Michael T. Isenberg

Being a life-and-times book about the famed gaslight-era boixer, who transitioned the sport into something like its modern form and structure. Although the book is a fully functional biography, the author also takes on the challenge of linking Sullivan to several trends in the society of his day, notably sex role, and the emergence of modern newspapers as well as transportation and communication technology as drivers of his fame. Books like this often have a reach which exceeds their grasp, and that is the case with this one; even Isenberg's main premise is flawed, as Sullivan was not really "America's first celebrity"--the clown Dan Rice was at least as famous when Sullivan was in diapers. These occcasional overreaches scarcely make this book less than a must-read, though; the author's ruminations are always worth considering and besides, John L. is just about the most fascinating subject a biographer could latch on to.… (meer)