''Grimmish'' is a 2021
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
historical
History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...
novel by Australian writer Michael Winkler. It was first published as a
paperback original
A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, also known as wrappers, and often held together with glue rather than stitches or staples. In contrast, hardback (hardcover) books are bound with cardboar ...
in January 2021 in Australia by Westbourne Books. The book is based on the tour of Australia in 1908–09 by boxer
Joe Grim
Joe Grim (born Saverio Giannone; March 16, 1881 – August 18, 1939) was an American boxer of the early 20th century.
Grim was born in Avellino, Campania, and he and his family emigrated to the United States when he was ten. As a boxer, he engaged ...
. It includes Grim's work as a sparring partner for both
Jack Johnson and
Tommy Burns prior to their
Fight of the Century
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Fight of the Century or simply The Fight, was an undisputed heavyweight championship boxing match between WBA, WBC, and '' The Ring'' heavyweight champion Joe Frazier and Lineal champion Muhammad ...
on Boxing Day 1908.
''Grimmish'' was well received by Australian critics. It was named as a book of the year in ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', ''
The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' and ''
Australian Book Review
''Australian Book Review'' is an Australian arts and literary review. Created in 1961, ''ABR'' is an independent non-profit organisation that publishes articles, reviews, commentaries, essays, and new writing. The aims of the magazine are " ...
''.
JM Coetzee called it "The strangest book you are likely to read this year."
In the USA,
Thomas Hauser
Thomas C. Hauser (born February 27, 1946) is an American author known for his biographies and novels and writing about boxing.
Biography
Hauser graduated from Mamaroneck High School in 1963, Columbia College in 1967 and Columbia Law School i ...
gave the book a mainly positive review and called it "a compelling impressionistic portrait".
Critic and academic Emmett Stinson noted, "the self-reflexive and dialogic approach of the book, which – though interested in masculinity – has no interest in glorifying it. ''Grimmish'' is almost impossible to summarise. There are historical scenes depicting the brutality of Joe Grim’s fights. There are genuine intellectual engagements with Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault."
In 2022, it was republished in Australia by publisher Puncher & Wattmann. In 2023, it was published in the UK and US by Peninsula Press and Coach House Books, respectively.
''Grimmish'' was shortlisted for the 2022
Miles Franklin Award
The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize awarded to "a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases". The award was set up according to the Will (law), will of Miles Franklin ...
.
References
2021 Australian novels
Australian historical novels
Novels about boxing
Novels set in the 1900s
Fiction set in 1908
Fiction set in 1909
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