Muhammad Ali in Perspective [Hardcover]

Thomas Hauser (Author), Muhammad Ali (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996

"Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee" will forever be remembered by the generations who watched Muhammed Ali emerge from obscurity to become the three-time heavyweight champion of the world. This authorized pictorial extravaganza, packed with 200 photos, reveals the man behind the lights, a hero who continues to command respect today, long after his glory days in boxing. National ads/media.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this affectionate look at Muhammad Ali, Thomas Hauser makes a good case that Ali might be the most loved person in the world. Certainly, it's difficult to think of an athlete who is more revered, as Ali's appearance at the 1996 Olympics demonstrated. Muhammad Ali in Perspective is illustrated with hundreds of photographs, many by longtime Ali photographer Howard Bingham. It is a stunning look at a man who was not only one of the best fighters and athletes ever, but who also showed the courage of his convictions when he refused to register for the draft and transcended his sport to become a world spokesman for human rights. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

It wasn't easy doing what Ali did in Atlanta. But this is a man who, all his life, has come up with one incredibly gutsy performance after another. There was no way he could beat Sonny Liston. So he went out and beat Sonny Liston. There was no way he'd give up his title, so as an act of principle, he gave up the heavyweight championship of the world. He beat George Foreman when everyone knew he couldn't. He won the heavyweight crown for a third time, against Leon Spinks, when he was too old to win. Each time the world thought Ali was out of miracles, he performed another miracle. That's Muhammad Ali: In Perspective. And what you had in Atlanta was a wonderful reaffirmation of just how much Muhammad Ali means to the world. Three billion people were watching. Three billion people were in love with one man. Three billion people, even if it was just for a moment, had all the hate and petty prejudices removed from their hearts and felt nothing but love. That's a miracle.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" is forever engraved in the collective consciousness of generations who watched Cassius Clay emerge from obscurity to become Muhammad Ali. Now a glorious new pictorial work -- Muhammad Ali: In Perspective -- celebrates the legendary career and private life of this extraordinary man. With dramatic photographs from some of the world's best photographers, including Howard Bingham, and newly discovered archival material, it explores Ali's life from his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, to his epic bouts with Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, to his controversial alliance with the Nation of Islam, his refusal to be inducted into the U.S. Army, the evolution of his religious beliefs and his life today. Drawing on dozens of recently conducted interviews and hundreds of hours spent with Ali, author Thomas Hauser, who is recognized the world over for his earlier works on Ali, reveals the man behind the blazing lights; a hero who continues to command reverential respect long after his glory days in boxing.

There was a time when Muhammad Ali was the greatest fighter in the world. He's not anymore, because like the rest of us, he has gotten older. But Muhammad Ali is now the most loved person in the world. He can go anywhere -- to a shopping mall in the United States, a restaurant in Europe, a marketplace in Africa, a village in Asia -- and virtually every man, woman and child he sees will know and embrace him. That's an incredible status for anyone to hold.

Muhammad Ali: In Perspective is a compelling portrait of a unique man: a superstar athlete who has become more important than his sport; a cultural icon who is a genuine role model. Ali has earned the right to the title he once proclaimed for himself -- "The Greatest."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 175 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0002251892
• ISBN-13: 978-0002251891
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,080,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Hauser Winner and A Great Ali Perspective, June 5, 2004

By 

Buster Paris (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Muhammad Ali in Perspective (Paperback)

Another Hauser Winner and A Great Ali Perspective

After the epilogue I read the Fight Chronology, glanced at the index and acknowledgements and realized I was done. I closed the book and felt sad that my time being spent with Ali was over for today. I flipped the book over and there he was on the cover. Older than I remembered, but still handsome and still a twinkle in his eye.

I don't know how Hauser always seems to do it, he always seems to make me forget about the world around me and just become part of his writing.

This is a great book - if you've read other Ali books or if his is your first - it's a great, easy book that simply shows you different perspectives on the GREATEST Of All Time - Muhammad Ali.

I laughed out loud a lot and got all teary eyed at times as well.

Great book - Great photos - Very hard to find - one of those you'll have to buy used on Amazon or find on eBay - do yourself a favor - find it and spend an afternoon with it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful pictorial of the champ, December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Muhammad Ali in Perspective (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful pictorial of Ali's life and times, triumphs and defeats, both personal and professional. A must for any fan of Ali or the triumph of spirit over surroundings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book shows Ali to be what he is,The greatest of all time, October 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Muhammad Ali in Perspective (Hardcover)

From the pictures to the text, Hauser shows Ali in all his greatness. The pictures are captivating and the text allows the reader to experience what Ali has to offer. "In Perspective" allows everyone from the common sports fan all the way to the boxing expert the chance to step into the life of Muhammed Ali.