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Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times | 
 enlarge | Author: Thomas Hauser
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $17.00
Buy Used: $0.77
You Save: $16.23 (95%)
New (27) Used (66) Collectible (5) from $0.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 343687
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 544
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.1 x 1.5
ISBN: 0671779710
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.83092
EAN: 9780671779719
ASIN: 0671779710
Publication Date: June 15, 1992
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Thirty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold medal light-heavyweight at the Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali is still a magical figure. His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend -- the two fights with Sonny Liston, when he proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and proved he was; the three epic wars against Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in Zaire; and the shocking loss and final win that made him the first man to win back the heavyweight crown twice, fourteen years after he had first claimed it.Ali's life has been played out as much on the front pages as on the sports pages. With brilliant immediacy and unprecedented candor, bestselling author Thomas Hauser recreates this extraordinary man. In the words of more than 200 of Ali's family members, opponents, friends, world leaders, and others who have known him best, the real Muhammad Ali emerges: deeply religious, mercurial, generous, a showman in and out of the ring.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 The Definitive Ali Story March 28, 2008
I first really watched an Ali fight as a boy. Ali was fighting his second comeback fight against the Argentine brawler Oscar Bonavena. It was a gruelling 15 round fight. It was on ABC, and Howard Cosell made it sound much more dramatic than it actually was. It was competitive, but Ali was winning the fight when he dug deep, and dropped Bonavena three times in the final round for an automatic stoppage. This was not a feat to be taken lightly. Bonavena had fought Joe Frazier twice, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, and a host of others without being taken off his feet.
In any case, over the years, I had read so much about Ali, that when a friend passed this book to me, I was unexcited at the prospect of reading another Ali chronicle.
I was unexpectedly delighted at Hauser's coverage of this legend. He brings out what a transcendant figure Ali was (and remains).
He uses the same technique that made Terry Pluto's LOOSE BALLS a classic sports story, in that he lets people from Ali's past do the talking. Former opponents, wives, associates, friends, trainers all take their turns. Many are insightful.
Hauser is not beyond showing us Ali's warts. We see him as an unfaithful husband, as a cruel tormentor at times, as a foolhardy spendthrift (chump), and for once, as a confused and angry young man, as he transitions into his Muslim persona.
But he evolves as an incredibly special human being. As his skills begin to erode in the ring, his humane qualities flourish. He becomes a man of deep, contented faith. He performs acts for ordinary people that show him to be a worthy idol.
As his career ends, he confronts his diminishing health and vitality by once again looking to his faith. He meets his fourth wife, and finds peace with himself.
Some of what is in this book is hilarious. Ali in many ways is a true original. He is a first rate character, and leaves his ring opponents and his associates often shaking their heads. George Foreman tells a truly funny story about him, and later speaks in great reverence about Ali's greatness, and what an honor it was to share a ring with him.
One thing the book points out is in the 1960's and 1970's, many of the fighters were thoughtful, intelligent and articulate men. Not so much anymore.
The one disappointing item for me, was that the story ends in 1988. Ali's story has continued.
Hauser is a worthy chronicler of this seminal icon. He has done a profound service for any fan, or any curious person who would like to know about one of last century's most famous and influential people.
This is one of the greatest sports biographies I have ever read.
The Greatest May 14, 2007
Excellent book with wonderful personal insight into a man who captivated the world and the sport of boxing. This is a must read for any Muhammad Ali fan.
 A good deal of Ali February 10, 2007
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
The author has compiled a book that is exhaustive in its history on the great man. There seems to be nothing left out on him but it is so tiring to read page after page (500 plus) of glorification of Ali.
I found that even a huge fan like myself was getting bored of the countless pages devoted to Ali's religion, health and finances.
I think the book could have dropped at least 150 pages, possibly 200, and still have been a good read.
AS ANOTHER REVIEW STATES: THE GREATEST ALI BOOK EVER WRITTEN September 13, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Mainly because it dares to take seriously a glimpse at his deep and abiding faith and his daily practice and study of his humble faith. For this reason alone, for its look into the soul of the man, please please do get this book. It also sees behind the glory and into the pain.
THis book was authorized by the great man himself.
THe one Ali book to get. THen get the Soul of a Butterfly, of course, on audio CD.
Shades of Ali worship June 5, 2005
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Thomas Hauser's definitive work on Ali uses a somewhat unconventional style in that he culls quotations from different interviews ranging from Ali's cook to Joe Frazier to paint quite a unique portrait of Ali unlike any other book.
Though much research has been done through interviews of people each of which provide a unique perspective on Ali, it could have helped if Hauser could have interviewed more of Ali's detractors to provide a more well-rounded picture of the icon. The last part of the book pulls out all the stops and proceeds to venerate Ali to the detriment of painting a multi-dimensional picture of the 20th century's greatest athlete.
An educational read but could have used a more unbiased treatment.
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