I am not enjoying Nick Tosches' book
Despite my friend Peter imploring me to read this thing I am definitely not enjoying The Devil and Sonny Liston. The guy (Tosches) keeps totally overstating things and is just way too heavy-handed as a writer. Let's see some bloody delicacy man! The best quote so far is not about boxing, per se:
"I remember Christopher Walken being asked if there was a role that he felt he could not play. Yeah, he said, he couldn't play a human being, because he'd never been one, as he'd been on the stage since childhood." (188)
Enough about that book. I am probably going to take it back to the libray 2/3rds finished.
I find myself pausing, or stopping, before thinking or writing words like "men" or "masculinity" as regards the boxing gym because there are, simply, no small number of women and girls there. Why are they there? What do they want from themselves? The same things as me? They make my job as chronicler and philosopher much more difficult. I ought to be glad for it. Is "toughness" then a more accurate or inclusive concept than mere "masculinity" ? I see a few women around, almost daily, who come across as being a lot tougher than me. More "masculine" though? The question, the whole question, must either be re-examined or rendered ridiculous.
"I remember Christopher Walken being asked if there was a role that he felt he could not play. Yeah, he said, he couldn't play a human being, because he'd never been one, as he'd been on the stage since childhood." (188)
Enough about that book. I am probably going to take it back to the libray 2/3rds finished.
I find myself pausing, or stopping, before thinking or writing words like "men" or "masculinity" as regards the boxing gym because there are, simply, no small number of women and girls there. Why are they there? What do they want from themselves? The same things as me? They make my job as chronicler and philosopher much more difficult. I ought to be glad for it. Is "toughness" then a more accurate or inclusive concept than mere "masculinity" ? I see a few women around, almost daily, who come across as being a lot tougher than me. More "masculine" though? The question, the whole question, must either be re-examined or rendered ridiculous.
posted by Billy Jack at 3:18 PM
4 Comments:
I tend to find Nick Tosches unreadable as well.
The Walken quote is hysterical.
RA, good to hear it. And welcome. Your blog is great!
cymon pink: yeah, for sure. I have always thought that the best 'pacifists' for example, were those who could kick some *ss if they so desired. I am in no way trying to make a case for re-affirming notions of masculinity or what have you. Personally it isthrough toughness that I think I can best show my vulnerabilites and develop my atrophied capacity for tenderness. Call me backwards if you want. Anyways I would like to write more but I have to be at work... one minute ago.
Thanks for posting.
bill. lil' h'son here. more shite on my blog my friend.
tenderness rules. for that matter, so does being little! and i'm about as little as it gets. pictures to come. xxxooo
As men we must no longer take refuge in the cultural identities that has been constructed for us. We should fight against it with all our violence and love; at the same time struggle to understand it, because with understanding we can begin to know ourselves. - J.R.
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