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Cinderella Man
[Penguin Readers Level 4]
Inspired by the life of legendary athlete Jim Braddock, a once-promising light-heavyweight boxer forced into retirement after a string of losses. As the nation enters the Great Depression, Braddock works any job he can get to support his family, until a twist of fate puts him back in the ring against the second-ranked world contender. To everyone's amazement, he wins. Despite repeated injuries and being pounds lighter than his opponents, Braddock continues to win. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a disenfranchised nation on his shoulders, Braddock, dubbed the "Cinderella Man," must ultimately face Max Baer, the heavyweight champion of the world, renowned for killing two men in the ring.
Inspired by the life of legendary athlete Jim Braddock, a once-promising light-heavyweight boxer forced into retirement after a string of losses. As the nation enters the Great Depression, Braddock works any job he can get to support his family, until a twist of fate puts him back in the ring against the second-ranked world contender. To everyone's amazement, he wins. Despite repeated injuries and being pounds lighter than his opponents, Braddock continues to win. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a disenfranchised nation on his shoulders, Braddock, dubbed the "Cinderella Man," must ultimately face Max Baer, the heavyweight champion of the world, renowned for killing two men in the ring.
It's a decision that nearly destroys him, but in the end, it's a fight he has to take -- for everyone . . .
78 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2006
About the author
Paul Shipton
620 books32 followersPaul Shipton (born 1963) is an award-winning children's author.
He was born in Manchester and attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Manchester University. After completing two Masters' degrees (in Classics and Philosophy), he taught English in Istanbul for a year. After returning to the UK, he taught English as a foreign language for several years, and it was around this time that he published his first book, Zargon Zoo (1991).
Four years later, he published Bug Muldoon and the Garden of Fear, and relocated with his family to Wisconsin, United States, where he works as a freelance writer and editor. He also writes books for younger readers under the pen name Paul Cooper. He and his wife and two daughters now divide their time between Cambridge, England, and Madison, Wisconsin.
He was born in Manchester and attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Manchester University. After completing two Masters' degrees (in Classics and Philosophy), he taught English in Istanbul for a year. After returning to the UK, he taught English as a foreign language for several years, and it was around this time that he published his first book, Zargon Zoo (1991).
Four years later, he published Bug Muldoon and the Garden of Fear, and relocated with his family to Wisconsin, United States, where he works as a freelance writer and editor. He also writes books for younger readers under the pen name Paul Cooper. He and his wife and two daughters now divide their time between Cambridge, England, and Madison, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 11, 2014
Cinderella Man by Marc Cerasini is a book about the true life story of a boxer.
The story is a interesting romance that deals with the true love and real life. It starts with the main character Jim Braddock, the boxer that lives in New Jersey in the late 1920s, when he and his family were having financial trouble because of the American crises. He made a lot of money at that time, but in 1929 he lost all his money and started to lose fights. Consequently, he lost all his glory and nobody else would bet on him.
At first, he try to continue his career but the crises and all the other factors, such as losing a big fight made it worse. He had to look for a new way to bring money home, but could only find daily jobs. After that point his fight was to find ways to provide food for his wife and three kids.
Jim Braddock has many qualities that everybody should have. He was brave, humble, honest, strong, most of all he unconditionally loved his family. In my opinion he was a good man and had a kind heart, even thought he was poor, he tried to help people who had less than him. Another important quality was never giving up of his dream of trying to be a successful boxer again.
Jim sometimes would put his career first instead of his health. He used to fight even thought he was hurt, that wasn’t legal, but he did it anyway. For some people that was a flaw but I think it’s another way to show how determinate he was.
Cinderella Man deals with Jim Braddock story of 1920’s crises in US, and the author wants to show the readers that anyone shouldn’t give up of their dreams. Even if everything is going wrong for Jim, he thought in his family and try to do the best he can.
The author makes us understand the important things about life. Money can solve many problems but without love he couldn’t do anything. I thing this history is a lesion of life, and make us understand how important is family. We should never give up of our dreams like Jim Braddock does.
The story is a interesting romance that deals with the true love and real life. It starts with the main character Jim Braddock, the boxer that lives in New Jersey in the late 1920s, when he and his family were having financial trouble because of the American crises. He made a lot of money at that time, but in 1929 he lost all his money and started to lose fights. Consequently, he lost all his glory and nobody else would bet on him.
At first, he try to continue his career but the crises and all the other factors, such as losing a big fight made it worse. He had to look for a new way to bring money home, but could only find daily jobs. After that point his fight was to find ways to provide food for his wife and three kids.
Jim Braddock has many qualities that everybody should have. He was brave, humble, honest, strong, most of all he unconditionally loved his family. In my opinion he was a good man and had a kind heart, even thought he was poor, he tried to help people who had less than him. Another important quality was never giving up of his dream of trying to be a successful boxer again.
Jim sometimes would put his career first instead of his health. He used to fight even thought he was hurt, that wasn’t legal, but he did it anyway. For some people that was a flaw but I think it’s another way to show how determinate he was.
