Average customer rating:
- Shocking!
- World Tour!
- Unbelievable
- Can't pick and choose the facts you use.
- A MUST READ!!!
|
The Inner Ring
Rudy Gonzalez , and
Martin A. Feigenbaum
Manufacturer: Oliver Pub. Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Boxing
| Individual Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Martial Arts
| Individual Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0964664402 |
Customer Reviews:
Shocking!.......2005-05-20
Possibly the best book written about Mike Tyson. Rudy was a bodyguard/driver for Mike and was part of the "Team Tyson" entourage who witnessed it all and lived to tell about it.
World Tour!.......2002-03-11
What can I say but "Complete devotion to his clients safety." I should know this first hand because Rudy protected me while I was the lead singer of the Grammy award winning Latin group of the year (The Barrio Boyzz.) For those of you that haven't read this book, it is definitely a must! I am currently working on my new Spanglish solo album entitled "Diaries of a Broken Heart," "Diario De Un Corazon Erido," which I am happy to say that the single from the album has been chosen for the soundtrack of the movie, " The Inner Ring." Which should hit the stores early this year on "J" Records. I do this safely knowing that Rudy will be there on my next world tour.
PS For all our fans don't forget to call "J" Records to receive a free copy of my single "I Shall Return," " Y Volvere."
God Bless, and follow all your dreams!
-ANGEL RAMIREZ Jr.
Unbelievable.......2000-03-31
What a book! I couldn't believe the deceit and fraud committed upon Mike Tyson by his so called "family". No one could have this bird's eye view of the live of Mike Tyson like Rudy, his personal bodyguard for over five years. Some of the evidence Rudy has regarding Tyson's rape case is staggering. I challenge anyone who thinks Mike Tyson is a rapist to read this book. I guarantee you will have doubts regarding his guilt. Rudy does a fantastic job of describing the ins and outs of the bodyguard business, fanatic live of "Iron Mike".
Can't pick and choose the facts you use........1999-11-05
I was involved with Rudy and Frank for part of the research for the book. I aranged for Rudy to be bailed out of jail after being arested in Miami as a matter of fact he ended marrying his bondswoman. Funny how much of the "facts" Rudy had me check out that didn't quite add up never made the book. Anyway, Rudy used me as I imagine he used many of the Tyson-King clan and he got left out. Too bad, my heart is broken for him. As far as I'm concerned he deserved what he got. He is a user in my opinion.
A MUST READ!!!.......1999-08-17
A fantastic book detailing Mr. Gonzalez's insider life as a bodyguard with Iron Mike. Captivating reading that will keep you turning to the next page until you're finished!! Highly recommended!
Customer Reviews:
What a Rollercoaster!.......2005-10-16
In short, this highly detailed biography on perhaps the most controversial boxer in history is an absolute masterpiece.
Illingworth did an exceptional job summarizing the life of Mike Tyson. Almost everything on Tyson is covered. From his troubled youth to his rise to stardom, and ultimately, his downfall; the shocking knock out loss to James "Buster" Douglas and later, his rape conviction of a beauty pageant.
Illingworth also exposes the business side of Tyson's career. The contracts, the deals with ABC and HBO, the multi-million dollar figures, the lawsuits, etc... Other subjects include Tyson's self-destructive lifestyle, his marriage and divorce to actress Robin Givens, his conflicts with Don King, heck even Donald Trump is included in this book!
Other important figures mentioned in this book include Tyson's mentor and father-figure, the late Cus D'Amato, Teddy Atlas (Tyson's trainer in his amateur days), Kevin Rooney (Tyson's trainer in his early pro-career), Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton (Tyson's managers in his early-pro career), Don King (the controversial promoter), Bob Arum (a rival promoter of Don King), and Robin Givens (Tyson's first wife).
The fact that this book was released in late 1991 makes it even more interesting because it was written well before the infamous ear-biting incident, the threats of eating Lennox Lewis' children, and other outrageous behaviours.
