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Fat City

By Leonard Gardner
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Check link for latest rating. ( 4,724 ratings, 650 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Fat City by Leonard Gardner explores the struggles and aspirations of two boxers in Stockton, California. The novel delves into themes of ambition, stagnation, and the harsh realities of failure within the context of the boxing world, offering a poignant look at human resilience and the pursuit of dignity amidst life's challenges.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to gritty, atmospheric tales set in California, exploring the dreams and struggles of amateur boxers. It offers a profound look at the human condition, framed by evocative storytelling and richly developed characters, which might appeal to those who appreciate a raw and realistic narrative.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A vivid novel of defiance and struggle, of the potent promise of the good life and the desperation and drink that waylay those whom it eludes.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Stockton, California, is the novel's setting: the Lido Gym, the Hotel Coma, Main Street's lunchrooms and dark bars offer a temporary respite to the men and women whose backbreaking work in the fields barely allows them to make a living.

When two men meet in the gym - the ex-boxer Billy Tully and the novice Ernie Munger - their brief sparring session sets into motion their hidden fates, initiating young Munger into the 'company of men' and luring Tully back into training.

Fat City tells of their anxieties and hopes, their loves and losses, and the stubborn determination of their manager, Ruben Luna, who knows that even the most promising kid is likely to fall prey to some weakness.

Then again, 'There was always someone who wanted to fight.'

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

iFat City by Leonard Gardner is widely lauded for its evocative prose and gripping depiction of boxers navigating life in 1950s California. The book is praised for its profound exploration of themes such as poverty, despair, and fleeting hope, yet it is filled with a beauty that elevates the narrative. Critics admire Gardner's piercing accuracy and control, describing it as both a beautiful and tragic reflection of the human condition, rendered with compassion and vitality.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782272557

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 January 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pushkin Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 192

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Leonard Gardner Literary Fiction

About the Author

Leonard Gardner was born in Stockton, California. His short stories and articles have appeared in The Paris Review, Esquire among other magazines. His screen adaptation of Fat City was made into a film by John Huston in 1972; he subsequently worked as a writer for independent film and television. For his work on the series NYPD Blue he twice received a Humanitas Prize (1997 and 1999) as well as a Peabody Award (1998). In 2008 he was the recipient of the A.J. Liebling Award, given by the Boxing Writers Association of America. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he lives in Northern California.

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