matt_sheffield's review
5.0
I'm actually going to miss reading this book. I couldn't stop talking about it with friends and co-workers. Jonathan Eig did a marvelous job creating such a detailed and entertaining story. At no point in the 539 pages was I bored. I now have a newfound appreciation for the man, Muhammad Ali, in all his complexity. What a rare personality he was. I highly recommend this book everyone, sports fan or not.
coatesvillain's review
emotional
informative
fast-paced
4.5
I always had issues with most eulogies. They sand away the rough edges of a person in order to give something “less offensive” and “more presentable” to an audience. At the same time it renders the subject as less real in order to please others.
When I picked up Ali: A Life, I expected hagiography. What I got was a nuance telling of Ali that wasn’t always positive, but almost always felt fair. It highlighted his accomplishments, but also hypocrisies, womanizing and other flaws.
There were moments in this book where I didn’t like Ali. There were others where I admired him. There were others where I felt sympathy for him. All of these moments were part of his whole existence. He was human, he was flawed, and he is a legend. None of these make him less. Instead it all makes him that much more.
The book runs 539 pages, but it’s a quick read. You will find yourself surprised how much of it you can read in a sitting. Johnathan Eig’s writing melts like chocolate on a summer day as you absorb the details and feel like you’re watching the events take place right before your eyes.
A great read for you even if you aren’t interested in boxing. With how Ali craved attention, there are many touch points with today’s influencer culture.
When I picked up Ali: A Life, I expected hagiography. What I got was a nuance telling of Ali that wasn’t always positive, but almost always felt fair. It highlighted his accomplishments, but also hypocrisies, womanizing and other flaws.
There were moments in this book where I didn’t like Ali. There were others where I admired him. There were others where I felt sympathy for him. All of these moments were part of his whole existence. He was human, he was flawed, and he is a legend. None of these make him less. Instead it all makes him that much more.
The book runs 539 pages, but it’s a quick read. You will find yourself surprised how much of it you can read in a sitting. Johnathan Eig’s writing melts like chocolate on a summer day as you absorb the details and feel like you’re watching the events take place right before your eyes.
A great read for you even if you aren’t interested in boxing. With how Ali craved attention, there are many touch points with today’s influencer culture.
marilyn_goh's review
4.0
Love stories of a self-made man. Was never really into boxing(NEVER!) but I enjoy learning about the engine that droves the fighter. The humble beginnings, life struggles, mistakes, brutality of the sport(hospitalization after fights). And glimpse of fame, glory and opulence.
junelaurens's review
4.0
This is a well-written, well-structured, and hefty biography of Cassius Clay (aka Mohammad Ali). Tracing his colourful life from childhood until his death, Jonathan Eig portrays the famous boxer's fights in the ring, as well as his fight to achieve equality for black Americans and Muslims. There were times when I thought Ali a cad (through his womanising, and arrogance), yet there were other times where Ali's kindness and naivete endeared him to me. Although a long book, it pulls you in and the inclusion of several pages of black and white photographs make you feel as if you're looking through a personal family album, and getting to know Ali very well; indeed, at many points during reading this book, I lost Jonathan Eig's narration and could only hear Ali relating the story of his life. It's very well done. Even if you are not a boxing fan (and I certainly am not), you will enjoy this book.
The book is one of four shortlisters in the biography category for the James Tait Black Prize; I wish the author well and congratulate him for his work.
The book is one of four shortlisters in the biography category for the James Tait Black Prize; I wish the author well and congratulate him for his work.
jeffw's review
4.0
First of all the book: well written narrative bio of Ali. I liked that it was even handed for the most part. The author told the bad along with the good. The author was obviously a fan and occasionally let that overtake his analysis, but thankfully this was not too frequent and brief so it did not detract too much. Recommended.
I have mixed emotions about Ali. One of the chapter titles summed it up nicely I thought, "He's human, like us"
Personally, I am not convinced his draft refusal was for honorable reasons. Just my opinion.
In a nutshell, I think Ali had great charisma and a talent for boxing. History has shown that charisma is a powerful force.
Is he the best heavyweight boxer of all time? I'm not a boxing expert and not really a fan so I don't know. Most lists say he is. Not sure if that is true or if he proclaimed it so often people believe it is true. I did notice that the latest ESPN list has Joe Louis at the top.
I did bristle at the "Greatest athlete of the 20th Century" proclamation. Just opinion, but not in my top five.
I have mixed emotions about Ali. One of the chapter titles summed it up nicely I thought, "He's human, like us"
Spoiler
He was capable of great kindness to people he didn't know and some friends, but at the same time he often treated his close friends and family badly. He would drop everything to visit hospitals and schools, but turned his back on his friend Malcolm X and treated Joe Frazier despicably. He was not a good husband or father.Personally, I am not convinced his draft refusal was for honorable reasons. Just my opinion.
In a nutshell, I think Ali had great charisma and a talent for boxing. History has shown that charisma is a powerful force.
