• Cinderella Man

  • James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History
  • By: Jeremy Schaap
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (284 ratings)

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Cinderella Man  By  cover art

Cinderella Man

By: Jeremy Schaap
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

Lost in the annals of boxing is the sport's true Cinderella story. James J. Braddock, dubbed "Cinderella Man" by Damon Runyon, was a once promising light heavyweight for whom a string of losses in the ring and a broken right hand happened to coincide with the Great Crash of 1929.

With one good hand, Braddock was forced to labor on the docks of Hoboken. Only his manager, Joe Gould, still believed in him, finding fights for Braddock to help feed his wife and children. The diminutive, loquacious Jew and the burly, quiet Irishman made one of boxing's oddest couples, but together they staged the greatest comeback in fighting history. In 12 months Braddock went from the relief rolls to face heavyweight champion Max Baer, the Livermore Butcher Boy, renowned for having allegedly killed two men in the ring.

A charismatic, natural talent and in every way Braddock's foil, Baer was a towering opponent, a Jew from the West Coast who was famously brash and made great copy both in and out of the ring. A 10-to-1 underdog, Braddock carried the hopes and dreams of the working class on his shoulders. And when boxing was the biggest sport in the world, when the heavyweight champion was the biggest star in the world, his unlikely upset made Braddock the most popular champion boxing had ever seen.

Against the gritty backdrop of the Depression, Cinderella Man brings this dramatic all-American story to life, evoking a time when the sport of boxing resonated with a country trying desperately to get back on its feet. Schaap paints a vivid picture of the fight world in its golden age, populated by men of every class and ethnic background and covered voluminously by writers who elevated sports writing to art. Rich in anecdote and color, steeped in history, and full of human interest, Cinderella Man is a classic David and Goliath tale that transcends the sport.

©2005 Jeremy Schaap (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

What listeners say about Cinderella Man

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • MA
  • 06-05-05

Excellent

Great book, I'm a boxing fan so the boxing history was interesting, filled with names I already knew but now I have a more detailed story behind the names. I think a non boxing fan would still enjoy the story. If you are a fan this is a must listen, I'm sure the movie will focus less on boxing history. The narrator did a good job, his tone and cadence are a perfect match for the subject and time period. I got the unabridged and wish it was even longer. One of the better books I have heard.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic historical drama

It really is too bad such a great story is weighed down by such a nondescript and blas? title because the story is a very entertaining one. Set during the peak of the Great Depression, Cinderella Man walks us through the peaks and valleys of turn-of-the-century boxing before entourages and scandal turned the public off. Although mostly focused on the story of James J. Braddock, we also hear of his contemporaries, their rises, reigns and falls.

This story will inevitably raise comparisons to a contemporary "Cinderella" story: Seabisquit. The horse, however, wins this match hands down. Nevertheless, take a listen to both and transport yourself easily to a different time.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great book for everyone

Even though this book is about boxing, it is really about people and their struggles in life. It shows how a person can deal with adversity and rise above it.

The book also does a good job covering the depression and the effects on all people.

I can not wait for the motion picture to come out to see if it comes close to being as good as the book.

A real classy book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Almost everyone knows the story of the girl who had a rough life and eventually rose to the top with the help of her fairy godmother and lived happily ever after. However, this story is much more than that. It is about an underdog pugilist that endured everything life threw at him and rose to the top with only the belief he had in himself and the desire to provide for his family during the Great Depression. It is a story that will touch your heart and prove to anyone that all one needs to succeed in life is perseverance, desire, and the love and support of family and friends. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Boxing fans and nonfans alike.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Cinderella Man (Unabridged)

I'm not a boxing enthusiast, but I was, once in my youth, a competitive athlete. I usually listen to my audiobooks only on my bike ride into work. I stayed up two nights in a row, laying in bed listening until I fell asleep. I just had to keep listening even though I knew the outcome from the start.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Cinderella Man is right

Great book, probably could have downloaded the abridged and left some of the fighter boxing history out of the book, but absolutely the kind of story you wish you would here more in todays society. Great story about determination and human kindness. Want to see the movie now.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty good for what it is

This book is a documentary and reads as such, which is to say that it doesn't read like a novel. It's not a "page-turner," but it is an interesting portrayal of a tenacious boxer during the depression.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Outstanding listen

For those who love boxing and sports or for anyone who loves a good rags to riches story, this book is a must read! One of my favorite listens here at Audible, yet...

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Cindirella man

Any additional comments?

As an avid boxing fan, I really enjoyed listening to old stories. The book was quite factual but I liked it, as well as both main characters Max Bear and Jim Braddock, who was greatly portrayed in the movie by Russel Crowe.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I'm on my third listen

I love this book and the narration. I've had this audio for several years now and I'm on my third listen. I'm inspired each time and each time I hear something new.

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1 person found this helpful