Perhaps no sport quite lends itself to the written word as lyrically as the sweet science, though baseball and cricket occasionally present a challenge.
There is something about boxing, the simple struggle between two combatants in a ring, the blood and the sweat, the politics and the drama, the sacrifice and the corruption, that sinks into the soul and does not leave.
On Earth As It Is In Heaven is a stunning debut from young Italian writer Davide Enia, which is grounded in truth but fleshed out through fiction.
It tells the story of Davidu, a young boxer from Mafia-ruled Palermo who dreams of succeeding where other members of his family could not, and becoming Italian national champion.
The coming-of-age tale skips back and forth between the generations, encompassing wartime yarns, sexual politics, human development and plenty of boxing.
Enia's style (translated to English) is interesting.
The book reads more like a screenplay - Il Rockyo? - than a novel. It's mainly dialogue, and the sentences are punchy, like the thrust and parry of a bout.
Like a good ringman, Enia deftly weaves the strands of the story together and the result is a knockout. -
- Hayden Meikle is ODT sports editor.
