Where Selina Marsh’s first collection, Fast Talking PI, boldly, insightfully, and lyrically wrestled with the realities of being an individual of Pacific descent in primarily European world, her latest offering fiercely combats the loss of a loved on with all of the techniques of poetry and the Thai kickboxing she practices at her disposal. The compendium brims with a fluid, humming list of poems, literary shout outs, and personal elegies, as Marsh takes readers through her mother’s cancer diagnosis and the long journey as her illness played itself out. Along the way, the poet offers glimpses of other parts of her world as well: scenes from Matiatia to Orapiu to Apia; classroom politics; the importance of leadership; and the reasons she feels New Zealand is a “lucky” country. The affecting, rhythmic verses in the book are given a literal, and appealing, voice in the accompanying audio CD, on which Marsh reads aloud a selection of the poems.

Ultimate Sparring is the most comprehensive book ever written on sparring and dueling methods around the world. It contains the rules and methods of sparring for cross-training, competition, and self-defense in dozens of Eastern and Western martial arts. Ultimate Sparring also features dozens of methods of sparring for the development of skills, or for keeping training interesting and fun.

DIVSchulberg goes toe to toe with his lifelong passion in this collection of his greatest writings on boxing/divDIV “As much as I love boxing, I hate it.” So begins screenwriter, novelist, and journalist Budd Schulberg’s collection of essays on the sweet science of bruising, a sport that fueled his literary ambitions and unsettled his conscience from a young age. He gives riveting accounts of classic bouts, such as Rocky Marciano–Archie Moore, Muhammad Ali–George Foreman, and Marvin Hagler–Thomas Hearns. Yet these essays also offer insight into the sport’s sociological significance from a man who covered its highlights and corruption-marred lowlights for decades. Sparring with Hemingway stands as the unparalleled history of boxing’s place in American culture throughout the twentieth century./divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of Budd Schulberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate./div

"This Maileresque combination of personal reflection, boxing analysis, and sports biography is a must read for fight fans...." Booklist, Starred Review An intimate portrait of Joe Frazier, whose ferocious rivalry with Muhammad Ali made them both boxing legends and cultural touchstones for an era. Just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Fight of the Century (Ali–Frazier I), Sparring with Smokin’ Joe provides a penetrating, at times brutally candid, look at legendary champion Joe Frazier. Glenn Lewis spent several months in the gym, on the road, and in verbal tussles with Frazier in 1980, when Frazier was at a crossroads in his life and career. Lewis recounts Frazier’s candid takes on his still-recent Hall-of-Fame career, wars with Ali, and hard-scrabble roots. Frazier also reflects on Ali’s upcoming comeback fight against Larry Holmes, his own possible return to the ring, preparing his son Marvis for a pro boxing debut, and the impact of racial tensions and cultural upheaval on his fighting legacy. Sparring with Smokin’ Joe reveals compelling, never-before-heard anecdotes that give new insight into the usually private Frazier, including how Ali’s verbal attacks on Frazier alienated him from his own people and continued to trouble him long after retiring from the ring. An intimate portrait of a legendary fighter, Sparring with Smokin’ Joe finally shares Frazier’s side of an unforgettable rivalry.