Cinderella Man deals with Jim Braddock story of 1920’s crises in US, and the author wants to show the readers that anyone shouldn’t give up of their dreams. Even if everything is going wrong for Jim, he thought in his family and try to do the best he can.
The author makes us understand the important things about life. Money can solve many problems but without love he couldn’t do anything. I thing this history is a lesion of life, and make us understand how important is family. We should never give up of our dreams like Jim Braddock does.
March 31, 2023
Nothing special, loved Mae and Mark tho
November 3, 2015
A few "pages" into this audiobook i realized that this is not the original but an ENGLISH-AS-A-SECOND-LANGUAGE book... Which means that the language is simplify, etc.... Sooo, i just rated the overall plot, not the actual book/style/character development of the original...
Have not seen the movie, but after reading this - i will! Touching story!
Have not seen the movie, but after reading this - i will! Touching story!
August 29, 2020
Bhadra 13, 2077, Saturday
Cinderella Man - Paul Shipton (Retold by) (2006)
[Penguin Readers Intermediate (Level 4)]
Genres: EnglishGradedReaders/ Fiction/ Romance/ Drama/ Historical Drama/ Sports/ Adaptation
Pages: 78
Rating: 2/10
Themes: The Great Depression/ Family/ Honesty and Honor/ Perseverance
Opener:
“There were nineteen thousand boxing supporters around the center ring in Madison Square Garden, and most were waiting for just one thing — for one fighter to murder another. Tonight they were waiting for Gerald "Tuffy" Griffiths, the "Terror from out West," to destroy New Jersey's Jim Braddock.”
Summary:
During the Great Depression, ex-boxer James J. Braddock works as a day laborer until his former manager Joe Gould offers him a onetime slot against a rising young contender. After he wins a shocking upset, Braddock goes back into the ring full time, against the wishes of his frightened wife, Mae. Dubbed "The Cinderella Man" for his rags-to-riches story, Braddock sets his sights on the defending champion, the fearsome Max Baer.
Final review:
Cinderella Man gives us a depiction of the suffering of ordinary Americans during the early years of the Depression. Communicated by pictures of unemployed men who are desperate for work, people standing in lines for free food, and homeless New Yorkers living on the streets, in cars, on the subway, and in Central Park. The two strongest themes of Family (being there for you no matter what) and Perseverance (paying off in the end) are prominent throughout the novel. That I think was the silver lining of an otherwise a hackneyed book with substandard overly simplified writing.
Cinderella Man - Paul Shipton (Retold by) (2006)
[Penguin Readers Intermediate (Level 4)]
Genres: EnglishGradedReaders/ Fiction/ Romance/ Drama/ Historical Drama/ Sports/ Adaptation
Pages: 78
Rating: 2/10
Themes: The Great Depression/ Family/ Honesty and Honor/ Perseverance
Opener:
“There were nineteen thousand boxing supporters around the center ring in Madison Square Garden, and most were waiting for just one thing — for one fighter to murder another. Tonight they were waiting for Gerald "Tuffy" Griffiths, the "Terror from out West," to destroy New Jersey's Jim Braddock.”
Summary:
During the Great Depression, ex-boxer James J. Braddock works as a day laborer until his former manager Joe Gould offers him a onetime slot against a rising young contender. After he wins a shocking upset, Braddock goes back into the ring full time, against the wishes of his frightened wife, Mae. Dubbed "The Cinderella Man" for his rags-to-riches story, Braddock sets his sights on the defending champion, the fearsome Max Baer.
Final review:
Cinderella Man gives us a depiction of the suffering of ordinary Americans during the early years of the Depression. Communicated by pictures of unemployed men who are desperate for work, people standing in lines for free food, and homeless New Yorkers living on the streets, in cars, on the subway, and in Central Park. The two strongest themes of Family (being there for you no matter what) and Perseverance (paying off in the end) are prominent throughout the novel. That I think was the silver lining of an otherwise a hackneyed book with substandard overly simplified writing.
December 21, 2017
I'd say this is a 3.5, why? Well, it was kind of hard for me to focus on it and all I wanted to do was to finish it.
The story was just the typical "regular man becomes a hero" and it was easy to tell that the main character would win at the end. I did like the ending even though I already knew that it'd be a happy one.
The story was just the typical "regular man becomes a hero" and it was easy to tell that the main character would win at the end. I did like the ending even though I already knew that it'd be a happy one.
October 11, 2018
Amazaing
April 15, 2026
3,75⭐️ Read for school! I like how they explained everything so lively. You have fun and feel a lot reading this book. It’s also an amazing story!
June 12, 2014
يصعب علي تقييم هذه الرواية لكونها رواية تعليمية تخص من يرغبون بتطوير قدرتهم على القراءة والفهم باللغة الإنجليزية .وقد كانت هذه الرواية هي المقرر الخلص بمادة القراءة لفصل اللغة الإنجليزية الخاص بي، وقرآئتي لها كانت إجبارًا لا خيارًا ولكن تبقى جيدة وبسيطة إلى حد ما.
April 30, 2011
a great book for reluctant readers, especially adolescent boys
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews