Rocky Marciano

In this captivating and complex portrait of an American sports legend, Russell Sullivan confirms Rocky Marciano's place as a symbol and cultural icon of his era. As much as he embodied the wholesome, rags-to-riches patriotism of a true American hero, he also reflected the racial and ethnic tensions festering behind the country's benevolent facade. Spirited, fast-paced, and rich in detail, Rocky Marciano is the first book to place the boxer in the context of his times. Capturing his athletic accomplishments against the colorful backdrop of the 1950s fight scene, Sullivan examines how Marciano's career reflected the glamour and scandal of boxing as well as tenor of his times.

"In the early '90s, Marciano started slipping from our short long-term memory. Enter his poet, Russell Sullivan . . . Sullivan's book is not just a perfect paean to a pugilistic hero but also to a history of mid-century America as glimpsed from the corner window of what was then America's second most popular sport, professional boxing."--Los Angeles Times, "Russell Sullivan's revealing new biography . . . will refresh those of a certain age about a boxing legend and initiate others into the full, entertaining story."--Chicago Tribune, "More than anything else, the book assesses Marciano in the context of his times, the early 1950s, when his career reflected America's serene years before the marches of the civil rights movement, when boxing ranked second to baseball as America's favorite sport."--Dave Anderson, New York Times Book Review, "Reading Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times is like opening an old steamer trunk and being overwhelmed by the aroma of a long-ago era and its fragrant memories. In capturing Marciano and the 1950s as few could, Russell Sullivan has given Rocky his fiftieth win."--Bert Randolph Sugar, author of 100 Years of Boxing, "The greatness of Marciano in the ring was defined by the way he prepared for a fight, his ability to punch and take a punch. Russell Sullivan combines the same elements in this book. It is the best research job ever on Marciano, is written in a straightforward manner, and doesn't pull any punches. This is the story of an athlete who made himself a great fighter and never forgot who he was, or where he came from. It is a book that is needed. Marciano is the most under-publicized great athlete of the last half century."--Will McDonough, Boston Globe sports columnist

Russell Sullivan is senior vice president and general counsel of Linkage, Inc.