Ali: A Life - Jonathan Eig

Biographies are one of my favourite genres to read, so combining the genre with a subject that I have long been interested in is a chance to be a big hit, or a big miss.
               
Muhammad Ali is an inspirational figure to many, and for good reason. He has been a symbol of hope, equality and defiance spanning many decades. A hero of the people, who was a villain to many at the same time and for many years. Before passing away in 2016 the world watched as the once ‘most famous black man in the world’ had his physical capabilities eroded by Parkinsons Disease. Taking his speech, mobility and coordination, but not his sense of humour and charm.

It took over 600 pages to cover the life of this man, so I will not attempt to summarise the story, it is largely fairly well known.

What Ali: A Life does wonderfully is to talk through the major movements that Ali’s life spanned. It is not an open glorification or hero worship, but an examination of a man who had flaws like any of us. Despite his flaws, errors in judgement and the mistakes that Ali made, Eig speaks about how often Ali has been proven to be on the right side of history.

Movie star good looks, charisma for days, outrageous boxing ability and an unshakeable confidence combine in an individual who seemed destined for greatness. Starting from school days racing the school bus as part of a single-minded regimen to become the greatest boxer of all time. Rumour has it that he actually would have failed high school but for the fact that the administrators recognised that he was destined for big things, and they wanted to be able to claim part in his success, rather than be the organisation that failed Cassius!

I don’t demand perfection from all my idols, I know that we are all flawed individuals and it doesn’t prevent us from being able to make outstanding contributions to the world. Having said that, Ali’s consistency didn’t come from conviction in his opinions all the time, there were issues on which he would tread both sides of the fence. The consistent elements of Ali’s personality center more around his unflappable aura of confidence, steadfastness in the face of opposition and his ability to stick to his guns when he did make a stand.

In monotheistic religions the deification involves an infallible, all knowing, all-perfect being who is in charge of all things from the beginning of time to the end of days. Under this kind of definition of god-like, Ali most certainly doesn’t meet the definition. He was ripped off, taken advantage of and confused often, physically phenomenal but certainly not infallible. Under the more classical definition of gods (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse) the gods are beings with tremendous power, amazing abilities…. And human fallibility.

Following the more classical definition, Ali: A Life provides a insight into a modern day deity, a flawed and inspirational man of exceptional power. A man whose life straddled some of the biggest civil rights developments of the modern era. He walked some tough roads, and did so with an attitude and chutzpah that helped shift perceptions in important ways. There is no doubt that Ali helped to create the world as we know it, paving the way for African-American representation on the world stage, and more importantly in the United States.

If you have any interest in Ali the person, in his development and the environment and social situations that he navigated, this is a fantastic read. While it obviously covers Ali’s boxing career, this is not a ‘boxing book’. If you are reading it for that, there are probably better options.

All in all, I enjoyed reading it and come away with a better contextual understanding of how Ali helped to change the world.

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