Overall, I found this book to be well-balanced and accurate. The research that went into this book is undeniable.
I give this book 5 stars and strongly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Mike Tyson. You'll get more than what you bargained for.
Great book!
a really interesting book.......2000-01-10
i found this book to be really interesting.mike tyson love or loath him you can't ignore him.and this book puts alot of things into perspective about the man and the myth.all his ups&downs are on display in this book and much much more.the people around him have there own interest at heart.after cus d'amato things got really wild&crazy.after all these years mike tyson is still one of the most compelling figures in sports history ever.
Interesting in-depth study.......1999-03-10
While it was inciteful, with new unknown facts about this infamous fighter, he comes off as another Tyson apologist. Especially years after,it's hollow explanations and justifications for this misfit seem way off course. His ridiculous put downs of Evander Holyfield, are totally out of line and ridiculous.
Book Description
Iron Mike collects the best writing on the tumultuous fifteen-year career of the most reviled and idolized athlete in the world, Michael Gerard Tyson. Since becoming, at age nineteen, the youngest heavyweight champion in history, Tyson's dramatic rise, fall, and continuing struggle has provoked more passionate writing, both in and out of the sports pages, than that of any other boxer since Muhammad Ali. Iron Mike is about more than boxing. Like no other athlete, Mike Tyson is at the nexus of America's cultural anxieties about race, class, masculinity, violence, and celebrity; like no other athlete his story of high drama and low comedy inspires writers to wrestle with these themes, with Tyson often no more than the occasion for the writer's own preoccupations. And Tyson has provided many such occasions: his rise to the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship at age twenty-one; his rocky marriage to Robin Givens; his controversial conviction for the rape of Desiree Washington; his return to boxing and reclamation of the WBC and WBA belts; his biting of Evander Holyfield. Iron Mike is a kaleidoscopic portrait of a man who, for better and worse, is one of the most recognizable, popular, and defining icons of our time. The book includes selections from Joyce Carol Oates, Pete Hamill, Jose Torres, Pete Dexter, Phil Berger, Christopher Hitchens, Robert Lipsyte, Dave Anderson, Jonathan Yardley, Richard Rodriguez, Katherine Dunn, Budd Schulberg, William Plummer, David Remnick, Keith Botsworth, and others.
Customer Reviews:
Wow this is a compilation of many Tyson prose and it's great........2006-08-03
Great job putting this together.
The only thing I would have liked is a little more details within the fighters life.
For The Tyson Fan, Hater & Everyone Interested.......2004-06-23
For The Tyson Fan, The Tyson Hater & Everyone Interested In The Tyson Story
Truly a great and encompassing book.
First - you should know that I am a big Mike Tyson enthusiast and supporter.
Iron Mike - A Mike Tyson Reader - is a compilation of stories written by different authors. The chapters go pretty much in chronological order of Tyson's life. From a touch on his childhood to the classic saga of Cus & The Kid to post Holyfield II.
You get different perspectives of Tyson from those that see him in different ways. You get the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
I felt that a lot of what is covered in the book was pretty fair and balanced (to borrow a phrase). I really appreciated and got a lot out of the different views and different interpretations of Tyson from those who knew him in different avenues of his life.
I went into reading this with a sympathetic view of Mike and this view was reinforced and I was actually given more insight into the hardships that he has had to face as a kid and as an adult.
You would think that with his money and fame how could he have such a hard time, well this book does a good job in showing you how.
What stands out for me is the rape conviction. He had a horrible lawyer - Don King's tax attorney, certain witnesses weren't allowed to testify, certain evidence was not admitted and let's admit it - if he was a Kennedy (see William Kennedy Smith) he wouldn't have gone to jail.
There are some extremely interesting chapters in this that are genuinely eye opening into just how unfairly Mike Tyson has treated and taken advantage of.
Highly recommended to any boxing fan and especially recommended for anyone interested in the story of Tyson - fan or hater - you'll learn something.
