Shoaf, Pal – The World is Mine

Description

Shoaf, Pal ‘The World is Mine’ 1948 1st ed. boxing novel published by Pal Shoaf Publishers, Inc., Hollywood New York. 272-pages. Good condition hardcover, straight, tight binding and pretty clean internally. No dust jacket.

The 1948 272-page hardcover boxing novel published by Pal Shoaf Publishers, Inc. is titled The World Is Mine: A Dramatic Love Story of the Prize Ring, written by Pal Shoaf himself.

The Backstory & “Ex-Pug” Novelist:
The book is unique primarily because of its larger-than-life author. Pal Shoaf (born Palineau Jesse Shoaf) was a former professional bantamweight boxer who compiled a modest 4-11-3 record between 1925 and 1932. Later in life, he transitioned into a Hollywood personality, self-promoter, and self-made novelist.
Shoaf famously touted himself as an “ex-pug and novelist,” and in one notorious real-life incident, police apprehending him following a heist discovered the stolen cash hidden alongside a trunk full of copies of this very book.

Book Summary & Key Features:
Subtitled as “the roaring story of 300 fights”, the book functions as a grit-infused, hard-boiled look into mid-century sports entertainment:
• The Narrative: The plot details a dramatic and gritty love story winding directly through the corrupt, high-stakes world of professional prize-fighting.
• The Protagonist: The fictional fighter depicted on the cover and throughout the text bears a suspicious, highly stylized resemblance to the era’s famous comic strip boxer, Joe Palooka.
• Celebrity Blurbs: Shoaf was exceptionally well-connected in the Hollywood and sports circles of the late 1940s. The back cover dust jacket proudly displays promotional blurbs under the banner “ACCLAIMED FROM COAST TO COAST,” featuring an enthusiastic endorsement from none other than Frank Sinatra, who claimed it was a “terrific fight love story that held my interest all night” and should be adapted into a movie.

Collector & First Edition Specifications:
• Publisher: Pal Shoaf Publishers, Inc. (Dual-registered in Hollywood and New York)
• Publication Year: 1948
• Format: Hardcover Cloth Board with Dust Jacket
• Page Count: 272 to 274 pages
• Dust Jacket Illustrator: Wes Bennett