Customer Reviews

The Tao of Muhammad Ali

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought many books on Mohammad Ali because I find the character truly amazing : the first modern icon, the first brand, the most recognisable face on Earth, and one if not the best boxer ever (especially in his early days).
I bought the book out of curiosity five years ago and from page one it grabbed me. I did read the book in one go.
Davis Miller's style is crystal clear, to the point; it sounds as if he is writing a letter to you.
His life is as boring as anybody except for the light that Mohammad Ali puts in it. Videos, articles, books, photos you name it, he has collected them all throughout his life.
What makes this book work is the paralell between the life of a star and a life of a fan : they nearly have the same age but they couldn't be more world apart if it wasn't for the dedication in the training they both had.
One day the aged fan meets his star and his life takes another spin : he has at last found his way, he will write about the only thing he knows that is Mohammad ALi.
Mohammad Ali is miles apart from the bragging Cassius Clay he once was and that is a reassuring discovery.
He pulls tricks, he plays like a kid, he shows his kindness towards any other human beings but the revelation is that he is not as disminished as the press would like to see him.
What this books tells us ?
it tells us that you can live your dream at any time, you can grab your destiny if you really want to. It gives us a true insight into the daily life of the most famous face on Earth.

I recommend this book all the time. It's always a struggle to get people to understand how darn good it is and why they'll love it, even though they may not be interested in Muhammad Ali. I was telling my friend Nanci about it a few days ago. She and I've both read the Norman McLean story, A River Runs Through It, and it's one of her very favorite books. (I also like the movie, by the way.) I told Nanci to think of Tao of Muhammad Ali as A River Runs Through It with Ali playing the role of the river. I don't know that she understood what I meant but she bought a copy of the book. No matter who you are, I'm sure you'll love this book. It'll become one of your very favorites, even if you couldn't care less about Ali. Tao of Muhammad Ali is a beautiful, connecting, sweet, level-headed story.

And I'll bet (not that any of us will be around to find out) that this is the only book related to Muhammad Ali for which that will be true. Real literature. Real art. Davis Miller is Nick Carraway in the book; Ali is Jay Gatsby. It doesn't matter what this book is about: it's pure, and purely beautiful, writing.

Reviewed by Richard Hill, Liverpool John Moores University


'The Tao of Muhammad Ali' is initially a narrative documenting Davis Miller's childhood relationship with Muhammad Ali. The intimate approach, which Miller adopts throughout the work, is accessible both in terms of language and structure and is effective in highlighting the diverse emotions and responses which Ali generated across the world. Miller's own personal affections for Ali were typical of the social significance which Muhammad Ali's influence and character stimulated. Miller thus presents Ali as something of a role model to both blacks and whites in America. This is revealed in the way that the timid twelve-year-old Miller patterned his early life on the image of Ali. The work therefore provides an intimate portrait of Miller's relationship with Ali, which ultimately culminates in Miller's transcendence from this reserved and constrained teenager, to a successful writer. His childhood fascination later evolves into an adult relationship with Ali, which further influences his life. The personal narrative is worthy in terms of providing a sense of Ali's remarkable stature in successfully determining and shaping the lives of a generation.


The work is also a tender memoir detailing Miller's very personal relationship with his own father. In this sense, it can also be read as a tale of fathers and sons - a personal account, which explores the interaction between Miller and his father. Consequently, one can draw parallels between this father-son relationship and Miller's connection with Ali. This is due to the character of Ali, who functions as a patriarchal and reassuring figure after the death of Miller's father. This loss is therefore partly compensated by his close friendship with Ali. Miller summarises, "He may as well have been adopting me". This association is indicative of Ali's ability to generate a creative harmony or Tao - an idea Miller expresses throughout the work.


Rather than adopting a fanzine-centred approach, which documents and celebrates Ali's boxing achievements in great depth, the work focuses more on this intimate narrative style which demonstrates Ali's accomplishments as a figurehead, whose influential character stimulated massive social response. Davis Miller reveals how he is just typical of the millions of people who have shared some sort of spiritual connection with Muhammad Ali. In this sense the work is highly effective in terms of highlighting the social and cultural consequences of Ali's great character. Miller surmises his contention that even if Ali had never boxed, his unique Tao would still have made him one of the most influential people of this century. It is a well-written work following the pursuit of happiness and the overcoming of personal barriers, whilst showing the role of Muhammad Ali in advocating a life of harmony.

In this biography the author, Davis Miller, analyses the personal inspiration and education he has taken from the life and times of Muhammed Ali and by doing this brings a new literary perspective to one of the 20th century's most discussed icons.

Miller discusses the impact of Muhammed Ali on his life, so goes in a completely different direction to traditional Ali biographies such as Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, by Thomas Hauser (This is also excellent and works well to complement Miller's book). I feel that this is good because Muhammed Ali's influence and enduring appeal is more to do with his personality and on how he impacted on people's lives than with his superb boxing feats.

The aim of this book is to understand Muhammed Ali rather than to learn about his accomplishments, this is both a strength (it makes the book unique) and a weakness (people expecting a history lesson will be disappointed).

I recommend this book, I feel it is one of the best sports biographies I have read.

The book is a biography of the life of author Davis Miller and not of Muhammad Ali as one might first think. It follows his life from high school to the near present day and details his growing fascination with "The Greatest" from his childhood. The book centres mainly around the author's life changing events and how Ali influenced them or pulled him through them. It ends with Miller meeting Ali, which prompted him to write his award winning story "My Dinner With Ali", and how he came to be good friends with the champ. The book offers a great deal of insight into how Ali lives his life nowadays and how he has changed since his disability took a strong hold of him. Most of all it shows us that Ali is as strong as ever and needs pity from no-one. There are passages in this book that will make you cry, others that will make you laugh and some that will have you itching to know what happens next. For those who want to know about the real Ali I recommend this over biographies such as Muhammad Ali: His Life And Times, by Thomas hauser or King of the World by David Remnick. Should you choose to read this title and would like to read more about the man himself rather than his achievements, then I would recommend I'm A Little Special, A Muhammad Ali Reader, Edited by Gerald Early and The Best American Sportswriting Of The Century. Miller's article "My Dinner With Ali" is in both. This too features more insight rather than dates and figures. If you want to read just one thing on Ali then make it "the Tao Of Muhammad Ali".

An intensely personal account of the author and the impact the great man had on his life. What it lacks in statistics and fight stories, it more than makes up for in subtly giving us Muhammad Ali's opinions on racism, arrogance and the skill of performing. Not in the style one might expect, but to a fan who already knows about his life and number of KOs it serves us up another appetising slice of Ali magic.

The Tao of Ali provides a wonderful insight into the daily life of one of the most recognizable faces in the world. I have also read the other two books by Davis Miller, and they all provide fascinating details on how people like Ali have influenced and affected the lives of millions all over the world.

In this book, Miller does not inundate the pages with statistics or details of Ali's fights, but rather provides a very personal account of his relationship with Ali. The Ali in this book is not the brash, arrogant fighter of his youth, but an older, mature man performing magic tricks to amuse others, playing practical jokes on his friends, spending hours signing autographs and talking to complete strangers, and dealing with Parkinson's disease with dignity and courage.

Miller's writing style is very refreshing, and this book - like his others - is a pleasure to read.

Davis Miller deserves a medal! He takes one of the last centuries greatest icons and places Ali firmly within the context of how everyday life unfolds via the medium of his (Miller's)own experience.There is great wisdom between the covers of this book. Enough said. You don't need more reviews,do yourself a favour JUST BUY IT AND READ IT!

What a wonderful read! I read this book for a university course in Scotland. This book offers the reader a refreshing approach to the study of the most influential sportsman in history. The reader can share and often empathise with the thoughts of the author as he recounts the growth of his interests in Ali and his eventual meetings with the great man. It's perhaps the closest many of us fans will ever get and provides great insight into the personality of the Greatest. A superb book!