October 6, 2006

Tribute to Arthur Mercante Sr.


Big Boxing Night/Tribute to Arthur Mercante Sr. | TheSweetScience.com Boxing

Bob Duffy and Tony Mazzarella’s Ring Promotions will host a grand night of boxing, as well as a stirring tribute to legendary referee Arthur Mercante Sr., at the Plattduetsche Park restaurant in Franklin Square, Long Island, New York, on Thursday, October 19, 2006.

The 86-year-old Mercante has been a professional referee since the 1940s. Besides officiating Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier I, he has been the third man in the ring for championship bouts featuring Floyd Patterson, Emile Griffith, Carlos Ortiz, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfred Benitez, Jeff Fenech, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Ike Quartey, Roy Jones Jr. and Shane Mosley, among others. The last bout he refereed was between Zab Judah and Reggie Green when he was spry 81-year-old.

Mercante’s wonderful autobiography, “Inside the Ropes,” was published earlier this year by McBooks Press. Fans will be able to purchase books at the event, and Mercante will be on hand to autograph them, as well as regale them with colorful anecdotes from his decades in boxing. see details | buy this book

September 4, 2006

Julian Stockwin Video Tenacious

Julian Stockwin discusses his new nautical fiction book Tenacious, the sixth book in The Kydd Series about the Royal British Navy. This adventure novel is set in the great age of fighting sail during the eighteenth century. It is a rousing tale of courage and fighting skill, as Thomas Kydd joins the forces of Admiral Horatio Nelson. see details | buy this book

July 25, 2006

Kydd Sea Adventures Newsletter


The Bosun’s Chronicle brings the latest news and views about Thomas Kydd and his creator - Julian Stockwin. This free e-mail newsletter contains contests, book reviews, information on the great age of fighting sail and tales from other Shipmates about their own adventures. Each month there is a special Lucky Draw - one new subscriber will win a signed paperback of the first book in the series, Kydd.

The Kydd series follows the adventures of Thomas Paine Kydd, former wig-maker, pressed into the Royal Navy as a seaman in 1793. There he learns the ways of the sea and meets the philosophical Renzi, an upper-class scion with his own reasons for serving in the lower-deck of a man-o-war. Together, Kydd and Renzi sail the world, facing mutinies, shipwrecks and the uncertainties of a sailor's life—and their bravery and resourcefulness bring them unexpected rewards. Free newsletter | Kydd books

July 19, 2006

Bernard Cornwell Receives Award


United Kingdom: Her Majesty The Queen has awarded Bernard Cornwell, noted author, an OBE (Officer, Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his contributions to literature and the furtherance of British culture abroad. Mr. Cornwell is an internationally renowned author of historical novels. His Sharpe series of books have been entertaining readers since 1980 when the first installment, Sharpe’s Eagle, was published. Ever since, the series has showcased British exploits in the Napoleonic Wars to audiences around the world through the lens of Cornwell’s hero. The series was televised and, in the US, the series also ran on Masterpiece Theatre.

Britain’s Consul General to Boston, John Rankin, said, “I was delighted to hear that Her Majesty The Queen had given the award to Mr. Cornwell in her Birthday Honours List. Bernard Cornwell’s words have not only entertained millions of readers but have also brought key aspects of British history to modern-day audiences”.

Bernard Cornwell was born in London in 1944. He was raised in Essex, graduated from London University in 1966. Mr. Cornwell will travel to London later this year to receive the honour from Her Majesty The Queen at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. see books by Bernard Cornwell

July 7, 2006

James Duffy Video Interview


In this five-minute interview, McBooks author James Duffy discusses his book: Sand of the Arena: A Gladiators of the Empire Novel. The video is produced by Comcast Newsmakers / CNN Headline News. You can play the interview in Windows Media or Quicktime format. view video | buy this book

June 27, 2006

Review: No Quarter By Broos Campbell

Christine Sanderson, Voice of Youth Advocates magazine: In 1799, seventeen-year-old Matty Graves, a midshipman in the United States Navy, began service aboard the Rattle-Snake, a schooner under the command of Lieutenant William Trimble, Matty's cousin Billy. During this time, U.S. ships were engaged in unofficial battles with France, a former ally, for control of the Caribbean. When the Rattle-Snake encounters barges of "picaroons," or French pirates, Billy wants to surrender the ship rather than fight. "We cannot fight. . . . If we do, they will kill us all." Lieutenant Peter Wickett, second in command, takes control, successfully fighting the battle. Realizing that Billy, impaired by heavy drinking, is not a fit captain, Matty is forced to choose between family and his ship. "Billy had steered his own course, but by God I wish he hadn't enlisted me for his crew." He aligns himself with Wickett, advancing his career while sealing his cousin's fate. Campbell's novel, the first in a series of Matty Graves novels, is a work of nautical fiction, offering a detailed account of life on a ship during the Navy's infancy. Descriptions of the ships, the living conditions, and the battles make the setting come alive. Historically accurate, this adventure story could be read in an American history class. Perhaps its biggest drawback is that students unfamiliar with nautical terms will have difficulty understanding some of the language. The plot is engaging, and with a little help, most students, particularly boys in junior and senior high school, would enjoy it. see details | buy this book

Review: What Lies Buried by Dewey Lambdin

The Midwest Book Review:
Set in pre-revolution North Carolina, What Lies Buried: A Novel Of Old Cape Fear is a thrilling mystery. Nothing is as it seems in pre-Revolutionary Wilmington, North Carolina. Respected political leader Harry Tresmayne has been found murdered beside a lonely road in Cape Fear, and the more his friend Matthew Livesey uncovers about Harry's private life, the more he finds motives for murder. The suspect list ranges from the elite to the lowest-born of the region. Matthew Livesey and his family find themselves facing dangerous consequences as a cold-blooded killer is run to ground. Dewey Lambdin is an expert author of historical novels, and once again has employed his considerable talents in creating strange characters, accurate period dialogue, and historical accuracy to infuse this deftly written murder mystery with local color. The result is an enthusiastically recommended novel that is as entertaining as it is engaging from beginning to end. see details | buy this book

June 22, 2006

History Channel: True Caribbean Pirates

Profiles female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, with commentary by James L. Nelson, author of The Only Life That Mattered.

Pirates, before Hollywood came calling. Men with names such as Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Black Bart pillaged and plundered ships and seaport towns, offering violent retribution to those who resisted and seizing fortunes at will. Viewers get to know the real characters, fight the battles they fought, watch nations rise up to stop them, and separate fact from fiction.


Sunday, July 9th, 2006 at 8pm/7c

Click Below For Video Preview:

June 18, 2006

Review: Inside the Ropes by Arthur Mercante

Reviewed By Benny Henderson Jr.
"...I was intrigued with this man who lived, loved and breathed boxing, from his time as a boy in Brockton, Massachusetts learning the ‘sweet science’ from his two uncles (one of whom was Joe Monte, a professional boxer who fought Max Schmeling and James J Braddock)... refereeing in one hundred and forty five title fights, some very unforgettable ones, meeting and making life long friendships with some of the biggest names in boxing, from the International Boxing Hall of fame all the way to ‘Papa Referee’. He covers it all..." read the review | buy this book

Review: The Only Life That Mattered by James L Nelson

Reviewed by Cindy Vallar
...Nelson’s knowledge of pirates combined with his experience as a sailor provide a credible and enthralling glimpse into pirate life during the Golden Age of Piracy. Although readers know the outcome before they open the book, Nelson’s masterful storytelling compels them to read until the last page to find the nuances and surprises that make this an unforgettable and alluring tale of piracy and women who choose to follow a path different than the one society contrives... read the review | buy this book