A hugely literate, intelligent evocation of the great heavyweight champion and sportsman of the twentieth century.
King Of The World
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Amazon Review
You'd think there wouldn't be much left to say about a living icon like Muhammad Ali, yet David Remnick imbues King of the World with all the freshness and vitality this legendary fighter displayed in his prime. Beginning with the pre-Ali days of boxing and its two archetypes, Floyd Patterson (the good black heavyweight) and Sonny Liston (the bad black heavyweight), Remnick deftly sets the stage for the emergence of a heavyweight champion the likes of which the world had never seen: a three-dimensional, Technicolor showman, fighter and minister of Islam, a man who talked almost as well as he fought. But mostly Remnick's portrait is of a man who could not be confined to any existing stereotypes, inside the ring or out.
In extraordinary detail, Remnick depicts Ali as a creation of his own imagination as we follow the wilful and mercurial young Cassius Clay from his boyhood and watch him hone and shape himself to a figure who would eventually command centre stage in one of the most volatile decades in our history. To Remnick it seems clear that Ali's greatest accomplishment is to prove beyond a doubt that not only is it possible to challenge the implacable forces of the establishment (the noir-ish, gangster-ridden fight game and the ethos of a whole country) but, with the right combination of conviction and talent, to triumph over these forces. --Fred Haefele
Book Description
This unforgettable account of Muhammad Ali's rise and self-creation, told by a Pullitzer Prize-winning writer, places Ali in a heritage of great American originals. David Remnick concentrates on Ali's early career, when he was still fighting as Cassius Clay. The book begins in September 1962 with the fight between Floyd Patteson and Sonny Liston, providing a remarkable sociological backdrop to Ali's entrance on the boxing scene. Remnick then describes Clay's 1964 fight with Liston, which even his own people thought Clay couldn't win, and takes us through to 1967 when Ali refused the military draft to Vietnam. This is much more than a sports book. It is a study of the rise of the black voice in the American consciousness and a look at how the media creates its heroes - Cassius Clay began as a 'light-hitting loudmouth' before becoming gradually canonized by the American press and public as Muhammad Ali. KING OF THE WORLD takes us back to the days when his life was a series of battles, inside the ring and out. A master storyteller at the height of his powers, David Remnick has written a book worthy of America's most dynamic modern hero.
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First Sentence
ON THE MORNING OF THE FIGHT, THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION of the world packed a loser's suitcase. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
ON THE MORNING OF THE FIGHT, THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION of the world packed a loser's suitcase. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
As a young boy Ali was my first hero. I can vividly remember all the hype before the first Liston fight and seeing the legendary 'Tale of the Tape' section in my local paper, and then watching the fight highlights on tv the next evening. Liston was superbad, the bookies didn't give Ali a chance, the rest is history. I've read just about everything ever written in book form about Ali, and this book is at the top of the pile. The book is more than a story of a boxer and a few of his most famous fights. It's about race, injustice and bigotry. It's also about boxing, and has great insights into what kind of people Liston and Patterson were. We will never see another like Ali, there is not a boxer in this world who is fit to lace his elegant white boots. I can only hope that Remnick goes the whole hog and does another book on Ali. Ali is probably the most famous and recognisable person alive in the world today. One would think that everything that could be has been written about Ali in the past, but Remnick has gone way beyond round 15 and conjured up another victory in the fight for justice in life, race and understanding why men go into the ring and risk everything just to be King of the World.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Clive Pacey
Format:Paperback
I did not believe that Thomas hauser's famous effort could have been beaten, but by concentrating on a relatively brief period this wonderful biography captures both the remarkable spirit and personality of this great fighter as well as capturing the essence of the early sixties which were such a pivotal period Superbly written, intelligent and unputdownable
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Muhammad Ali has always been a hero of mine, but it wasn't until I read this book that I fully realised the various stresses all pulling on the young man. From the racist attitude of the boxing press to the influence of the Nation of Islam, Ali rises above it all with a natural wit and a boxing style and elegance all of his own. David Remnick paints an evocative portrait of the time and gives a keen insight into the internal politics surrounding the fight game, the Black Muslims and the boxing press.
Remnick intersperses the book with well researched pieces covering the social history of boxing and the principal protagonists within the sport. This enhances the appeal of Ali and demonstrates just how he broke the mould when he burst onto the scene. The book also clarifies some of the myths surrounding the man and brings a new understanding to where and what he came from. It allows the reader access to the thought processes of Ali, Louis, Liston and Patterson and leads to a renewed sympathy for some of the great names of the fight game and their subsequent decline in later years.More than anything, the book makes you want to review your old fight videotapes and marvel at the skill of a man who surely was "The Greatest".
I wish Remnick would now complete the tale beyond 1967, I am sure that it would be an immediate bestseller.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous, Engaging
I am not much for writing reviews. But this book is well worth making an exception. I am not a boxing aficionado at all. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Sameer Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good in parts
Parts are good but parts drag a little - although to be fair reading it over six weeks and on three flights is not giving it its best chance. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Michael Bromfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
A stand out sports book
Another super sports book written by an intelligent writer for an intelligent readership.
Remnick does a splendid job in placing Ali in the context of the history of his... Read more
Remnick does a splendid job in placing Ali in the context of the history of his... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2009 by D. W. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling read
A truly magnificent set of prose which is written with an excellent insight into, not only Ali's early sporting life, but also insightful writing about his relationship with the... Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2002 by Philip P
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fresh Look on a Legend
What more could be written about this man? everyone thinks they must know all bout Ali but after finishing this book in record time I now appreciate Muhammad Ali even more so. Read more
Published on 27 April 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
David Remnick has produced a gem.
As a Muhammad Ali fan I feel that 'King of the World' is for everybody and not just for Ali or boxing fans. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2001 by Shahaan
5.0 out of 5 stars
A biography and cultural history in one compelling read
A thoroughly objective and fascinating account. This book provides a broad insight into a period of extreme racial tension within American society. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb!
I cannot praise the author enough after reading this. I was too young to appreciate Muhammed Ali when he was around, apart from seeing his frequent appearances on... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2000
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great insight into the 'sport' of boxing
A very good read indeed, shame the author only focussed on the early part of Ali's career. I would have like to read the story of a people's Champion, who was denied the best years... Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
If you don't read any other sports book this year, you have to read this one. This is sports writing at its best - powerful, colourful, informative and entertaining. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2000 by sfkelly@cwcom.net
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