King of the World

Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero

By David Remnick | Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

About the book

The bestselling biography of Muhammad Ali--with an Introduction by Salman Rushdie

On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was \"a new kind of black man\" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism.
        
No one has captured Ali--and the era that he exhilarated and sometimes infuriated--with greater vibrancy, drama, and astuteness than David Remnick, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lenin's Tomb (and editor of The New Yorker). In charting Ali's rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, Remnick creates a canvas of unparalleled richness. He gives us empathetic portraits of wisecracking sportswriters and bone-breaking mobsters; of the baleful Liston and the haunted Patterson; of an audacious Norman Mailer and an enigmatic Malcolm X. Most of all, King of the World does justice to the speed, grace, courage, humor, and ebullience of one of the greatest athletes and irresistibly dynamic personalities of our time.

Editions of King of the World

Hardcover
ISBN 9780375500657
Paperback
ISBN 9780375702297
EBook
ISBN 9780804153263
EBook
ISBN 9780804173629

Read an Excerpt

The bestselling biography of Muhammad Ali--with an Introduction by Salman Rushdie

On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was \"a new kind of black man\" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism.
        
No one has captured Ali--and the era that he exhilarated and sometimes infuriated--with greater vibrancy, drama, and astuteness than David Remnick, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lenin's Tomb (and editor of The New Yorker). In charting Ali's rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, Remnick creates a canvas of unparalleled richness. He gives us empathetic portraits of wisecracking sportswriters and bone-breaking mobsters; of the baleful Liston and the haunted Patterson; of an audacious Norman Mailer and an enigmatic Malcolm X. Most of all, King of the World does justice to the speed, grace, courage, humor, and ebullience of one of the greatest athletes and irresistibly dynamic personalities of our time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is King of the World about?

The bestselling biography of Muhammad Ali--with an Introduction by Salman Rushdie

On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was \"a new kind of black man\" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism.
        
No one has captured Ali--and the era that he exhilarated and sometimes infuriated--with greater vibrancy, drama, and astuteness than David Remnick, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lenin's Tomb (and editor of The New Yorker). In charting Ali's rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, Remnick creates a canvas of unparalleled richness. He gives us empathetic portraits of wisecracking sportswriters and bone-breaking mobsters; of the baleful Liston and the haunted Patterson; of an audacious Norman Mailer and an enigmatic Malcolm X. Most of all, King of the World does justice to the speed, grace, courage, humor, and ebullience of one of the greatest athletes and irresistibly dynamic personalities of our time.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in King of the World?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Biography: general > Biography: sport

Where can I read a sample of King of the World?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780375500657

Who is/are the Author/s of the book King of the World?

David Remnick

Who is the Publisher of the book King of the World?

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

King of the World is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780375500657) and paperback(ISBN 9780375702297) and ebook(ISBN 9780804153263) and ebook(ISBN 9780804173629)

Where can I buy King of the World online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy King of the World?