by Kerry Howley
First published 2014
A young academic positions herself as observer to two mixed martial arts fighters pursuing opposite trajectories. She follows a rising prodigy and a veteran competitor through three years of brutal training, weight cuts, and fights that span from small-town fairgrounds to Las Vegas venues. The fighters endure physical punishment, financial hardship, and strained family relationships while chasing advancement in their sport. Kerry Howley documents their world with sharp wit and unflinching attention to detail. The narrator witnesses how these men sacrifice their bodies and personal connections for moments of violent competition. Through her outsider perspective, she reveals both the ridiculous and meaningful aspects of American fight culture. The book captures the strange intimacy between observer and subject as she becomes entangled in their struggles.
Genres: action, non-fiction, biography-memoir, academic
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: observer-subject-relationship, outsider-perspective
Setting: America, Las Vegas
Period: 21st-century
288 pages · Paperback · Sarabande Books
Content warnings: violence