Abysmal Brute

Before anyone knew there was such a thing, Jack London gave us the natural: Young Pat Glendon has never drunk alcohol nor tasted tobacco. He loves nature, is afraid of cities, and is shy of women. And he is a perfect fighter. Summoned from the city to consider such a prospect, cynical Sam Stubener, manager of prize-fighters, is struck by the boy's extraordinary athletic grace - and soon man and boy are off to San Francisco to take on the heavyweight world. "The Abysmal Brute" is the story of natural grace pitted against worldly brutishness. A subtle social drama played out in the arena of sport - in a day long before sport moved to the centre of American culture - it is also a rousing romantic tale in the tradition of one of our great storytellers.As Pat hones his skill - and his curious style - on one champion fighter after another, he contends for the heart of a lovely admirer and for the soul of professional boxing, whose rampant corruption his blows expose. Jack London (1876-1916) wrote such classics as "Call of the Wild", "White Fang", and "The Sea-Wolf". Introducer Michael Oriard is the author of "Reading Football: How the Popular Press Created an American Spectacle" and other works. He is a professor of English at Oregon State University.