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A.J. Liebling: The Sweet Science and Other Writings
For the first time in one volume, Hamill presents five great books that demonstrate Liebling's extraordinary vitality, humor, and versatility as a writer.
1050 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2009
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About the author
A.J. Liebling
42 books72 followersAbbott Joseph "A. J." Liebling was an American journalist who was closely associated with The New Yorker from 1935 until his death.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 2, 2026
While the world suffered in 2025, I had a great reading year. They seem to get better as you age because you know what you like and you tend to select from a distinct set of options. Considering that line of reasoning, it's hard for me to think of a more enjoyable, intense reading experience than this volume of the greatest mostly forgotten American writer. If you think that's hyperbolic twaddle, I invite you to peruse some of the many quotes I cited below. I could easily have entered almost all of it.
Liebling wrote primarily for the New Yorker magazine in its hey day, starting in the mid-1930s until his death at 59 just a month after the assassination of JFK. He mostly wrote about whatever he wanted to, perhaps with the exception of his reporting from near the front lines of the European theater of World War II. Those are in a second Library of America volume. This collection includes the book I have read most often (outside of Asterix comic books) in my life, The Earl of Louisiana . For a political junky like me, it's the best book ever written. So rereading it was an obvious joy.
The editor of this volume did a masterful job of ordering the pieces, which are not in chronological order; they reminded me of a perfect pairing of pieces for a night with an orchestra. Beginning in the late 1940s/early 1950s with Liebling reporting on his favorite sport, boxing, turned out to be perfect. Liebling's other writings are often peppered, sometimes quite liberally, just about any subject he chose. I was boxing fan as a kid, but I haven't paid attention, nor do I have the stomach for it anymore, since then. Liebling reminded me of why I loved to watch Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier (or at least the way I think I remember it). He had me going to YouTube to see a legendary punch from a Jersey Joe Walcott - Rocky Marziano fight that he attended, yet somehow was looking away when the punch landed. In the days before broadcasting and instant replays, his description of being there and missing what some still call one of the greatest moments in the sport's history could only have been written by a writer as gifted as him.
The rest contains his reminiscence of being a young and carefree gourmand in mid-1920s Paris living off of money regularly sent by his well-to-do father in the States. It was a different world he described of the Paris he saw on the eve of World War II.
For anyone who likes to read about New York, the volume on the Jollity Building near Times Square, provide a snapshot of the city in the early 1950s that aren't found in any films of the era. Agents and two-bit criminals who rent by the month from a shady landlord, others conducting their business via pay phones in the lobby. His descriptions of what would today be called a bodega and all that took place in them are much like observing the finest amber. One permanent hotel resident, his favorite writer, J.R. Stingo, whose convoluted, illogical rantings filled a small newspaper seemingly no one but Liebling read.
And the final collection, when the consolidation of city newspapers and corporatism was infesting American journalism in the 1950s and early 1960s, are still relevant ethical texts for any aspiring journalist serious about their work.
If I had to pick the proverbial only book out of my library during a fire, I'd be hard pressed not to pick this one.
Liebling wrote primarily for the New Yorker magazine in its hey day, starting in the mid-1930s until his death at 59 just a month after the assassination of JFK. He mostly wrote about whatever he wanted to, perhaps with the exception of his reporting from near the front lines of the European theater of World War II. Those are in a second Library of America volume. This collection includes the book I have read most often (outside of Asterix comic books) in my life, The Earl of Louisiana . For a political junky like me, it's the best book ever written. So rereading it was an obvious joy.
The editor of this volume did a masterful job of ordering the pieces, which are not in chronological order; they reminded me of a perfect pairing of pieces for a night with an orchestra. Beginning in the late 1940s/early 1950s with Liebling reporting on his favorite sport, boxing, turned out to be perfect. Liebling's other writings are often peppered, sometimes quite liberally, just about any subject he chose. I was boxing fan as a kid, but I haven't paid attention, nor do I have the stomach for it anymore, since then. Liebling reminded me of why I loved to watch Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier (or at least the way I think I remember it). He had me going to YouTube to see a legendary punch from a Jersey Joe Walcott - Rocky Marziano fight that he attended, yet somehow was looking away when the punch landed. In the days before broadcasting and instant replays, his description of being there and missing what some still call one of the greatest moments in the sport's history could only have been written by a writer as gifted as him.
