The Complete Muhammad Ali

Mr. Reed's biography of the greatest fighter of all time merits a high place in the genre. His approach to the subject is at once ethnographic, political, sociological, and psychological. We learn about Muhammad Ali from many angles and people, including the main influences on his thought and life, predominantly the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. This approach allows Mr. Reed to take us into the many depths of Ali that we do not get in most biography and mainstream media: A champion of civil rights, critic of white supremacy, a warrior inside of the ring and outside in the fight against injustice and Parkinsons.I was impressed by the numerous perspectives brought to the book. Particularly interesting was the chapter on the potential alliance between the Nation of Islam and "mainstream" Sunni Muslims. Elijah Muhammad and the orthodox Muslim community were moving toward an alliance until one of the curators of this alliance was assassinated by the government. The depth of research is impressive and accurate: an example being Mr. Reed's mention of Jamil Diab, a prominent Chicago Muslim leader, who taught Arabic to the Nation, including The Hon. Elijah's sons, and a man working with the Hon Elijah toward a unity that would undermine the white power structure. Just as one wonders how Muhammad Ali could have been more outspoken had he not been gotten Parkinson due to taking too much abuse in the ring, one is left contemplating what path the Sunni-Nation alliance would have taken in the steps toward justice for African Americans had it not been sabotaged by the white power structure that fears any kind of Muslim Alliance.My only suggestion for improvement, and this is in hindsight, is that the ideas bounce around a bit quickly in the early chapter. But a book about a man who floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee is only being true to itself as art when using this style for its subject matter. Kudos to Mr. Reed for a wonder exposition of a great human being.

Easily the best Ali biography out there. The title is more than just a title: it is a mission statement. Reed sets out to give a complete and realistic picture of a man who cannot escape being sanctified by his fans and vilified by his enemies. The real Ali exists somewhere beyond the fawning accounts of who Reed calls "The Ali Scribes" and the gross caricatures of those who want to portray him as a thug, a criminal, a racist, etc, and Reed gives him to us in this book.Rather than a start-to-finish chronological account, The Complete Muhammad Ali is more a collection of in-depth interviews with the people who knew him best. Each offers a different perspective on Ali's life and personality, both today and at the height of his career, often in direct contradiction to each other. Reed himself takes no position on which are correct, he simply presents them and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.The book also presents one of the most nuanced perspectives on the Nation of Islam and its relationship with Ali. This has always provided a stumbling block for Ali's (typically white and liberal) biographers, who often try their best to either disassociate Ali with the Nation, or present them as a Machiavellian cult manipulating Ali for its own purposes. Reed avoids this entirely, instead opting to show how Ali's religious and political beliefs evolved as the Nation of Islam changed. The interviews with Ali's second wife Khalilah is particularly enlightening, as she offers an explanation for why many did not stay with the Nation of Islam after its transition to Sunni Islam, but still refused to join Louis Farrakhan's schismatic Nation.If you truly wish to understand who Muhammad Ali was, it's hard to do better than this book.

Ishmael Reed shows a side of Muhammad Ali that you don't get anywhere else. Fresh interviews, fresh perspectives, rigorous honesty. It is particularly good for perspective, insight, and new research on Ali's relationship with the Nation of Islam. A must for appreciators of Ali, boxing history, and the writing of Ishmael Reed.

Has everything we need for school project.

Two stars, only because I'm feeling kind. The title of this book should be "The Complete Ishmael Reed" since it's more about the author, and who he hobknobs with, than it is about Ali. A copy editor should have told the author that his numerous digressions and diversions were self-serving, self-aggrandizing, and selfish, and that they distracted from what, supposedly, was the point of his book.And if the author's daughter, Tennessee, was as central to the writing of this book as Mr. Reed states, I'm surprised that he didn't credit her as a co-author. Or, at least, included her in his dedication.This book read more like "score settling" with the Ali scribes than an actual attempt to analyze Ali's place in the culture of our nation.

This Book relates not only Ali as a pugalist,but it clearly explainsThe economic,business, culture ,religious and educational environment that influenced his life.For those who consider themselves as history and sociology seekers,this is an Excellent work, showing Elijah Muhammad as a social reformer and strategic thinker.A brilliant depiction of the Champ showing his strength as well as his short coming. Wonderful interviews, Well done Mr.Reed!!! Thanks Amazon for making this book available.

Needed a good editor. Some interesting stuff here, and Reed's black perspective is unusual amid the Ali scribes, but could have--should have--been a lot better.

Anti climatic, talk to friends that did not seem true

I heard about this book on democracynow.org so I gave it a shot. There is a great deal of information in here about Muhammad Ali and the time he lived in. It is an in depth look at the background strings of the sport of boxing while not focusing on that solely. If you want to know the Ali that is posed on the cover, a tired reflecting Ali pushing past the end of his rope, than I recommend you pick up this book.

Great insights into the man and the sport.