The Tao of Muhammad Ali

By Davis Miller

Book Overview

Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer the world has ever seen and the most charismatic athlete of all time. Mesmeric both inside the ring and out Ali has been a role model a spiritual thinker and a symbol of courage for thousands of people.

Davis Miller was a sickly 12-year-old child when he first encountered Ali. From this meeting there developed a powerful personal relationship that has lasted decades. The Tao of Muhammad Ali is a unique portrait of this exceptional fighter and a compelling story of hero-worship of fathers and sons of strength through wisdom.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0099753413
• ISBN13: 9780099753414
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

the best on the Greatest

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.

Great insight into the daily life of the Greatest

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.

A True Insight into the Daily Life of a Hero

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 think I finally know how to describe this book to friends

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.

People will still be reading this book in 2104 A.D.

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.