~ Hardcover
Smokin' Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier
A gripping, all-access biography of 'Smokin' Joe' Frazier, the American professional boxer widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, whose rivalry with Muhammed Ali riveted boxing fans and whose complex legacy as a complex figure in both American sports and society endures.
A propulsive and richly textured narrative that is also a powerful story about race and class in America, Smokin' Joe is unparalleled in its scope, depth, and access, making it the definitive biography of a towering American figure whose life was galvanized by conflict and whose mark has proven to be long-lasting.
"Kram writes with the intensity that Frazier fought with ... Unlike his subject, Kram knows when to take a step back and reflect, revealing a Frazier far removed from the enduring portrayal of him as 'an angry and unforgiving man.'" -- The National Book Review