Book summary

This lively historical account examines the life and times of heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey, also known as the "Manassa Mauler." By chronicling his rocky rise from the Western mining towns of his childhood to the heady success of the world heavyweight championships, this history also illuminates the festive, yet turbulent 1920s--a decade that the author believes reflected Dempsey's own temperament. A New York Times Notable Book for 1999.

Media reviews

"Kahn's Dempsey is a lovable lion whose roar was the voice of the zeitgeist....Though Kahn recycles Dempsey stories available elsewhere...what ignites A FLAME OF PURE FIRE is its author's personal passion....[This book] oozes with infectious affection for a flawed hero of his time."