Dropkick Murphy

“This is not only a stupendous biography of a fascinating, multilayered American hero. It is also a vividly detailed and riveting account of life in mid-twentieth-century America, the world where our parents or grandparents rubbed shoulders with Dropkick.” —Walter V. Robinson, Editor-at-Large at the Boston Globe  “Here is a tale that seizes your attention, and grapples with your soul, from the slam of the ring to the terror of rehab. To steal a phrase from the very gifted Emily Sweeney, it is one ‘colossal bully’ of a book!” —John A.Farrell, author of Ted Kennedy: A Life and Pulitzer Prize finalist  “Pioneer, iconoclast, legend. Dropkick Murphy broke societal barriers with the same intensity as he broke choke holds. Author Emily Sweeney examines one of history's most underrated and fascinating characters whose compassionate mission is more relevant today than it ever was before. Sweeney's book is life-affirming and well told!” —Casey Sherman, New York Times Bestselling author of The Finest Hours and Helltown “Emily Sweeney is Boston through and through and has emerged as a storytelling force in a city with no shortage of legendary raconteurs. In Dropkick Murphy she has delivered a stouthearted tale of the nexus of sport and recovery, as well as the untold story of one of the godfathers of the working-class fighting spirit that still resonates in Boston today.” —Dave Wedge New York Times bestselling author of Hunting Whitey