Tunney, Gene – Arms for Living

Description

Tunney, Gene ‘Arms for Living’ 1941 1st ed. 279 pages. Wilfred Funk, Inc., New York. Good condition in worn red colored cloth covers with a brand-new facsimile mylar protected dust jacket. SIGNED by Gene Tunney on frontispiece.

Arms for Living is the 1941 autobiographical and instructional book written by Gene Tunney, the legendary undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion.
Unlike his first book, A Man Must Fight (1932)—which was a dry, round-by-round chronicle of his boxing matches—Arms for Living was written following advice from Tunney’s close friend, the playwright George Bernard Shaw, who urged him to “humanize” his writing and inject more emotion and life advice.

Core Theme & Content:
Published during the early days of World War II, the book functions as a hybrid of a personal memoir, physical fitness guide, and motivational text.
• The Concept: The title plays on the dual meaning of “arms”—referring both to military service/weapons and a man’s physical limbs.
• The Message: Subtitled How Army and Navy Service Can Give A Man Courage, Sportsmanship And Discipline, the book argues that military structure and physical training build character. Tunney details how his own service in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I transformed him from a typewriter clerk into “The Fighting Marine” and ultimately a world champion.
• Fitness Component: The book includes a physical conditioning regimen. It features an illustrated 5-page section demonstrating the specific calisthenics and exercises that Tunney personally originated and designed for the U.S. Armed Forces to keep troops in peak physical condition and build wartime morale.

Physical Bibliographic Description (1941 First Edition):
• Publisher: Wilfred Funk, Inc., New York (1941)
• Length: 279 pages of text, supplemented by 5 pages of black-and-white fitness illustrations
• Binding: Hardcover bound in bright red cloth boards
• Dimensions: Approximately 8″ x 5.5″ x 1.25″
• Dust Jacket: The original dust jacket typically features a striking image of Tunney, with the title and author’s name prominently displayed on the front cover.