Muhammad Ali

By Carrie Golus

Book Overview

A stolen bicycle led twelve-year-old Cassius Clay to his first boxing teacher. He spent endless hours training, determined that he would one day become the heavyweight champion of the world. In 1964 he beat Sonny Liston to make his prediction come true. When Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam War, his title was stripped from him, and he was banned from boxing. But just a few years later, he made an incredible comeback. Find out how Ali became one of the most popular athletes in the world.

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822559609
• ISBN13: 9780822559603
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books (CT)
• Length: 106 Pages
• Weight: 0.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Good summary of Muhammad Ali's life

Written for a younger audience or reluctant reader, this book chronicles the life of Muhammad Ali from his birth until present day. The book discusses how Cassius Clay became interested in boxing, his struggles in school because of a learning disability, his conversion to Islam and presents the statistics of boxing matches in which he fought. The book presents the story of this great boxer's life with a positive "spin" and makes the man seem real and likeable. The people who supported, trained, coached and provided medical attention are given their appropriate attention in the book. Many of Cassius's personality quirks are noted in the book, including his stunt of telling the audience in which round he intended to knock out his opponent, as well as his poetry. His arrogance was offensive to many but that created much of his appeal to the audience. When Cassius Clay changed his religion and his name to Muhammad Ali, he is quoted as saying that it was one of the most important things he had ever done. The book describes his most important fights. This book will have appeal for young readers, reluctant readers and fans of Ali. The book presents this man's life in a sympathetic and positive way.