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The Set-Up
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025981437
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 198
Weight: 0.63
Height: 0.42 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Set-Up is a hard-hitting narrative poem that captures the grit and shadows of the 1920s boxing world. This verse novel tells the visceral story of Pansy Jones, an aging Black boxer attempting a comeback in a sport rife with corruption, racial prejudice, and betrayal. Through its sharp, rhythmic lines and cinematic pacing, the work explores the dark underbelly of the 'sweet science, ' where matches are fixed and dreams are sold for a pittance.
The narrative follows Jones as he prepares for a fight he does not realize has been rigged against him by a syndicate of unscrupulous gamblers. Joseph Moncure March's staccato style reflects the atmosphere of the Jazz Age-smoky gyms, crowded arenas, and the desperate energy of men living on the edge. Beyond the physical brutality of the ring, The Set-Up offers a poignant critique of social injustice and the relentless nature of a system designed to exploit the marginalized. A landmark of hardboiled literature, this work remains a powerful example of the narrative poem's ability to depict raw human experience with unflinching honesty and rhythmic intensity.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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