The rest contains his reminiscence of being a young and carefree gourmand in mid-1920s Paris living off of money regularly sent by his well-to-do father in the States. It was a different world he described of the Paris he saw on the eve of World War II.
For anyone who likes to read about New York, the volume on the Jollity Building near Times Square, provide a snapshot of the city in the early 1950s that aren't found in any films of the era. Agents and two-bit criminals who rent by the month from a shady landlord, others conducting their business via pay phones in the lobby. His descriptions of what would today be called a bodega and all that took place in them are much like observing the finest amber. One permanent hotel resident, his favorite writer, J.R. Stingo, whose convoluted, illogical rantings filled a small newspaper seemingly no one but Liebling read.
And the final collection, when the consolidation of city newspapers and corporatism was infesting American journalism in the 1950s and early 1960s, are still relevant ethical texts for any aspiring journalist serious about their work.
If I had to pick the proverbial only book out of my library during a fire, I'd be hard pressed not to pick this one.
May 23, 2014
The Sweet Science is a victim of overhype. It does make you want to be Joe Louis -- or at least go see a boxing match in the 50's. But it's not the greatest sports book of all time. The beginning is tremendously well-written and entertaining. The parts toward the end are more purely descriptive and leave less to the funnybone.
The Earl of Lousiiana and the Jollity Building also have their moments. Liebling really, truly believes that Earl Long was the hero of the South which is an interesting and unusual perspective.
Between Meals is kind of interesting as a mini-travelogue, but nothing that really appealed to me.
The Press is very long and sort of strange. It really is more political criticism than press criticism, which many people say, I think, is what press criticism ultimately turns out to be. His press criticism is sort of a funhouse mirror as he is astonished that there are some cities with only one afternoon paper and rails against the uniformly conservative press.
All of the book are very clearly stitched together articles which makes it a little herky jerky as a fact developed in one "chapter" gets reintrouced with a total naivete that is particularly jarring given Liebling's wiseguy narrative style.
The Earl of Lousiiana and the Jollity Building also have their moments. Liebling really, truly believes that Earl Long was the hero of the South which is an interesting and unusual perspective.
Between Meals is kind of interesting as a mini-travelogue, but nothing that really appealed to me.
The Press is very long and sort of strange. It really is more political criticism than press criticism, which many people say, I think, is what press criticism ultimately turns out to be. His press criticism is sort of a funhouse mirror as he is astonished that there are some cities with only one afternoon paper and rails against the uniformly conservative press.
All of the book are very clearly stitched together articles which makes it a little herky jerky as a fact developed in one "chapter" gets reintrouced with a total naivete that is particularly jarring given Liebling's wiseguy narrative style.
October 4, 2016
I've already reviewed the wonderful Jollity Building separately, and can only add that Liebling was also one of the greatest American boxing writers ever, along with the likes of Jimmy Cannon, Ring Lardner, Jack London, Red Smith, Norman Mailer, and others. His Sweet Science is the best book about boxing that I've ever read, is highly regarded among those in the know, and is a genuine and deserved classic of the genre. Liebling was an astute observer of the sport and of people, he wrote with compassion and wit, and his descriptions are second to none, witness his comparison of a dull, sluggish fight between two overweight heavyweights to two hippos nuzzling one another. A knockout!
July 3, 2011
Boxing is one of my secret pleasures. I was fascinated by the author's writing on boxing. I need to find something written by Pierce Egan. He was 19th century British journalist whose writings on boxing Liebling refers to often.
The Earl of Louisanna, Earl Long was a fascinating person. The author described him so well I felt like I had shaken hands with the man.
The Earl of Louisanna, Earl Long was a fascinating person. The author described him so well I felt like I had shaken hands with the man.
April 7, 2014
I love Liebling's writing when he's at the top of his game, which he is throughout much of this volume (especially The Sweet Science about boxing and The Earl of Louisiana about Governor Earl Long of Louisiana) but unfortunately the last section about journalism was not his best writing, and should have been left out of what would otherwise have definitely been a 5-star book.
August 12, 2015
This is a collection of several of his books. The Sweet Science is the one I was interested and it was very good. It's all about boxing in the late 1950's. I tried to read parts of the others and was not interested.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews