We are thrilled to announce the release of artist David Curcio’s new book, SMASH HIT: RACE CRIME, AND CULTURE IN BOXING FILMS, published by Armin-Lear Press.
You don’t have to be a boxing fan or cinema studies buff to enjoy this delve into how these two very different mediums, which developed concomitantly in the last years of the Victorian era, came to reflect America’s ever-shifting social and political mores throughout the twentieth century.
Some advance praise:
“David Curcio’s ‘Smash Hit’ is a first round knockout – filled with strong writing and deep insight. He dives into the tumultuous history of boxing films, revealing their power as a lens for examining contemporary America.”
–Bob Batchelor, author of Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties and Stan Lee: A Life
“David Curcio’s absorbing, fascinating book sent me down a rabbit hole of so many memorable movies….and ‘Smash Hit’ belongs in the company of the best of them. Curcio wears his erudition and knowledge lightly and captures the essence of boxing in film.”
–Donald McRae, The Guardian
“‘Smash Hit’ is not about the sport of boxing so much as a view of American society in the context of boxing culture, film history, and Hollywood gossip. An entertaining, informative, lively read.”
–Glen Sharp, author of Punching in the Shadows
Find it at Barnes & Noble or Amazon or wherever fine books are sold.
