Description
Book SynopsisBeast. Monster. Savage. Psycho. The glowering menace of Mike Tyson has spooked us for almost two decades. And still we remain fascinated. Why? Ellis Cashmorea s answer is disturbing: white society has created Tyson as vengeance for the loss of privilege produced by civil rights.
Trade Review“A terrific read! This a fascinating study of a central figure in American life. Meticulously researched and perfectly timed,
Tyson does more than any previous work to put Mike Tyson's story in its proper sprawling context.”
Grant Wahl, Sports Illustrated
“Ellis Cashmore has gone beneath the persona of Tyson with intelligent sensitivity. He has pointed us towards the motives in the psyche of an extraordinary figure in the history of sport and analysed why Tyson remains such a figure of fascination to so many people.”
John Goodbody, The Times
“Ellis Cashmore’s book will fascinate and frustrate an unusually wide range of readers. He juxtaposes the biography of Mike Tyson against mini-narratives of other prominent athletes and celebrities, African American leaders, and contemporaneous incidents, allowing biographical narrative to unfold almost seamlessly into analysis and cultural history. In situating Tyson in his times, Cashmore offers an uncompromising critique of late twentieth-century US race relations, as well as presenting a compelling account of an intriguing career and life story.”
Douglas Hartmann, University of Minnesota
"His account is a well-written and fascinating attempt to help us understand this. It will undoubtedly appeal to a large readership. It is not a purely academic read, but neither is it a trashy hagiography. As such it deserves a broad audience outside of what is traditional for an 'academic' book."
Guy Osborn, University of Westminster
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
one INTRODUCTION: I WILL KILL YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? 1
two IF YOU’D BE KIND ENOUGH, I’D LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN 13
three ARE YOU AN ANIMAL? IT DEPENDS 29
four LIKE WATCHING A SERENGETI LION RIP INTO A WARTHOG 43
five HIS VITAL ORGANS IN EXCHANGE FOR FORGIVENESS 60
six GOD’S PLANNING TO SCREW HIM 87
seven TO RAPE THE VIRGINAL BLACK PRINCESS 108
eight IN HANDCUFFS IN THE BACK OF A POLICE CRUISER 131
nine THEY BELIEVE WHITE MEN HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR BLACK SUCCESS 144
ten TIME TO LEAVE THE WHITE MAN’S WORLD 162
eleven FACTS ARE LOST IN THE PRECONCEPTIONS OF RACIAL GRIEVANCE 191
twelve GIVE HIM ENOUGH TIME AND THE NIGGER WILL COME OUT IN HIM AGAIN 213
thirteen THE DEBT OF THE GHETTO BOUND 231
fourteen YOU’D STILL LOOK AT ME AS A SCUMBAG 245
Bibliography 256
Index 260
