Description

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War in the Ring presents a riveting nonfiction book for kids about a boxing match that represented the growing tensions between the United States and Nazi Germany in the lead up to World War II.

Joe Louis was born on an Alabama cotton patch and raised in a Detroit ghetto. Max Schmeling grew up in poverty in Hamburg, Germany. For both boys, boxing was a path out and a ladder up. Little did they know that they would one day face each other in a pair of matches that would capture the world's attention.

Joe grew into a symbol of inspiration to a nation of Black Americans hoping to carve a slice of the 'American Dream' in a racially fractured country. Max, on the other hand, became a Nazi symbol for the superiority of the Aryan race.

The battles waged between Joe and Max still resonate, and the cultural implications of the international sensation continue to reverberate far past the ring.

About the Author

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John Florio is the author of historical novels and nonfiction history books. With Ouisie Shapiro, he has written three young adult titles: Marked Man, Doomed, and War in the Ring. He and Shapiro are also the authors of One Nation Under Baseball and One Punch from the Promised Land, as well as contributors to the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, and ESPN. Florio is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Glasgow; he is on the faculty of the Stonecoast MFA creative writing program at the University of Southern Maine.

Ouisie Shapiro is co-author, with John Florio, of three young adult books: Marked Man, Doomed, and War in the Ring. She and Florio have also written the sports history books, One Nation Under Baseball and One Punch from the Promised Land, and contribute articles to the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, and ESPN. Her work in television sports documentaries for HBO and ESPN has earned her six Emmy awards. She holds an MA in journalism from New York University.

Praise For…

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"Thoroughly sourced, Florio and Shapiro’s book celebrating Louis' life is a knockout." - Booklist

"Florio and Shapiro bring considerable skill to their lively telling of this multilayered slice of history . . . an honest account of the racism and anti-Semitism intertwined throughout and realistically portraying the complexities of Joe Louis and Max Schmeling." - Kirkus Reviews

"Florio and Shapiro (One Nation Under Baseball) vividly recount the politically and racially charged rivalry between African-American boxing champion Joe Louis and white German boxer Max Schmeling" - Publishers Weekly