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The Longest Fight: In the Ring with Joe Gans, Boxing's First African American Champion

by William Gildea
Hardcover |English |0374280975 | 9780374280970

The Longest Fight: In the Ring with Joe Gans, Boxing's First African American Champion

by William Gildea
Hardcover |English |0374280975 | 9780374280970
Overview
“A gem of a book . . . In lean prose, Gildea gives us a blow-by-blow account of Gans’s career. He pivots from describing the fight to exploring his subject’s life to examining the racism of the age and the contradictions of ‘sportsmanship’ that belittled blacks while making money off them.” —The Washington Post Book World “A biography of a champion who faced racial challenges at the turn of the 20th century that would presage those of a coming generation of athletic color-barrier breakers . . . Gildea makes a strong case for Gans as the pride of Black American before Johnson threw a punch.” —The Boston Globe “A memorable book about a time that should not be forgotten.” —The Economist “Knowledgeable fight fans know that Gans was the first American-born black champion and perhaps the most technically advanced fighter of his time . . . Now, thanks toThe Longest Fight, by William Gildea, Gans comes to life again.The Longest Fightwill enhance any reader’s appreciation and understanding of Gans. Gildea crafts a sense of time and place and a moving personal portrait of his subject.” —The Sweet Science “With fascinating period detail and skillful writing, the author highlights his subject’s considerable appeal and symbolic significance.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gildea gives full measure of Gans’ remarkable accomplishments as an athlete—Gans fought 196 matches while Tyson, for example, fought 58—while also showing Gans’ equally remarkable poise in the face of horrific prejudice, officially sanctioned or not, during his entire career. A strong title for any boxing collection.” —Alan Moores,Booklist “I vaguely knew the name Joe Gans, but Gildea introduces us to the man and the era, the early twentieth century. Gans was so good and so dignified that some white boxing fans of that time actually managed to get past their blatant prejudices and detect his humanity. Gildea has done masterful research and writing, recalling a gold-rush outpost in rural Nevada, where in 1906 Gans staged an epic fight-to-the-finish with Battling Nelson. The match itself is re-created excellently, but I liked even better the way Gildea presents the details of the time—what people ate, how they traveled, how whites and blacks interacted in daily life.” —George Vecsey, author ofStan Musial: An Americal Life“Before Jack Johnson, there was Joe Gans. William Gildea’s deep knowledge of boxing, his wonderful storytelling skills, and his love of Baltimore and of unappreciated characters makeThe Longest Fighta terrific read. It’s a championship book.” —David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning author ofWhen Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi“William Gildea has written a touching tribute to a boxer from long ago who’s largely been forgotten. Anybody who reads this fine book, though, will always remember Joe Gans.” —Frank Deford, author ofOver Time: My Life as a Sportswriter“William Gildea’sThe Longest Fightis a nifty and informative biography of one of the most important fighters of early-twentieth-century America: Joe Gans. A story of race, the sporting world, and masculinity in the Progressive Era,The Longest Fightwill be of interest not only to boxing devotees but to students of African American studies, American studies, and American industrialism.” —Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington University in St. Louis, and editor ofThe Muhammad Ali Reader
ISBN: 0374280975
ISBN13: 9780374280970
Author: Gildea, William
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Format: Hardcover
PublicationDate: 2012-06-19
Language: English
Edition: 1st Edition
PageCount: 256
Dimensions: 5.96 x 0.92 x 8.51 inches
Weight: 14.4 ounces
“A gem of a book . . . In lean prose, Gildea gives us a blow-by-blow account of Gans’s career. He pivots from describing the fight to exploring his subject’s life to examining the racism of the age and the contradictions of ‘sportsmanship’ that belittled blacks while making money off them.” —The Washington Post Book World “A biography of a champion who faced racial challenges at the turn of the 20th century that would presage those of a coming generation of athletic color-barrier breakers . . . Gildea makes a strong case for Gans as the pride of Black American before Johnson threw a punch.” —The Boston Globe “A memorable book about a time that should not be forgotten.” —The Economist “Knowledgeable fight fans know that Gans was the first American-born black champion and perhaps the most technically advanced fighter of his time . . . Now, thanks toThe Longest Fight, by William Gildea, Gans comes to life again.The Longest Fightwill enhance any reader’s appreciation and understanding of Gans. Gildea crafts a sense of time and place and a moving personal portrait of his subject.” —The Sweet Science “With fascinating period detail and skillful writing, the author highlights his subject’s considerable appeal and symbolic significance.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gildea gives full measure of Gans’ remarkable accomplishments as an athlete—Gans fought 196 matches while Tyson, for example, fought 58—while also showing Gans’ equally remarkable poise in the face of horrific prejudice, officially sanctioned or not, during his entire career. A strong title for any boxing collection.” —Alan Moores,Booklist “I vaguely knew the name Joe Gans, but Gildea introduces us to the man and the era, the early twentieth century. Gans was so good and so dignified that some white boxing fans of that time actually managed to get past their blatant prejudices and detect his humanity. Gildea has done masterful research and writing, recalling a gold-rush outpost in rural Nevada, where in 1906 Gans staged an epic fight-to-the-finish with Battling Nelson. The match itself is re-created excellently, but I liked even better the way Gildea presents the details of the time—what people ate, how they traveled, how whites and blacks interacted in daily life.” —George Vecsey, author ofStan Musial: An Americal Life“Before Jack Johnson, there was Joe Gans. William Gildea’s deep knowledge of boxing, his wonderful storytelling skills, and his love of Baltimore and of unappreciated characters makeThe Longest Fighta terrific read. It’s a championship book.” —David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning author ofWhen Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi“William Gildea has written a touching tribute to a boxer from long ago who’s largely been forgotten. Anybody who reads this fine book, though, will always remember Joe Gans.” —Frank Deford, author ofOver Time: My Life as a Sportswriter“William Gildea’sThe Longest Fightis a nifty and informative biography of one of the most important fighters of early-twentieth-century America: Joe Gans. A story of race, the sporting world, and masculinity in the Progressive Era,The Longest Fightwill be of interest not only to boxing devotees but to students of African American studies, American studies, and American industrialism.” —Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington University in St. Louis, and editor ofThe Muhammad Ali Reader

