A biography of the legendary boxer who died in 2011, tracing his rags-to-riches story from the Jim Crow South through his successes in the ring and his rivalry—and ultimate reconciliation—with Muhammad Ali.
In Smokin’ Joe, a comprehensive knockout of a biography, Mark Kram Jr. restores Frazier to his rightful place in the boxing pantheon ... The respect and affection Mr. Kram holds for his subject is evident throughout the book, which the author fills with stories of kindness and goodwill ... Mr. Kram keeps his study balanced by not overlooking Frazier’s all-too-human traits ... [a] beautiful book[.]
Kram...presents a readable account of what has been called the golden age of boxing and of the symbiotic rivalry between two of the all-time greats ... Ali must lurk in the shadows throughout this book, which documents Frazier's rise from rural poverty to world championship riches along with an on-and-off again music career ... Boxing historians and fans of both fighters should approve of this straightforward account.
...[a] fulsome biography ... This is not hagiography, for Frazier’s wandering eye alone scuttles that, but it gives this man of uncommon will and humanity his due.
