If you can laugh in the face of adversity,

you’re bullet-proof.

—Ricky Gervais

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Heavyweight Boxer Ed Latimore’s autobiography “Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business” is a multifaceted and unflinching deep dive into his life; from his rough upbringing as a child and adolescent in the projects of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to his young adulthood and introduction into the world of boxing, to his growth beyond addiction and the sport that defined him. Along the way he details his hardships and successes, but with a unique and impressive style that goes far beyond his superlative writing.

This is because like the man himself, Latimore’s autobiography offers more than just a single dimension. Ed, as you’ll discover along the way, is not just a boxer, and similarly this book is not just a simple retelling of his life’s journey; it is a collections of the wisdom and practical advice that he has accrued along the way, delivered in bite-sized segments within the twelve chapters contained in the book.

The book opens with a chapter entitled, “A Hard Childhood Makes It Easy to Accept Harsh Truths” which sets the tone for the struggles that Latimore faced as a young boy. These struggles include an absent father, a distant sometimes violent mother, dangerous and desperate living conditions, and constant bullying. What will strike the reader is the honesty with which the author delivers these brutal memories, but also the tenacity that was required of someone so young to survive.

As the book progresses the readers sees Latimore’s ingenuity and determination in his scheme to get himself into a better situation at school, being accepted in a new environment, and finding a possible way out of his rough neighborhood not, at first, with boxing but instead via football. It is only later, after a rude awakening that Latimore decides to try to make something of himself in the “Hurt Business.”

As you read, the full extent of his amazing journey is detailed, from his beginning as a complete novice, more street fighter than boxer, to his development into a professional. Along the way, Latimore also introduces us to his demons, the chief amongst which is his growing alcohol addiction. This addiction threatened to derail Latimore’s chances of success in many aspects of his life, and the author does not shy away from his previous bad choices and is honest in what it took to get sober.

Though this book is nearly 300 pages long, Latimore’s style makes the reading a breeze, written almost as if having a casual conversation with the man. It is simultaneously a serious and a fun read, informative and inspiring, and nothing short of a testament to an outstanding individual. I could not recommend this book more.

Available in Hardback, Kindle, and Audiobook (read by Latimore) here.