Books - New and Used

The following guidelines apply to books:

  • New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
  • Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
  • Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.

Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.

Shipping Fees

  • Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
  • Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
  • No additional fees and charges.

Delivery Times

The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.

Estimated delivery times:

  • Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
  • Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days

Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.  

Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times. 

Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.). 

If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.

You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

Additional non-returnable items:

  • Gift cards
  • Downloadable software products
  • Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)

  • Book with obvious signs of use
  • CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
  • Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
  • Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.

Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.

If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:

  • Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
  • Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
  • Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.


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We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.

If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

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Overview
“A gem of a book . . . In lean prose, Gildea gives us a blow-by-blow account of Gans’s career. He pivots from describing the fight to exploring his subject’s life to examining the racism of the age and the contradictions of ‘sportsmanship’ that belittled blacks while making money off them.” —The Washington Post Book World “A biography of a champion who faced racial challenges at the turn of the 20th century that would presage those of a coming generation of athletic color-barrier breakers . . . Gildea makes a strong case for Gans as the pride of Black American before Johnson threw a punch.” —The Boston Globe “A memorable book about a time that should not be forgotten.” —The Economist “Knowledgeable fight fans know that Gans was the first American-born black champion and perhaps the most technically advanced fighter of his time . . . Now, thanks toThe Longest Fight, by William Gildea, Gans comes to life again.The Longest Fightwill enhance any reader’s appreciation and understanding of Gans. Gildea crafts a sense of time and place and a moving personal portrait of his subject.” —The Sweet Science “With fascinating period detail and skillful writing, the author highlights his subject’s considerable appeal and symbolic significance.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gildea gives full measure of Gans’ remarkable accomplishments as an athlete—Gans fought 196 matches while Tyson, for example, fought 58—while also showing Gans’ equally remarkable poise in the face of horrific prejudice, officially sanctioned or not, during his entire career. A strong title for any boxing collection.” —Alan Moores,Booklist “I vaguely knew the name Joe Gans, but Gildea introduces us to the man and the era, the early twentieth century. Gans was so good and so dignified that some white boxing fans of that time actually managed to get past their blatant prejudices and detect his humanity. Gildea has done masterful research and writing, recalling a gold-rush outpost in rural Nevada, where in 1906 Gans staged an epic fight-to-the-finish with Battling Nelson. The match itself is re-created excellently, but I liked even better the way Gildea presents the details of the time—what people ate, how they traveled, how whites and blacks interacted in daily life.” —George Vecsey, author ofStan Musial: An Americal Life“Before Jack Johnson, there was Joe Gans. William Gildea’s deep knowledge of boxing, his wonderful storytelling skills, and his love of Baltimore and of unappreciated characters makeThe Longest Fighta terrific read. It’s a championship book.” —David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning author ofWhen Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi“William Gildea has written a touching tribute to a boxer from long ago who’s largely been forgotten. Anybody who reads this fine book, though, will always remember Joe Gans.” —Frank Deford, author ofOver Time: My Life as a Sportswriter“William Gildea’sThe Longest Fightis a nifty and informative biography of one of the most important fighters of early-twentieth-century America: Joe Gans. A story of race, the sporting world, and masculinity in the Progressive Era,The Longest Fightwill be of interest not only to boxing devotees but to students of African American studies, American studies, and American industrialism.” —Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington University in St. Louis, and editor ofThe Muhammad Ali Reader
ISBN: 0374280975
ISBN13: 9780374280970
Author: Gildea, William
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Format: Hardcover
