Ali

I really wanted to give this book a 2/5 because of my own personal enjoyment of the read, but I cannot deny the depth and detail of research that Eig conducted into Muhammed Ali's life, from birth till death. This one was truly worthy of the post-colon title “A Life” as it left me astounded with the recall of dialogues, descriptions of the day and keen insight into the boxer's mind. This dense really enlightened me as to the truth behind the legend; Cassius Clay definitely is not and was not a perfect figure and there were times where I found myself almost loathing him for his selfishness, particularly in regards to women. But through Eig's objective history, including counterarguments and questions at key decisions, the reader can tragically see how a naïve but kind-hearted boy was simultaneously disciplined and controlled by external parties, and how a young man became embroiled in his own image and allured by green bills. He truly was an American icon, and it was the parts of the book that covered his connection with and influence over the 1950s-80s national landscape and the toxic truths behind celebrity culture that fascinated me the most. Glad I finished it, and definitely going to keep pursuing non-fiction reads to balance my reading hobby.