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Fat City

Terrific ending. Tully (older boxer) headed nowhere. Ernie (younger version of Tully) fights alone in Utah then hitchhikes back to Stockton. Gets a ride from two women, one of whom says: "Why would anyone want to go to Stockton." 

Captures the mood of small dreams of Tully and Ernie. They don't dream of being world champions, just of fighting enough and winning enough to get some money in their pocket and maybe in the bank, to be able to see out past a few days. Not likely to happen. Trainer is the same way. He wants some boxers who will pay his bills and give him a little breathing room. 

I'll look for other books by Gardner.

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