Product Overview
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) has always engendered an emotional reaction from the public. From his appearance as an Olympic champion to his iconic status as a national hero, his carefully constructed image and controversial persona has always been intensely scrutinized. In Muhammad Ali, Michael Ezra considers the boxer who calls himself The Greatest from a new perspective. He writes about Alis pre-championship bouts, the management of his career and his current legacy, exploring the promotional aspects of Ali and how they were wrapped up in political, economic, and cultural ownership.
Ezras incisive study examines the relationships between Alis cultural appeal and its commercial manifestations. Citing examples of the boxers relationship to the Vietnam War and the Nation of Islamwhich serve as barometers of his public moral authorityMuhammad Ali analyzes the difficulties of creating and maintaining these cultural images, as well as the impact these themes have on Alis meaning to the public.