Finally.......2002-06-23
Well, this book is the best all around book I have seen on Iron Mike, and believe me I have seen and read them all. It finally gives an extensive look on this complex individual. Mike is a genius whose greatness may never be understood for years to come. Every quote you you've ever read about him or interview you have ever seen has been doctored to portray him has a brutal, ignorant bully. But in truth he is a very introverted, intelligent, and compassionate human being. But, the media needs a villain so consequently we have an amazing misunderstanding of who the man really is. This book pulls no punches and shows both sides of this often troubled and victimized individual. Be Real Mike and never give up your goal of regaining your belts.
Peace,
Soldier
Customer Reviews:
New information at a time this was hard to accomplish.......2007-01-27
Excellent insights; especially into the behind the scenes elements in Tyson's life - or lack thereof. The darkness of Boxing is exposed by the accounts of the deals made without the neccessity of finding smoke-filled rooms.
While you may find it hard to pity Tyson of today; it's easier to understand the path he's taken after the reading of this book.
No one word in the English language can describe this man!.......2006-07-25
This book gets five stars alone for the great investigative journalism and stop-at-no-ends-to-get-the-truth reporting.
This kind of writing is getting rarer and rarer given sooo many writers -- especially of sports book -- come with a slant that once you get beyond it's timeliness, really paints the author in a worse light than the subject/team/issue they wrote about.
This is by far and away one of the best books I've read in a long, long time.
Mike Tyson as ... mindless brute to be feared? con artist too smart for his own good? endlessly incredible athlete to be respected? menace to be locked away? and self-destructive, innocent manchild predestined to failure?
These are all concepts that are explored and in depth in this book.
I honestly can see all of the aforementioned perspectives!!!!!
It's interesting but the writer supports each of these ideas enough that you really can't automatically tell just from reading this book what opinions/conclusions the writer actually reached on a personal level -- and this book is all the better for it.
Mike was one of the most physically awesome athletes of the 20th Century and he also said/did some disgraceful things.
Mike is yet another pro athlete that fell victim to all the vulptures who saw him and used him as a meal ticket.
And he's also on woeful little boy who grew into a man who acted out his childhood traumas.
All in all, is he a hero or a monster? A man who just didn't take responsibility for his actions or someone to be pitied because of his (inherent?) personal inability to do so?
You have to read this book and THEN make the call. It's not as easy as you might think.
Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story.......2006-01-03
Buy this book read & see why Mike Tyson was the greatest Boxing Champion ever.
Tyson will always Rule!
Reads like a good novel, informative but needs another update.......2005-09-04
Bar none, this is the best book I've read about Tyson. It's full of facts and direct quotes from loads of people who worked with/against Tyson, as well as the man himself. It's also a great book for someone like myself- a fan who loved Tyson the boxer but always found Tyson the man to be a jerk, albeit a sometimes misunderstood one.
This book traces Tyson's history from his reckless juvenile days in the streets and the Tryon home for outcast boys, all the way up to Don King, Robin Givens, and his rape conviction. There's a subsequent update chapter that describes the goings-on after his release, but this is just a few pages long and stops before his first post-jail fight with Peter McNeely. It's interesting, but it's very short. Fortunately the book itself is a meaty several hundred pages.
Its outdatedness is the only real problem with the book. Originally written in the mid 90s, it describes everything up to his rape conviction in great detail. It reads like a page-turning novel, a tale full of treachery and corruption - the honing of a wayward youth into a disciplined fighter and his subsequent recidivism. The book is completely objective, as well. It shows us the sweet side of Tyson, and makes no bones about the fact that he had one. But it's also crystal clear that he was a beast, giving us many examples of Tyson's primitive and criminal behavior. Beloved trainer Cus D'Amoto isn't safe either, for there's evidence in this book (which I'd never seen before) that shows he wasn't just a sweet old man who took Tyson in and raised him as his own.
But in addition to discussing main characters like these, people like Robin Givens and Don King are discussed in great length as well. They emerge as the real villains of the story, as well they should. Everyone knows how badly they affected Tyson's career, and the book traces all the details of how and why. In fact, King has his own lengthy chapter, giving us a full portrait of the man's history and questionable relationships with countless people on his way to Tyson -that's how thorough this book is.
Long story short, it's a shame that this book doesn't continue past Tyson's imprisonment and brief release, because it's a greatly researched, open-minded, passionate and thorough account of Tyson's career as well as boxing itself and loads of the people on Tyson's periphery. Loaded with insight from other boxers, scholars of the sport, and many (like Teddy Atlas) who worked with Tyson himself, it's a very broad offering of information. Pick it up whether you like the man OR hate him, it's a fascinating read.
Mike Tyson is the Man.......2004-07-16
I am a huge Mike Tyson fan, and this is pretty much required reading for any Tyson fan. If you want to know about Mike, read this book. Provides lots of information, and Peter Keller really picked a great title. This book takes you through all of Mike's various stages, and each is fascinating: From Mike's early years in Bronwsville as the kid who was teased on as a young child, to a bully by age ten, a hardcore criminal not long after that, a Cus D'Amato disciple at age 13 who soon moved to Catskills, a pro in the making and a ferocious fighter as an amateur for five years, a pro at age 18, the death of D'Amato, a champion at age 20, a superstar and legend not long after that, the blowout of Michael Spinks, and then of course there is Don King, Robin Givens and her mother, the divorce to Robin Givens, the shocking KO loss to Buster Douglas, the rape conviction, and then the beginning of his post-prison comeback.
Unfortunately, that is where this book ends, so there is no mention of all the other fascinating stuff in Mike's life after that.
One thing that some readers might not like is how Keller goes into deep detail on virtually everyone in the Mike Tyson story, and explains their background, history, etc. Ordinarily, that would put me off, but since I am such a huge Tyson fan, I was interested in knowing about Don King, Robin Gviens, Cus Damato , etc.
Book Description
Beast. Monster. Savage. Psycho. The glowering menace of Mike Tyson has spooked us for almost two decades. And still we remain fascinated. Why? Ellis Cashmore's answer is disturbing: white society has created Tyson as vengeance for the loss of privilege produced by civil rights. Cashmore's eviscerating analysis of Tyson's life and the culture in which he grew up, rose to prominence and descended into disgrace provokes the reader into re-thinking the role of one of the most controversial and infamous figures of recent history. Told as an odyssey-style homeward journey to Tyson's multi-pathological origins in the racially-explosive ghettos of the 1960s, Tyson's story is part biography, part tragedy and part exposition. His associations with people like Al Sharpton, Don King and Tupac Shakur shaped his life; and events, such as the O J Simpson trial and the Rodney King riots, formed a turbulent background for the Tyson psychodrama. Over the course of an epic boxing career, Tyson was transformed from the most celebrated athlete on earth to a primal, malevolent hate-figure. Yet, even after being condemned as a brute, Tyson retained a power - a power to captivate. Cashmore reveals that the sources of that power lie as much in us as in Tyson himself.
Amazon.com
The strange saga of Mike Tyson is placed in stark relief by seasoned Sports Illustrated writer Richard Hoffer. Since his release from prison, Tyson has been at the center of a bizarre struggle to reclaim the heavyweight title without a noteworthy sporting moment--except for the infamous ear-biting episode. With wit and insight, Hoffer delineates the self-serving antics of the many handlers glomming on to the fighter, the insidious machinations of promoter Don King, and the confused behavior of Tyson himself.
Customer Reviews:
A Savage Business by Richard Hoffer.......2006-09-28
This is a behind the scenes look at mid 90's era of boxings heavyweight division mainly concentrating on Mike Tyson and his comeback after he got of prison after serving three years on a rape conviction in Indiana.
