Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1906838771 ISBN 13 : 9781906838775

Editeur : SelfMadeHero, 2014

Poland, 1941. Sixteen-year-old Harry Haft is sent to Auschwitz. When he is forced to fight against other inmates for the amusement of the SS officers, Haft shows extraordinary strength and courage, and a determination to survive. As the Soviet Army advances in April 1945, he makes a daring escape from the Nazis. After negotiating the turmoil of postwar Poland, Haft immigrates to the United States and establishes himself as a professional prizefighter, remaining undefeated until he faces heavy­weight champion Rocky Marciano in 1949. In The Boxer, Reinhard Kleist reveals another side to the steely Harry Haft: a man struggling to escape the memories of the fiancée he left behind in Poland. This is a powerful and moving graphic novel about love and the will to survive.

About the Author :

Reinhard Kleist has written a number of critically acclaimed graphic novels, among them the award-winning biographies Havana: A Cuban Journey (2008), Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts, 2009), and Castro (2010). Kleist lives in Berlin, Germany.

From Booklist :

The author of previous graphic biographies of Johnny Cash and Fidel Castro, Kleist recounts another true story of a turbulent life with this portrayal of Harry Haft, a Polish Jew who literally fought his way to survival in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Taking note of his strength and resilience, the guards enter him in boxing matches set up for the amusement of the SS officers. Haft defeats every opponent before escaping from a death march as the Soviet Red Army approaches. Immigrating to the U.S. after the war, he embarks on a professional boxing career, culminating in a match with future heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. While Haft’s bouts in Auschwitz were driven by a desire to continue living, his American fights were motivated by hope of achieving fame so that the fiancée he lost in Poland would hear of his success. Kleist’s expressive, inky brushwork powerfully conveys Haft’s harrowing story. Although Haft might not be as famous as Kleist’s previous subjects, his tale of survival by any means is equally enthralling. --Gordon Flagg