Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight: Cassius Clay vs. the United States of America

There are only two kinds of men, those who compromise and those who take a stand. There are only two kind of reader, those who read this book and know this incredible character and those who have not read and think he was just an athlete. Oh boy, the author compares the Ali behavior with Jordan was almost as if he had taken a shock: “Jordan’s legacy will forever be tainted by the marketing connection that marks the chasm between him and the truly great athlete like Muhammad Ali. How can a man who most certainly does not need the money go on pushing Nike after he learns about their sweatshops in Southeast Asia? Ali understood the political dimension: he refuse to go to Vietnam because he understood the irony of exploited young blacks, Hispanics, and poor white males being sent halfway around the world to fight poor Asian boys involved in a war of national liberation that had nothing to do with U.S. or its national interests. A decade after the end of the Vietnam War, Jordan willingly become a worldwide spokesman for a U.S corporation that exploited the children of the boys Ali refused to fight. In the global context, that is far more significant that anything he achieved in the basketball court… Remember, a generation grew up wanting to ‘Be like Make’. Maybe that’s why their aspirations today don’t extend beyond the next video game, or the next new pair of Nikes. Once you get past the highlight film, it’s not much of legacy.” By the way, I change my jordan poster for Ali!!!!

I first saw the movie on cable tv which inspired me to purchase both the book and dvd. Both arrived safe and sound and ahead of expectation as is usual from Amazon. I am old enough to have been a teenager when the events in this story unfolded. I remembered the details only vaguely so both the book and the story have provided me with the forgotten detail. Muhammad Ali's story reflects a pivotal point in the rights of individuals and their relationship to government in the 20th century. I will share this story with my students to show them that some battles in life, come at great personal cost, but at the end of the day one has to stand up for what one believes in irrespective of the wider public opinion. I have ranked this as five stars because it is an inspirational story, well told and suitably referenced. John Barnes Bangkok Thailand

A good overall look at Ali's life and the turbulent times of the 1960's. I feel the title is a little deceiving. While the current movie "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" is completely about the court case Cassius Clay vs. the United States of America, the book deals with it almost as an aside. Having seen the movie first, I was expecting full concentration on the court case; instead, the book is far more comprehensive.

Great great book, wish I had read it years ago when it first came out. It focuses on the period in Ali's career when he refused to be inducted into the Army to fight in the Vietnam War. Ali challenged America on what it really means to have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and civil & equal rights for all of its citizens. This book should be a standard textbook in classes on 20th-centruy US history.

What a find. The book admires Ali, but is serious history in its treatment of evidence. It gains a bit of distance from its subject and is willing to correct some overly-fawning beliefs about him.

I saw the movie first and then read the book. This is one of the very few times I would say the movie was far superior. The book is supposed to be about the Supreme Court decision overturning Ali's conviction but most of it was not about that at all. Lots of details about Ali's early life. Interesting, but not what the book is supposed to be about.

Growing up after Ali hung up his belt, I was not exposed to his story. Now that he is gone, I am sad I didn't know more about him much, much sooner. Why is this book not required reading in an American history class?

Informative on how Ali joined the Nation of Islam and took the position he maintained about not serving in the military during the Viet Nam war. I wish the book had more details about the various court hearings in Ali's legal battle. Still a pretty good read.

Book arrived in great condition! I loved the movie so I'm looking forward to reading it.