Its a decent book if your into boxing. In a sense it reads like a celebrity gossip column for mid 90's heavyweights though. One funny thing about this book is the author goes out of his way to show what unsavory characters many fighters, managers, and promoters that he talked about in this were but held up Riddick Bowe, Bruce Seldon and Tommy Morrison as being "nice guys" when all three of them later did stretches of prison time a few years after this book was published
Interesting Book Best Served With Bad Intentions.......2004-07-18
Interesting Book Best Served With Bad Intentions
Interesting Book - I recommend reading it in addition to reading Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story by Peter Heller - this book picks up pretty much where Heller's book leaves off - it picks up at Tyson's release from the Indiana Prison and ends at the Holyfield ear biting.
The beginning and end are very clear in it's dealing with Tyson and notably charismatic and captivating - I especially liked the perception and analysis of Tyson's career.
The middle came up a bit short, but was readable and mostly dealt with the business side of things - the business side of Las Vegas, hotels, Don King and the business of boxing - Tyson is in there - just not as much as in Heller's book.
A necessary book for the Tyson fan - and it's an interesting read -
On it's own - I'd give A Savage Business: The Comeback and Comedown of Mike Tyson 3.5 stars (out of 5) - however - as a companion to Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story - I'd give it a 4.
Also (just so you know) - Iron Mike: A Mike Tyson Reader (by Daniel O'Conner) is another awesome book!
A clouded affair........2001-10-03
I would like to say that I tore through this book at a rate of knots and left fully satisfied. I hate to discover that halfway through a book it is becoming a chore to read but that is exactly how I found this book. Although it does have moments that will no doubt allow you leave to pause for thought, generally it is a tough read that the author has obviously tried hard to complicate regarding issues where motives were actually very simple. Maybe he was looking to read between the lines for deeper issues but I don't believe that they existed. If this were a school report card it would have "could do better" written all over it. Frustrating.
Boxing Is For Desperate Young Men.......1999-03-15
Guys pretty desperate-i.e.,poor,hungry,uneducated, and with an abundance of brawn become boxers. This book is an entertaining story of one success story. While Mike Tyson is not always an ideal role model, he has succeeded in a physically dangerous business that takes brawn and smarts.
Average customer rating:
|
Heavy Justice: The Trial of Mike Tyson (Sweet Science: Boxing in Literature and History)
Randy Roberts , and
J. Gregory Garrison
Manufacturer: University of Arkansas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Rape
| Abuse & Self Defense
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Courts
| Procedures & Litigation
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Criminal Law
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
Criminology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
True Crime
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Boxing
| Individual Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Criminal Law
| Law
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Sports Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1557286000 |
Average customer rating:
|
Mike Tyson
John Hennessey
Manufacturer: Popular Culture Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0831758961 |
Customer Reviews:
no new news really.......2000-06-18
I went into this book a Mike Tyson fan, (of his boxing skills not his human skills) and Mr. Torres does an admirable job of describing some of the craziness that surrounds the fragile world around Mike Tyson everday. His quirky, hard to understand manic depressive behavior, to his antics in the bars at night. But somehow I had the feeling that Mr. Torres was biting his tongue, I feel like after reading this that he is biting his tongue as far as giving us full disclosure.
Customer Reviews:
The Blood Season Of Tyson, The Sport & Business Of Boxing.......2004-07-27
The Blood Season Of Tyson, The Sport & Business Of Boxing.
What I really liked about this book is how it tried - and succeeded - in making a few years of boxing into a season.
Most sports - almost all of them actually - have seasons. What Berger wants to do here is present the early part of Mike Tyson's career and other bouts that were peripheral as a season - for Tyson's "season" up through the Spinks fight - with an Epilogue and a Seven Years Later chapter (not as good as the rest of the book) - also included are the side story issues that were spilling over into Tyson's world - Robin Givens and her mother and Don King -
What's difficult is that because of when this book was written (it end after the Spinks bout) there is so much missing - but only because of the time line - obviously Berger couldn't predict the future - or write about what has not yet happened.