Is he the best heavyweight boxer of all time? I'm not a boxing expert and not really a fan so I don't know. Most lists say he is. Not sure if that is true or if he proclaimed it so often people believe it is true. I did notice that the latest ESPN list has Joe Louis at the top.
I did bristle at the "Greatest athlete of the 20th Century" proclamation. Just opinion, but not in my top five.
oboreads's review
3.0
Quite a long narrative of one man's life! I enjoyed being able to read the about a boxer's life, and follow the techniques he was using in the sport to improve. Although it was interesting to read about Ali's life, there were times where I wish the author would have wrapped things up a bit faster. It was a little too long for my taking, especially by the end where it was frustrating to read about how he spent his last days not doing too much.
Now in relation to Ali as a person himself - yes, he had a lot of dedication to the sport and supported social justice causes, but my overall impression of him was not favorable. From the start his passion for boxing stemmed from a desire to garner attention and fame. He was driven to training for the pure pleasure of getting fans in the ring. It brings into question how much do athletes really love their sport and how much are they doing it for attention. Only Ali's attitude (or at least how the author painted him) made it seem, as if his sole driving force was the fame. This type of attitude disgusted me and by the end I was so exhausted of following a character's ambitions that revolved around himself.
I must admit he did get good at his craft, but his pride got in the way too much. At the end of his career he just could not let go of boxing to the point where he caused himself permanent brain damage from the amount of punches being thrown at his head. His unwillingness to retire and stop taking the money from matches pissed me off, and it didn't even motivate me to "work harder" because he was acting out of stupidity.
Another source of his own ego got in the way of his way with women. He treated them like second class citizens, had a myriad of affairs whilst being married, and treated them as sex objects and care givers to his children. It was hard for me to grow to admire him after reading about the emotional abuse he caused his wives, and many other women with whom he would birth children and drop responsibility. I was disgusted by his lack of recognition for the opposite sex and could not get over his misogynistic actions that he displayed to each woman that crossed his path.
I guess then the question is why was he so famous if I just portrayed him as a complete a**hole? The answer lies in his ability to rile up a crowd, garner attention by saying ridiculous things, and giving individuals a distraction to pay attention to. So many individuals looked up to him and still do for all he has done, but after reading about his true personality and full life it becomes hard to idolize someone as a role model. Of course I can't end this review without acknowledging the ways in which he contributed to the civil rights movement and uplifting black people as a whole in trying times. Even Obama attributed his work with his political risings, and stance on practicing his own religion of Islam. Only to be honest, he did not do much with this line of work, which may be a controversial opinion .... A lot of the time the pronouncements he made in his speeches on supporting black lives were quotes from other leaders of the time. Ali himself was not an eloquent speaker and did not rile up crowds of his own volition. He would just copy and do what others told him to do, in order to keep the movement going.
Now in relation to Ali as a person himself - yes, he had a lot of dedication to the sport and supported social justice causes, but my overall impression of him was not favorable. From the start his passion for boxing stemmed from a desire to garner attention and fame. He was driven to training for the pure pleasure of getting fans in the ring. It brings into question how much do athletes really love their sport and how much are they doing it for attention. Only Ali's attitude (or at least how the author painted him) made it seem, as if his sole driving force was the fame. This type of attitude disgusted me and by the end I was so exhausted of following a character's ambitions that revolved around himself.
I must admit he did get good at his craft, but his pride got in the way too much. At the end of his career he just could not let go of boxing to the point where he caused himself permanent brain damage from the amount of punches being thrown at his head. His unwillingness to retire and stop taking the money from matches pissed me off, and it didn't even motivate me to "work harder" because he was acting out of stupidity.
Another source of his own ego got in the way of his way with women. He treated them like second class citizens, had a myriad of affairs whilst being married, and treated them as sex objects and care givers to his children. It was hard for me to grow to admire him after reading about the emotional abuse he caused his wives, and many other women with whom he would birth children and drop responsibility. I was disgusted by his lack of recognition for the opposite sex and could not get over his misogynistic actions that he displayed to each woman that crossed his path.
I guess then the question is why was he so famous if I just portrayed him as a complete a**hole? The answer lies in his ability to rile up a crowd, garner attention by saying ridiculous things, and giving individuals a distraction to pay attention to. So many individuals looked up to him and still do for all he has done, but after reading about his true personality and full life it becomes hard to idolize someone as a role model. Of course I can't end this review without acknowledging the ways in which he contributed to the civil rights movement and uplifting black people as a whole in trying times. Even Obama attributed his work with his political risings, and stance on practicing his own religion of Islam. Only to be honest, he did not do much with this line of work, which may be a controversial opinion .... A lot of the time the pronouncements he made in his speeches on supporting black lives were quotes from other leaders of the time. Ali himself was not an eloquent speaker and did not rile up crowds of his own volition. He would just copy and do what others told him to do, in order to keep the movement going.
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