Bar Brawler

Tank Abbott is one tough dude.He is the last person anyone would ever want to fight in a bar.I liked his cool friendship with his pit bull Adolf .This is a fascinating look into his life. I bought mine for under 20 bucks each for both copies.It is a whole lot more on here now.

The book is a fascinating read. I wanted to better understand brawlers' MO, and this book provides a good description.Although it's a novel (fiction), it's presumably modeled after the author's life, and his extensive experience as a brawler. His pro fighting record gives him a lot of credibility there.The downside of the book is that the main character is a rotten and sad man. He's an alcoholic, and much of the book relays what he's drinking each day. His life is focused on training for street fighting, and on fighting. Though he only fights bullies who start fights, he is sadistic, and lives for hurting and injuring people--severely. His moral cover is that he doesn't start the fights, but this is often unconvincing, as he tends to provoke and escalate conflict.The main character is apparently in his mid-twenties, but instead of focusing on adult responsibilities (e.g., career and savings), he squanders his life in the immature pursuit of thrills and in being a community menace, criminal, and villain. One redeeming quality, though, is that he punishes bullies--hard. Big guys who are accustomed to abusing others meet their match with him.Although I liked the book, I don't plan to read the two remaining books in Mr. Abbott's "trilogy". The main character is too unpleasant. Also, I ran across a radio interview in which Mr. Abbott professed to be a homosexual--disappointing and revolting. I'm bummed to not be reading more from him--he's very talented, and he seems to have some good qualities that are rare among celebrities.Jim

Been searching for this trilogy for quite some time. Finally able to purchase two out of the three from Kindle. Mr. Abbott tells a very entertaining story. Looking forward to Street Warrior...

But I did. Unlike some who discredit the author's "writing prowess", I found this account to be one of the most lucidly descriptive collection of stories (PHILOSOPHY!) that I've come across in some time. Many will disagree. Some segments were TRULY moving and insightful, Most of all, this book seems to be HONEST... something rarely found in modern day society. I enjoyed this more than any book that I've purchased in the last 3 years. There you have it.Hollywood could learn something about how to directly gain insight into a protagonist's character by this work.

I read Bar Brawler for the Co-Main Event (#CME if you nasty) Podcast book club. I didn't know what to expect, I really didn't. But at least Tank Abbott got published so how bad could it be? Then one of the co-hosts tweeted "it's not 'good' by any means". With my expectations suitably lowered, I dove into my Kindle edition. No, it wasn't good but it was... something. Gripping, exciting, stupefyingly compelling: I had to read more. I tweeted the other co-host "I hope he beats someone up in every chapter". As he responded, I certainly wasn't disappointed on that count.With most chapters starting with the incessant "beep! beep! beep!" of Tank's, sorry Walter's, alarm and our protagonist then seemingly going through a Groundhog Day-like existence it all started to run together. The use of the present tense added to the tedium: wrestling his dog Adolf, riding the duct-taped Interceptor to the gym, hitting the heavy bag, working at the liquor store, cracking open a clip of "soldiers", making a "siren", cruising with a member of "Kaos" and then - inevitably, brutally - beating someone senseless outside a bar.As much as I rooted for Walter to give the next loser the beat-down he was "begging for", I also found my distaste for him as a human being growing. Every evening he plots a new felony assault. Every day he drives desperately drunk.But somehow, I also recognized the style: the kitchen-sink alcoholism and relentless monotony. Then I realized: Walter Foxx is to Tank Abbott what Hank Chinaski is to Charles Bukowski! In many respects, Bar Brawler is Abbott's ' Ham On Rye ' or ' Factotum '. Don't get me wrong, there is a vast difference in literary standard but the similarity is there. Maybe Bukowski is even what Abbott was aiming for?Regardless, I am a fan. And I'm definitely buying 'Street Fighter' and 'Cage Fighter' when they come out.

well if your familiar with tank abbott, you get what you expect but nothing more. the main character gets drunk, fights, moans about life, hates on people. repeat this for 300 pages and you have the "novel" that is "Bar Brawler". The dialogue is really stiff and the book pretty repetitive. Alot of this book comes off unintentionally funny; everyone seems to be "begging" for a beating in the authors eyes. i used to be a bigger fan of tank, but after this he seems really obnoxious.If this is to be the begining of a trilogy its a weak start.although i still give it a positive review overall due to still being a tank fan, not having read a book anything like this, and i did enjoyed all the street scraps with in the book.It is what it is.

Best read in a long time. Blew thru first book in no time. Can't wait to start the second 👍👊

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I bought this book but I was very pleasently suprised. The story had me hooked from the very beginning. Tank paints a very vivid picture of teh protagonist as well as his motivations for why he does what he does. Unfortunately, most of what he does is no good and he has a very twisted morale compass (which he justifies by, "well, he started it!). I know think I understand the author a bit better, which is kind of scary. This would would not be appropriate for a teen-young man who is at a very influential stage as following any of the steps of Foxx is a recipe for disaster or even jail time! I will be buying the next one.

Basically Tank's autobiography, written as a fictional novel, apparently to avoid legal repercussions.Tank's an MMA pioneer. An interesting man, funny, intelligent, sadistic, brutal... They all apply. He truly loved to fight and for a fan of MMA since the late 90s this is a quite fascinating insight into his life In the run up to his debut at ufc 6. It's not well written and crude at times but you get the impression tanks being fairly honest. If you, like me liked to read all the tank Abbott Street fight discussions on Internet forums like I did in the 2000s then this is for you. I'm giving it high score for that reason. If I hadn't been an Abbott fan for the last 20 years it would get 2 stars. The behind the scenes stories in the next 2 books should be even better. If they ever get released.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read it in a few days. It’s an easy read and very gripping.I’m a big Tank fan, he’s tough and fighting is his passion, win or lose he’s in his element. The man is a throwback and I believe he was born too late and wouldn’t of been out of place aboard a longship or in the fighting in the Flavian amphitheater.Tank (Walter Foxx) writes of his struggles in his late 20s before he began fighting in the UFC. The book has Plenty of great fights described in gory detail and it talks about Tanks struggles with education, employment and finding his place in a world that doesn’t share his warrior values.

If you like old legends then this is one.. David tank abbott aka Walter fox. Just tell about his fights not his personal life..

Excellent read. Really enjoyed Tank's stories and he has a way with words. Funny and insightful. Tank was one of the original brawlers in the UFC who actually brought some real excitement to it. Really enjoyable book. 5 Stars!

Pretty much the title explains the book, really interesting read could not put this book down had me captivated from start to finish really anticipating reading the next two novels, the first book leaves you wanting more. Fascinating look into the life of a real street fighter come UFC Fighter.