I truly hope that Berger writes another book - Blood Season's 2nd Season - or something that picks up from Spinks and goes to now...
Berger explains the Tyson tale through his perspective and through the eyes of a sports writer Sly - I thought it was interesting and informative and as a fan of Mike Tyson I enjoyed it.
I was worried at first about reading another book about Mike Tyson - I was worried about just rehashing the same things or of the all too easy Tyson bashing (thankfully there wasn't too much of that at all).
What makes this book different is the idea and effort of making these years of boxing into a season of sorts. It's a unique and interesting retelling of this familiar story.
I liked it and recommend it to anyone interested in Mike Tyson and anyone interested in the sport and business of boxing.
Pitiable.......2004-04-14
"Blood Season: Mike Tyson and the World of Boxing" is essentially a look into the heavyweight boxing scene of the 1980s, an era I am not too enamored with. The genius and competitiveness of contenders of other weight categories as Hearns, Leonard, Hagler and Galaxy struck like lightning on heavyweight boxing and left it stranded. In addition, heavyweight boxing was trying recover from the departure of Muhammad Ali. As author Phil Berger notes, Larry Holmes' only fault was that he was the one who took over the mantle of Ali, and it was never an easy role to assume. For these reasons, I never found 80s heavyweight boxing too exciting, and for that reason I didn't find this book that interesting either. That and a few other serious flaws.
Berger makes it seem like that the whole book has been endorsed and blessed by the Bill Cayton-Jimmy Jacobs camp, erstwhile promoters of Mike Tyson. Berger leaves no stone unturned in glorifying Cayton and Jacobs to his heart's content. He makes it seem like boxing was invented by them! And, since Berger is all on Cayton & Jacobs' side, the book is naturally an exercise in Don King-bashing. The affection for Cayton-Jacobs, and loath for King is so obvious that it overshadows the other parts of the book, which was supposedly should have been about "Mike Tyson and the World of Boxing"
There are a few good moments though. Berger describes in interesting detail the fighters of the 80s: Larry Holmes, Gerry Cooney, Marvis Frazier, Trevor Berbick, Michael Spinks, etc. Since I have not been too interested in 80s era heavyweight boxing, I did find some passages informative. For example, it was only after reading this book that I researched more into Marvis Frazier and came to know how talented a fighter he really was.
The passages about Tyson's private life are pathetic. I didn't buy the book to enlighten myself about how Tyson mistreated Robin Givens, or to read about Givens' college education (!), or to know about what a character Givens' mother was. I don't care to read this atrocious stuff even in tabloids, and I certainly don't want to spend money on a book on this!
Apart from this, I did not find Berger's writing too attractive. The boring passages of the book are made all the more bland because of Berger's juiceless style. I so missed Mark Kram!
Overall, "Blood Season: Mike Tyson and the World of Boxing" is a sensationalist and sleazy book that I do not recommend. The good parts about the 80s boxers are no saving grace; I would get another book or search the net to learn more about those fighters.
Such journalism deserves to be panned.
Books:
- The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush
- The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life
- The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
- The Professional Bachelor Dating Guide - How to Exploit Her Inner Psycho
- The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter
- The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line (Conscientious Commerce)
- The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship
- The Tiger's Way: A U.S. Private's Best Chance for Survival
- The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger
- The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation
- The Complete Corvette Restoration and Technical Guide, Vol. 1: 1953 Through 1962
- Family Trusts : Financial Errors in Trusts, How to Avoid and Correct Them, Provide for Your Family,
- How to Talk to a Liberal
- People Who Play God: How Ultra-Authorities Enslave the Hearts, Minds and Souls of Their Victims
- The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
- Nitrogen in the Marine Environment
- Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity And Building Talent From Within
- Intermediate Accounting: Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Sleepwalking Land