PublicationDate: 2012-06-19
Language: English
Edition: 1st Edition
PageCount: 256
Dimensions: 5.96 x 0.92 x 8.51 inches
Weight: 14.4 ounces
“A gem of a book . . . In lean prose, Gildea gives us a blow-by-blow account of Gans’s career. He pivots from describing the fight to exploring his subject’s life to examining the racism of the age and the contradictions of ‘sportsmanship’ that belittled blacks while making money off them.” —The Washington Post Book World “A biography of a champion who faced racial challenges at the turn of the 20th century that would presage those of a coming generation of athletic color-barrier breakers . . . Gildea makes a strong case for Gans as the pride of Black American before Johnson threw a punch.” —The Boston Globe “A memorable book about a time that should not be forgotten.” —The Economist “Knowledgeable fight fans know that Gans was the first American-born black champion and perhaps the most technically advanced fighter of his time . . . Now, thanks toThe Longest Fight, by William Gildea, Gans comes to life again.The Longest Fightwill enhance any reader’s appreciation and understanding of Gans. Gildea crafts a sense of time and place and a moving personal portrait of his subject.” —The Sweet Science “With fascinating period detail and skillful writing, the author highlights his subject’s considerable appeal and symbolic significance.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gildea gives full measure of Gans’ remarkable accomplishments as an athlete—Gans fought 196 matches while Tyson, for example, fought 58—while also showing Gans’ equally remarkable poise in the face of horrific prejudice, officially sanctioned or not, during his entire career. A strong title for any boxing collection.” —Alan Moores,Booklist “I vaguely knew the name Joe Gans, but Gildea introduces us to the man and the era, the early twentieth century. Gans was so good and so dignified that some white boxing fans of that time actually managed to get past their blatant prejudices and detect his humanity. Gildea has done masterful research and writing, recalling a gold-rush outpost in rural Nevada, where in 1906 Gans staged an epic fight-to-the-finish with Battling Nelson. The match itself is re-created excellently, but I liked even better the way Gildea presents the details of the time—what people ate, how they traveled, how whites and blacks interacted in daily life.” —George Vecsey, author ofStan Musial: An Americal Life“Before Jack Johnson, there was Joe Gans. William Gildea’s deep knowledge of boxing, his wonderful storytelling skills, and his love of Baltimore and of unappreciated characters makeThe Longest Fighta terrific read. It’s a championship book.” —David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning author ofWhen Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi“William Gildea has written a touching tribute to a boxer from long ago who’s largely been forgotten. Anybody who reads this fine book, though, will always remember Joe Gans.” —Frank Deford, author ofOver Time: My Life as a Sportswriter“William Gildea’sThe Longest Fightis a nifty and informative biography of one of the most important fighters of early-twentieth-century America: Joe Gans. A story of race, the sporting world, and masculinity in the Progressive Era,The Longest Fightwill be of interest not only to boxing devotees but to students of African American studies, American studies, and American industrialism.” —Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington University in St. Louis, and editor ofThe Muhammad Ali Reader

Books - New and Used

The following guidelines apply to books:

  • New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
  • Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
  • Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.

Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.

Shipping Fees

  • Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
  • Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
  • No additional fees and charges.

Delivery Times

The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.

Estimated delivery times:

  • Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
  • Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days

Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.  

Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times. 

Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.). 

If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.

You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

Additional non-returnable items:

  • Gift cards
  • Downloadable software products
  • Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)

  • Book with obvious signs of use
  • CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
  • Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
  • Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.

Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.

If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:

  • Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
  • Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
  • Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.


Shipping Cost


We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.

If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

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