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The Greatest cover art

The Greatest

By: Muhammad Ali,Richard Durham
Narrated by: Dion Graham
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Summary

Audie Award, Autobiography/Memoir, 2017.

In his own words, the heavyweight champion of the world pulls no punches as he chronicles the battles he faced in and out of the ring in this fascinating memoir edited by Nobel Prize-winning novelist, Toni Morrison. 

Growing up in the South, surrounded by racial bigotry and discrimination, Ali fought not just for a living, but also for respect and rewards far more precious than money or glory. He was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the BBC. Ali redefined what it meant to be an athlete by giving hope to millions around the world and inspiring us all to fight for what is important to us. 

This is a multifaceted portrait of Muhammad Ali only he could render: sports legend, unapologetic anti-war advocate, outrageous showman and gracious goodwill ambassador, fighter, lover, poet, and provocateur, and an irresistible force to be reckoned with. 

Who better to tell the tale than the man who went the distance living it? 

©1975 Muhammad Ali, Herbert Muhammad, Richard Durham (P)2016 Graymalkin Media

Critic reviews

"It's uncanny how much narrator Dion Graham sounds like Ali. He has the same rhythm, inflection, and passion that The Champ had.... Graham makes us feel the pain Ali felt, both from the fights and from the world." ( AudioFile)

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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome story from the champ himself

This autobiography ends in 1975 when it was originally published. It is a tremendous story bringing forth many facts that I did not know About Ali such as the motorcycle gang attempted lynching after he was refused food in Louisville after he had won the Olympics. The moment he describes when he threw the medal in the river is done so well you can feel being there. Also there is a chapter in the book about how he trains and many famous quotes are taken from that. Enjoyable to all. Note Ali view changes later in life rejecting the Nation of Islam to the true Islam and saying the turning of his back on Malcolm X was the greatest mistake of his life. I would also recommend Thomas Hauser book on Ali also available on Audible. This book is done by his official biographer who interviews all of Ali friend which adds to the rich tapestry of his life.

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7 people found this helpful

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Outstanding

I didn't realise it but the last 5 minutes of the last chapter I was in tears, a truly remarkable piece of work about a remarkable life

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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at times I got lost

Great story, amazing Man with great charisma and courage. I didn't like the fact that the story kept going back and forth, at times I got lost and tried to rewind a few time in case I was day dreaming! anyway that does not undermine the fact that it was a great listen

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The Greatest of All Time

Truly an inspiration story of the greatest sportsman and politician without portfolio ever. A must for any Ali fan or historian.

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1 person found this helpful

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Brilliant story, but..

The life of Ali is well documented in this, from his humble beginnings through to his epic rumble with George Foreman in 1974. It covers both his personal life and his boxing career. although the book ends after his fight with Foreman , when a document of his later career would have been interesting (although his decline and health issues explain why he ended the book on a high).

Now, the only downside is the narrator, whilst I cannot deny the energy and passion he displays in his performance, some of his voices are utterly nauseating and greating. Particularly his 'bundini' voice, and his reanactnent of the crowd in Zaire shouting 'ALI BUMBAYE'.

As I said I cannot deny his passion for the performance. If you can survive a seriously dramatized audiobook then this is fantastic.

PS. Speaking of George foreman, as a fan of George I did notice the book did not speak particularly highly of him, whereas Ali does acknowledge the talent of his other opponents in his book..

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Great autobiography

The narrator was very good, he used different impersonated voices to build the scene. The story was great and interesting to hear about the struggles encountered by Ali. My only criticism is I found the timeline a bit hard to follow at times as it seemed to jump from one moment in his life to the next, however that could just be me. overall , well worth the purchases and great book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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What a guy

Its been a book that has brought me so much joy. The story and his charisma is just off the charts. Despite not being into boxing it genuinely was the greatest

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  • Overall
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Great story telling

A wonderful mixture of interesting facts and really entertaining story telling that almost takes you to each big fight

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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One of the best books I’ve listened too

Usually don’t review books but this one I had too. Fantastic narration and gripping story from start to finish… highly recommend

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  • Overall
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Didn’t want this book to end; an incredible story of a true legend

So much I didn’t know about Ali - Much of it before my time in a world of apartheid and segregation that I can’t fully comprehend.

To achieve what Ali did against a tide of racism and obstacles is unbelievable, and yet he never compromised his beliefs for fame or fortune.

Excellent book, read impeccably. I didn’t want it to end.

A true legend as a man and fighter.

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