York, Pa., plays a role in historical novels written by Brooks Kubik. 'Legacy of Iron' and 'Clouds of War' are available via the Web. York Barbell legend Tommy Kono wrote this testimonial about Kubik's work: "Great book! Don't take too long in coming up with the next one." Also of interest: All York Barbell posts from the start and Author muscles way into York's weightlifting, bodybuilding world and York, Pa.'s link to the use of steroids in sports: 'Pecs, pink pills and power'.
Brooks Kubik is a weightlifter and author of several weight training books and two novels.
The novels are set in the late 1930's and 1940's and feature York Barbell owner Bob Hoffman, John Grimek, Steve Stanko, Harry Paschall and others at the York, Pa.-based weightlifting giant.
Here's an edited and excerpted e-mail from the author describing his work, York Barbell and York, Pa.:
The fictional characters interact with the York lifters and attend actual events -- lifting contests and shows and so on.I research the novels in old issues of Strength and Health and old books by Bob Hoffman.
So really, they're historical novels.A number of older lifters have given them a thumbs up and said they really capture the
spirit of the men and women who are portrayed in them. That includes Tommy Kono and Ike Berger -- as well as Jim Schmitz and Clarence Bass. Ditto for Jan Dellinger, who
used to work for Strength and Health and York Barbell and shared an office with John Grimek.They do honor to York, to the York Barbell Co. and to the men and women who created the "Muscletown" era.
So here's an opportunity for some York Town Square readers who consume a steady diet of York, Pa.-related works - fictional and non-fiction - to pick up and read.
While I missed most of the "great ones" by a few years, I did have the opportunity to visit both the old and new facilities of the York Barbell Company. Just wanted to say thanks to you folks in PA for some great memories of my younger days and to Brooks for bringing an era of York glory to life!
Sadly I missed out on all the greats but thanks to The Legacy of Iron Novels I feel as if I am there.
I appreciate what The York Gang and Bob Hoffman did for weightlifting and physical culture.
I read both Legacy of Iron and Clouds of War, which all I can say is WOW! How wonderful it was to go back in time for a brief minute and have a dinner with Bob Hoffman or kid around with Harry Paschall or talk geese with Steve Stanko or have breakfast with John Davis...or knowing what Sig Klein thought of "standards" (at a certain place!). Truly, how great our tradition is...
I plan on keeping these books and reading them to my son (and for my own motivation!).
Thank you Brooks once again...ct