براي بازگو كردن آن گفت و گو نيست. اما اين سئوالي كه از من پرسيد و مفهوم "خوشبختي" و "زندگي" يكي از دغدغه‌هاي هميشگي من بوده است. اين كه هر كسي "خوشبختي" خودش را در چه عواملي مي‌بيند و چرا بعضي‌ها با داشتن تمامي آن فاكتورهايي كه ديگران اگر آن‌ها را داشتند خود را "خوشبخت" مي‌دانستند، نمي‌دانند خود مبحثي‌ست كه مثنوي هفتاد من مي‌شود
در سكانسي از اين فيلم پس از اين كه (مگي) با بازي (هيلاري اسوانك) در آخرين مبارزه‌اش از گردن به پايين دچار قطع نخاع مي‌شود و به علت زخم بستر، دكترها شروع مي‌كنند به مثله كردن اعضاي بدنش مي‌كنند؛ از مربي خود(كلينت استيوود) مي‌خواهد كه به زندگي‌اش پايان دهد و بيش‌تر از اين نگذارد كه هر روز اين زجر و خفت را تحمل كند. مونولوگي كه مگي رو به استادش بيان مي‌كند اين چنين است: " من دنيا رو ديدم. مردم اسم من را فرياد مي‌زدند. برايم هورا مي‌كشيدند. عكس من توي مجله‌ها بود. فكر مي‌كني حتا تو خواب هم مي‌تونستم اين‌ها رو ببينم؟ وقتي من به دنيا اومدم فقط يك كيلو بودم. پدرم مي‌گفت: تو جون كندي تا بياي به اين دنيا و زنده بموني. و الان دارم جون مي‌كنم تا از اين دنيا برم. " يكي از زيباترين حرف‌هايي‌ست كه من در طول عمرم شنيدم همين جمله‌اي‌ست كه از زبان (مگي) بيان مي‌شود و تفكر پشت آن است
من هميشه اعتقاد داشتم كه انسان اگر بداند چه مي‌خواهد(حالا هر چيز كه جزو آمال و آرزوهايش است) و عمر خود را صرف دست يافتن به آن بكند و به آن برسد، به "خوشبختي" زندگي خود رسيده است. حال هر چه كه مي‌خواهد باشد؛ باشد. چون به آن نقطه‌اي كه مي‌خواسته ساليان سال برسد رسيده و اين را زيباترين لحظه در زندگي هر شخص مي‌دانم. بعد از آن ديگر آن شخص تا آخر عمر هر روزش تكرار مكررات مي‌شود و به نوعي مابقي روزهاي عمرش را قتل عام مي‌كند
اين نظر كاملا ً شخصي من است و هميشه دوست دارم وقتي به هدف‌هاي زندگي‌ام برسم و آن لحظه‌ي ناب "احساس خوشبخت" بودن را حس كنم، بعد از آن ديگر نباشم. چون به آن‌چه كه مي‌خواستم رسيدم. آن چه را كه مي‌خواستم ديدم. آن چه را كه مي‌خواستم حس كردم و باقي ديگر هيچ است و بقاي شما باد

[Carolyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book about 5 days ago and I am still thinking about it. His prose is amazing. Even if a boxing book might not be your thing (I know it’s really not PC these days) the intricacies of his story telling, their commentary on sexism, racism, poverty, that are so craftily portrayed in beautiful character studies, it is more than just a boxing book. It contains the short story adapted for the film ‘Million Dollar Baby’ although while excellent that wasn’t even my favorite. The titular ‘Rope Burns’ has still occupied my head long after I set the book down.

[Lee Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of stories was unlike anything else that I've read before -- and, I suspect, unlike anything else I'll read afterwards. I've never seen such a deep understanding and relation to the sport of boxing through literature. It was an honor to read it. I only wish that "Mr. Toole" could have written more of this type.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a whole, the short stories were pretty hit and miss. I really enjoyed the subject matter, and I appreciated the plethora of POVs, but some of the plots weren't my favorite.

We need to talk about Million Dollar Baby. That short story is the Magnum Opus of this collection! I can confidently say it's one of the best things I've ever read! I was pleasantly surprised how well the film adapted the story.

[Célia | Estante de Livros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Os livros têm destas coisas: põem-nos muitas vezes a ler sobre coisas que não nos despertam o mínimo interesse na vida real. Boxe era uma das últimas coisas sobre as quais me ocorreria ler, mas, ainda assim, este livro encontrou caminho para chegar até mim e, apesar de não ter sido uma leitura propriamente marcante, acabou por se revelar positiva pelas baixas expectativas com que a iniciei.

F.X. Toole é pseudónimo de Jerry Boyd, já falecido, que dedicou boa parte da sua vida ao boxe, fosse a combater ou a treinar pugilistas. É importante referir isto porque é bem visível que esta coletânea de contos foi escrita por alguém que amava este desporto e que conhecia os seus meandros. Aqui fica uma apreciação individual para cada um dos contos:


Ar de Macaco: o primeiro conto do livro segue a vida de um cutman veterano, cuja principal função é tratar dos cortes dos pugilistas que acompanha, de modo a estancar o sangue provocado pelas feridas e evitar que estas impeçam que o pugilista continue em prova. Penso que o principal objetivo do autor neste conto é mostrar um pouco dos bastidores do boxe e das artimanhas utilizadas por todos os que circulam à sua volta. Uma história interessante, ainda que longe de notável. – 3/5

Judeu Preto: Também este conto é narrado por um cutman, diferente do da primeira história. Aqui, acompanhamos um pugilista negro de origem judia que parece ter dificuldades em fazer-se respeitar. As diferenças entre um vencedor e um perdedor ficam aqui bem vincadas, mais uma vez com uma visita aos bastidores do boxe. Não achei este conto nada de especial. – 2/5

Million Dollar Baby: o conto que dá nome ao livro (e deu o nome ao filme de Clint Eastwood) era o que mais curiosidade me suscitava nesta coletânea. Frankie Dunn é um treinador de boxe irlandês, já de idade avançada, que é procurado por Maggie, uma jovem de 32 anos que deseja aprender a ser pugilista. Apesar das reticências iniciais, Frankie acaba por aceder treiná-la, e os dois conseguem bastante sucesso num campo anteriormente pouco explorado, o boxe feminino. Mas às tantas algo inesperado acontece, e isso tem um impacto profundo na vida dos dois. Dá para perceber porque é que alguém decidiu fazer desta história um filme; sem dúvida que tem imenso potencial para tal, mas independentemente disso é uma história cativante e bem escrita, apesar de por vezes parecer avançar depressa demais ou necessitar de um pouco mais de desenvolvimento. Penso que teria dado um excelente livro, por si só. Foi o meu conto preferido do livro e fico, por isso, com imensa vontade de ver o filme (que me parece que toda a gente já viu menos eu). – 4/5

Lutar em Filadélfia: mais uma vez pelos olhos de um cutman, acompanhamos um pugilista e a sua equipa, num conto que destaca o trabalho de equipa num combate de boxe, apesar de este ser considerado um desporto individual. Este cutman, Con, é um homem que gosta de literatura e arte, onde encontra o equilíbrio necessário às exigências da sua profissão. A prova do seu lutador pode não correr como o esperado, mas a esperança e o amor de Con por este desporto não esmorecem. Gostei deste conto. 3/5

Água Gelada: temos aqui a história de um ingénuo rapaz da província que vai para Los Angeles com o desejo de se tornar pugilista. Num ginásio, entra em conflito com outro lutador e leva uma sova que o deixa às portas da morte. É o conto mais curto do livro, e não há propriamente grande desenvolvimento da história ou personagens para além do tema dos sonhos de infância perdidos. 2/5

Queimadura das Cordas: esta é a história mais longa do livro, ocupando cerca de um terço do seu tamanho. A personagem central é Mac, um treinador de idade já avançada, que se vê a braços com um jovem negro de 18 anos, de futuro bastante promissor, de tal modo que se consegue apurar para os Jogos Olímpicos de Barcelona, em 1992. Contudo, o contexto social da época acaba por ter um papel fundamental no destino de ambos: o caso Rodney King (taxista negro agredido por polícias) acaba por originar distúrbios na cidade, nos quais o racismo assume papel central. Este é a história do livro em que o boxe fica mais para segundo plano, sendo o destaque dado às convulsões sociais da época, o que o torna bastante interessante. – 4/5


Pelo descrito acima, é fácil perceber que os contos não me despertaram o mesmo nível de interesse, mas ainda assim o facto de conter alguns de que gostei já é, para mim, surpreendente. São contos que conseguem imprimir uma sensação de honra e fascínio a este desporto, mostrando que é muito mais do que os combates que se desenrolam no ringue. Curiosa a constante referência à religião ao longo dos contos, percebendo-se que o autor encarava o boxe, ele próprio, como uma religião. De um modo geral, continuo a não ser fã deste desporto, mas foi bom conhecer outro pontos de vista, e isso é sempre positivo.

Nota final para a tradução: dei uma vista de olhos no texto original e pareceu-me muito bem conseguida, não só pelos variados termos técnicos mas também pela presença constante de vários sotaques.

[Matija J · Rating 4 out of 5]

...hvala I.J.B :)

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading the book MILLION DOLLAR BABY: STORIES FROM THE CORNER by JERRY BOYD who wrote under the pen name, F.X. TOOLE..This book is a collection of excellent boxing short stories, including the story MILLION DOLLAR BABY that was adapted into the major motion picture directed by CLINT EASTWOOD. I read this paperback book while listening to the audible version narrated by DAVID COLACCI and JD JACKSON. F. X. Toole knew boxing. Between bouts, he wrote, and two years before his death he published this collection of stories, giving listeners an unprecedented look at the gritty life around the ring. He tells of a cutman with a sweet tooth, young fighters with dreams of celebrity, and a talented boxer who goes to Atlantic City for his biggest bout, only to be humiliated by the prejudices of a callous promoter. In "Million $$$ Baby", the inspiration for the Oscar-winning Clint Eastwood film, an aged trainer takes on a female fighter, guiding her through disappointment, pain, and tragedy. And in "Rope Burns", Toole realizes his epic vision, showing that even the purest fighter can succumb to the pressures of the world outside the sport. Throughout these stories, boxing's violence is redeemed by the respect these men and women share, as they strap on gloves and prepare their bodies for the ultimate test. I love the movie adaptation of this book.
Starring CLINT EASTWOOD, HILARY SWANK and MORGAN FREEMAN, it is super sad but a truly extraordinary movie. You don’t have to be a fan of boxing to love this movie….I highly recommend it…

[Chad Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief warning: this novel is very rough in the language department. The vulgarity is aptly used in service of some of the more shady characters, however. This short story collection was violent and compelling and descriptive and evocative. You can smell the gyms and hear the speed bags and feel the sweat flopping from the faces. Each story explores various aspects of boxing and they are illuminating. You can tell that Toole has been around the game in an intimate way. It serves the stories so well. I was dazzled and scared and entranced. A wonderfully visceral collection.

[J.M. Giovine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of short tales from different character's point of views, Toole narrates the boxing world with style and emotion, describing what would seem to be personal experiences. Million Dollar Baby, Cold Water and Rope Burns are the real deal in this collection.

[Kristina Mosley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book

[Meteori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Svaka čast Klintu Istvudu koji je od ove priče napravio film!

U suštini, jedino ona i zadnja priča "Tragovi konopca" nešto vrijede. Ostale kao da je pisao neki klošar.

Sve nabacano bez ikakvog reda, stila i posve nezanimljivo.

[Ramina Arshad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for anyone who likes sports or competitions, especially boxing or fighting. It also is puts into perspective the idea of women being able to fight competitively. The story is told from the point of view of a "cut man" or someone who helps boxers heal from their wounds during a fight. If you like fast paced, to-the-point, easy to follow stories, this one is for you.
The plot shows a young girl with a passion for boxing, in a time where boxing for females was not popular, work her way to the top of the boxing world with the help of her cut man and boxing coach.
F.X. Toole uses many literary techniques to help connect the reader to the story, the one that stood out the most to me was character development. The relationship between Frankie and Maggie changes over the course of the story. Frankie immediately sees that Maggie is driven and proud and she reminds him of his own daughter, however he is hesitant to take her in as his own fighter because of the fact that she's a girl. He denies training her, various times, but over time he sees her potential. Toole does an amazing job at making their "father-daughter bond" come to life. For example, during the tragic ending where Maggie no longer wants to continue her life, she trusts Frankie with putting her out of her misery.
Another literary device shown persistently is theme. The theme of this book would have to be perseverance. For example, Frankie says, ""Don't call me boss, now. I'm not your boss, and don't you be calling me that", to which Maggie responds, "If I stop calling you Boss, will you train me?" "No", says Frankie. "Then I might as well just keep calling you it!" When Frankie is training her, Maggie literally won't take "no" for an answer. This shows that she has a strong sense of determination in doing what she loves.
Lastly, a frequently used literary technique was imagery. Because this book was about boxing, and some of the most important scenes were during a fight in the ring, Toole had to have been able to describe the setting well so that the reader could picture every movement of the fight in their head. For example, the lines " Big Willie and Hoolie fought like bats, each turning, each twisting, and bending, each moving as if suspended in light, neither stepping back, and both wanting the title. Both were splattered with Hoolie's blood. The head of each fighter was snapping back, and the ribs of both were creaking after each unleashed force." make the reader feel the intensity of the fight as if they were there.
A recommendation to a movie that reminds me of this book is Creed (2015) because of the plot as well as the perseverance and strength of the characters.

[Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've picked up this book last year on a book fair for a good price (2 euros) mostly because of a film adaptation, which is among my top 10 best movies of all time (and Clint Eastwood is among my favorite movie directors). While the title of one story serves as a way to sold book easier, the other five stories were compelling, as well. It's important to note that the movie plot uses two stories, actually. One of them is a ''Million Dollar Baby'', the other is (forgive me for my literal translation) ''Frozen Water'' (a side story in the movie), while there are parts from the third story that have been put into the story (a lemon pie at an inn). The rest of the stories may, also, use some elements, but none that I noticed during my reading (I've read one story per day). Overall, the stories revolves around lower classes of America in different periods and places, but the passion of its denizens for sport serves as a turning point in their lives. It's not all ''Rocky Balboa wins at the end of the movie'' kind of things, as each outcome is quite different, as it's the method. I'm not gonna lie, but some parts are quite shocking and disturbing, so don't expect the author to hold you by a hand (and don't forget about the swearing). I hope you'll enjoy both the book and the movie.

[ᛚᚨᚱᚲᚨ × ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᚱ (Semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non è stato esattamente un amore a prima vista, ma la colpa è della mentalità con cui l'autore sembra imporsi all'inizio; tutto cambia quando si comincia a leggere le storie dei vari pugili: storie di passione, caparbietà, vittorie e sconfitte (non solo sul ring). Immancabile in ognuna (e per quanto mi riguarda, inaspettato) è la componente drammatica, la commozione e la tristezza da cui vieni pervaso.

Non posso realmente dire quale mi abbia colpito di più: tutte hanno dei dettagli che ti colpiscono e le emozioni che ti suscitano rimangono nel tuo animo anche a lettura ultimata.
Se dovessi essere costretta a scegliere direi quella che poi ha ispirato l'omonimo film: Million Dollar Baby. Ti lascia di stucco, ti commuove e fa riflettere forse più delle altre: dopo averla letta mi sono presa una pausa prima di continuare il libro; non senti quasi più il bisogno di aggiungere altro, vuoi lasciar sedimentare l'esperienza appena avuta e farla durare più a lungo.

[Gurvir Chaggar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book, Million Dollar Baby, by F.X Toole. I liked how the author is one of the main characters in the story because he pretty much talks about his experience as a coach. In the book there was this part were he tells a man named Reggie to breath well because if he doesn't he could get tired easily when fighting. This showed me how good of a coach he was. I also like how the language was affected in this story. There is tons of strong language in the book and this showed me how very intense the event was in the story. Lastly, I didn't like how confusing it was. To me I felt very lost on what's going on the story and so I got confused. I felt really lost is because i just couldn't imagine what was happening and so I got lost. I would recommend this book to the people who read sports books like Gym Candy. Also I would recommend this book if you like thriller, suspense, and action.

[syam asinar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dunia tinju ternyata bisa menjadi ide cerita yang luar biasa. Tinju bukan hanya gedebak-gedebuk! Ia juga punya filosofi, pelajaran hidup, dll. F.X Tolle bukan mengarang-ngarang. Ia mencatat, mengamati, belajar dan berjuang bersama para petinju. Million $$$ Baby yang kemudian diangkat menjadi film dan diperankan oleh Clint Eastwood dan Hillary Swank hanyalah satu dari 7 cerita pendek di buku ini. Ditulis oleh FX Tolle sebagai buah pengamatannya selama menjadi seorang cut-man alias perawat luka di ring tinju.

[Windry · Rating 5 out of 5]

sebelumnya, saya benci tinju. buku ini dengan mudahnya mengubah pandangan saya *saya baru mengerti sekarang, kenapa saya dipaksa membaca buku ini. damn good!* habis sekali baca sepanjang perjalanan pulang dari Jogja-Jakarta (Bintaro) dengan pesawat berlanjut bis damri.

buku ini diterjemahkan oleh Banana dan menurut saya, ini salah satu buku terjemahan yang bagus. memang benar tampaknya, sebaiknya penerjemah itu bukan sekedar lulusan sastra Inggris aja tapi juga seorang penulis yang baik, biar tidak membuat rugi pembeli buku terjemahan.

[Nathan Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scintillating, unvarnished insider's look at the boxing world. "The Monkey Look," "Black Jew," "Million Dollar Baby," and "Frozen Water" are as good as it gets for voicey authentic fiction. I'm not a boxing fan, but you don't have to be. In fact, in reading this collection it almost helps to dislike boxing a bit. Toole may not win you over on the sport, but the details will linger and sting.

[Chris Speck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and real boxing book.
I read this series of short stories as research and found it to be a window into a world of tough characters who do what they need to do to survive. The prose is tight and honest, written by an author who has lived this world. If you'd really like to know what it is to box professionally, read this.

[Jt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has some great flashes, but the characters and stories are ultimately repetitive.