New Releases by Gene Pantalone

Gene Pantalone invites you to traverse the glittering yet shadowed pathways of history. His narratives, infused with the echoes of timeless dreams, promise a journey profound and exhilarating, where real-life Freddie Welsh and fictional Jay Gatsby-two lives seemingly disparate-find themselves enmeshed in shared experiences and curious parallels, a testament to the strange symmetry of fate in the glittering tumult of the Roaring Twenties. Amidst the luminous constellation of fictional figures that adorned F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, there emerged a singular character whose name remained unchanged from that of a living, breathing soul-Myrtle Wilson, a woman involved in a car crash with Freddie Welsh. Was this a mere lapse of imagination on the part of the author, or a deliberate homage to the muse who kindled the flame of The Great Gatsby? One can only conjecture as to the true motives behind Fitzgerald's choice. Much like Gatsby himself, Freddie Welsh embodied a poignant hopefulness amidst the encircling shadows of adversity; he discovered that wealth could not purchase true companionship, and that the past is an unrelenting specter. A solitary dream illuminated his existence-a dream he grasped with unwavering tenacity, far beyond the point of disillusionment.

World champion boxer Lew Jenkins fought his whole life. As a child, he fought extreme poverty during the Great Depression; in his twenties, he fought as a professional boxer and became a world champion; and at the pinnacle of his boxing career, Jenkins fought in World War II and the Korean War. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield: The Life of War Hero Lew Jenkins details for the first time this extraordinary story. Despite his talent for boxing, Jenkins often fought and trained in drunken stupors. And though he became the world lightweight champion, he soon wasted his ring title and all his money. Unable to find meaning in life at the peak of his boxing success, Jenkins discovered values to which he could cling during World War II and the Korean War. His efforts earned him one of the highest decorations for bravery, the Silver Star. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield features exclusive interviews with Lew Jenkins’s son and grandson, providing a personal perspective on the life of this complicated war hero. The first biography of Jenkins, this book will fascinate boxing fans and historians alike.

In 1881, a little girl was born in Turkey to an Armenian father and a French mother. Her lifes journey would eventually lead her to immigrate to America, marry, and run a training camp in Chatham Township, New Jersey, that would host twelve world heavyweight champions and no fewer than seventy-eight International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees. In a well-researched biography, boxing enthusiast Gene Pantalone shares the story of Madame Beya remarkable and fiery pioneer of women in businesswho stood tall in a sport of men. Pantalone details the history of boxing and the life of Bey as she demanded exemplary behavior from the toughest of men. He shines a light on her ability to connect with people without preconceived notions, her roots in government and opera, and her friendship with President William McKinley. Included are bios of the notable boxers during Madame Beys era. Madame Beys: Home to Boxing Legends shares the fascinating story of an aristocratic woman who managed a training camp for world champion boxers during the early twentieth century.

In 1881, a little girl was born in Turkey to an Armenian father and a French mother. Her life's journey would eventually lead her to immigrate to America, marry, and run a training camp in Chatham Township, New Jersey, that would host twelve world heavyweight champions and no fewer than seventy-eight International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees. In a well-researched biography, boxing enthusiast Gene Pantalone shares the story of Madame Bey--a remarkable and fiery pioneer of women in business--who stood tall in a sport of men. Pantalone details the history of boxing and the life of Bey as she demanded exemplary behavior from the toughest of men. He shines a light on her ability to connect with people without preconceived notions, her roots in government and opera, and her friendship with President William McKinley. Included are bios of the notable boxers during Madame Bey's era. Madame Bey's: Home to Boxing Legends shares the fascinating story of an aristocratic woman who managed a training camp for world champion boxers during the early twentieth century.