CINDERELLA MAN James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History

Schaap's biography is an effective recounting of the career of James Braddock, the Depression-era heavyweight boxer who won the world championship against heavily favored Max Baer. It is an American morality tale: the hard working blue-collar family man overcoming the womanizing playboy who squanders his superior talent. Grover Gardner tells the story well in a straightforward manner. On a few occasions, he comes close to the sound of a breathless sports announcer. But for the most part, he simply tells the story, holding the listener's attention with a sensitive, well-paced reading. The story is a social commentary on America in the 1930s and will appeal to many who have little interest in boxing. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]