Black Ajax
by Fraser, George MacDonald
- Used
- Very Good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good/Very Good
- ISBN 10
- 0002255855
- ISBN 13
- 9780002255851
- Seller
-
Burntisland, Fife, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
UK: Harpercollins Publishers, 1997. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 9.2 x 6 x 1.2 inches. h/b 249 pages, condition is very good. In Black Ajax, George MacDonald Fraser tells the story of a black man from the United States who nearly became England's champion boxer during the early 19th century. This historical novel is based on the true story of Tom Molineaux, a former slave who won his freedom in a boxing match, then traveled to England, refined his skills, and almost became the first black champ. The story is told by over a dozen witnesses to Molineaux's bouts with the reigning champion, Tom Cribb. Molineaux's trainer recalls the fighter's awe-inspiring strength and speed. A butler who asks to remain anonymous divulges information about the fighter's love affair with an English noblewoman. Molineaux's manager, a former slave and retired boxer, speaks bitterly of his disappointment in the youth for failing to prove to the English that a black man could be as capable a fighter as any white man. Nearly all the witnesses to the first match between the two fighters thought Molineaux lost mainly because the judges gave the white opponent an unfair advantage. All the characters in this novel speak in 19th-century dialect, and it's diverting to try to decipher their many odd turns of phrase. For those who cannot determine the meanings of words such as "Spike Hotel," "toco," "winker," and "wistycastor" from context, the author provides a glossary at the end of the book. Unfortunately, almost all of the characters seem overly fond of using racial epithets, which draws attention to the shortcomings of this book. The main one is that Tom Molineaux, who undoubtedly was a complex, fascinating character, comes across as a stereotype here: a hulk with not many brains but a lot of sex drive. Although Fraser fails in that respect, this novel does vividly chronicle an intriguing episode in the history of sport and race relations.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Hanselled Books (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 081489
- Title
- Black Ajax
- Author
- Fraser, George MacDonald
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- ISBN 10
- 0002255855
- ISBN 13
- 9780002255851
- Publisher
- Harpercollins Publishers
- Place of Publication
- UK
- Date Published
- 1997
- Size
- 9.2 x 6 x 1.2 inches
- Keywords
- Boxing, Fiction,
- Bookseller catalogs
- Fiction - Adventure;
Terms of Sale
Hanselled Books
A full refund, including postage will be processed on all books returned within 14 days. An extended period of 4 weeks will be allowed on books returned from outside the UK.
About the Seller
Hanselled Books
Biblio member since 2008
Burntisland, Fife
About Hanselled Books
Hanselled Books has been providing Quality Online Service since 2002. We were an exclusively web based business but in October 2009 we opened retail premises in Burntisland Fife, allowing us to expand the range of books on offer.We stock a range of second-hand and new books; we are particularly strong in Scottish Interest and difficult to find titles. With over 16,000 book titles in stock we are sure you will find something to suit your wants.