Nothing in the annals of sports has aroused more passion than the heavyweight fights in New York in 1936 and 1938 between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling — bouts that symbolized the hopes, hatreds, and fears of a world moving toward total war. Acclaimed journalist David Margolick takes us into the careers of both men — a black American and a Nazi German hero — and depicts the extraordinary buildup to their legendary 1938 rematch. Vividly capturing the outpouring of emotion that the two fighters brought forth, Margolick brilliantly illuminates the cultural and social divisions that they came to represent.
“Absorbing. . . . Fascinating. . . . Margolick describes all this so vividly that you almost feel you were there sharing in the joy of sweet revenge.” –Ian Buruma, The New York Review of Books“Even if you've never seen a boxing match, Beyond Glory is an irresistible read. For fans it is indispensable. . . . Over the last 150-odd pages my pulse raced; by the book's end I felt as if my ears were ringing with the roar that swept through Yankee Stadium bleachers on the night of their rematch.” –Allen Barra, Los Angeles Times Book Review“A valuable addition to a growing library of books on sports and culture. . . . Beyond Glory is historical reportage, a heavyweight of a book that is likely to be the definitive chronicle of its subject.”– Joyce Carol Oates, The New York Times Book Review“A fascinating look at a historical era through the prism of sports.” –Marta Salij, The Detroit Free Press
