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psykobilliethekid's review
5.0
Not going to lie, there were parts of this that made me feel like the image of my hero was tarnished. Like when you place something up on so high of a pedestal that you fail to see the cracks of age or the faded streaks in the shiny veneer. But then I reached the end of this book and was reminded of why I admired this man so much: he never stopped being the greatest, he only stopped boxing. And as a person with fibromyalgia, a disease that has no cure, I can look up to how he lived and realize you can still inspire those around you and you can still make a difference in someone's life since the disease is something you have and it is not you.
There were times I felt like one of the authors was trying to push their views on the Muslim faith and the views of the NOI, but I used my training during college as a history major to look past this and see what was really going on. And I found this was the author trying to show how Ali could have felt at points of his life as an omniscient storyteller, not to push their views onto the reader. Why I felt that way, I don't know, but it was definitely there for some reason and I'll have to explore that on my own time.
But I do want to say this, if you're a fan of Muhammad Ali and want to learn about his story from start to finish, this is the book to read. You can tell the authors are passionate about the subject and the material and want to keep the facts as clear as possible. Plus, it's just all over well done. Bravo to Sybille Titeux and Amazing Améziane for putting together such a great piece of work.
There were times I felt like one of the authors was trying to push their views on the Muslim faith and the views of the NOI, but I used my training during college as a history major to look past this and see what was really going on. And I found this was the author trying to show how Ali could have felt at points of his life as an omniscient storyteller, not to push their views onto the reader. Why I felt that way, I don't know, but it was definitely there for some reason and I'll have to explore that on my own time.
But I do want to say this, if you're a fan of Muhammad Ali and want to learn about his story from start to finish, this is the book to read. You can tell the authors are passionate about the subject and the material and want to keep the facts as clear as possible. Plus, it's just all over well done. Bravo to Sybille Titeux and Amazing Améziane for putting together such a great piece of work.
chelseamartinez's review
3.0
Detailed account of Ali's boxing career, including parts I didn't know about specific relationships with rivals, his wives, and coaches. I just realized he's not in the new Ken Burns doc about Vietnam? Maybe it's in the parts I have yet to watch.
peggah's review
4.0
I loved this portrayal of Muhammad Ali, though the second person narrative was a little weird for me.
iymain's review
5.0
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this biography. I'm not usually much of a graphic novel reader (I've been practicing, though). Usually, I find the balance between text and images to be confusing, but in this book, the images really did enhance the story. From the inside cover's list of characters with mini-biographies to the exerpts from newspapers and TV interviews, the images really helped to tell the story and connect various pieces together.
In some ways, I think this is a far more accessible story of the history of civil rights than the graphic novel March is. While Titeux does not shy away from introducing numerous historical figures, somehow they stay distinct and never slip into a pool of confused/confusing names. It helps that the book contains the biographical reference in the beginning of the book, but I never needed to use it.
I love how African American history provides a supporting structure for the story of Ali's life. He was instrumental in so many parts of the movement for black power.
My main complaint is probably that at times the book was a bit sycophantic. Obviously Ali was an important historical figure, but the dismissal of his treatment of his first wife as he divorced her to get together with Veronica, who "soon falls for you. Who wouldn't want to be wrapped up in your gentleness, your kindness, and all the rest that sets you apart?" Well, gee, Betty, maybe? Or perhaps she'd've been OK sharing? IDK.
This is offset by the powerful historical recountings like that of the year 1968, which includes Vietnam, Stokely Carmichael, the assassination of MLK, Robert Kennedy's run for president and the protest of John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the Olympics. These aren't isolated moments in time, however. While their most historic moments happened that year, Titeux also lets us know how those situations resolved over time, compacting years into a cohesive whole with a shared moment of visibility in 1968.
I was struck by how much of boxing history (of which I was completely ignorant) was re-tooled to create plotlines for the Rocky franchise. Who knew? Well, probably anyone who knows anything about famous boxing matches, I guess...
The author does hint at the broken relationships Ali leaves in his wake: Malcolm X and Joe Frazier come to mind. But predominantly the story is one that echoes the praise of many who knew him during his lifetime.
Anyway, this book goes beyond merely telling about an important person's life. It's an extremely effective way to tell history. The narrative arc of the story itself is a page-turner, and the author leaves a lasting theme of resistance by including an image of a young person with a raised fist as he wears a t-shirt that reads "Trayvon Martin."
In some ways, I think this is a far more accessible story of the history of civil rights than the graphic novel March is. While Titeux does not shy away from introducing numerous historical figures, somehow they stay distinct and never slip into a pool of confused/confusing names. It helps that the book contains the biographical reference in the beginning of the book, but I never needed to use it.
I love how African American history provides a supporting structure for the story of Ali's life. He was instrumental in so many parts of the movement for black power.
My main complaint is probably that at times the book was a bit sycophantic. Obviously Ali was an important historical figure, but the dismissal of his treatment of his first wife as he divorced her to get together with Veronica, who "soon falls for you. Who wouldn't want to be wrapped up in your gentleness, your kindness, and all the rest that sets you apart?" Well, gee, Betty, maybe? Or perhaps she'd've been OK sharing? IDK.
This is offset by the powerful historical recountings like that of the year 1968, which includes Vietnam, Stokely Carmichael, the assassination of MLK, Robert Kennedy's run for president and the protest of John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the Olympics. These aren't isolated moments in time, however. While their most historic moments happened that year, Titeux also lets us know how those situations resolved over time, compacting years into a cohesive whole with a shared moment of visibility in 1968.
I was struck by how much of boxing history (of which I was completely ignorant) was re-tooled to create plotlines for the Rocky franchise. Who knew? Well, probably anyone who knows anything about famous boxing matches, I guess...
The author does hint at the broken relationships Ali leaves in his wake: Malcolm X and Joe Frazier come to mind. But predominantly the story is one that echoes the praise of many who knew him during his lifetime.
Anyway, this book goes beyond merely telling about an important person's life. It's an extremely effective way to tell history. The narrative arc of the story itself is a page-turner, and the author leaves a lasting theme of resistance by including an image of a young person with a raised fist as he wears a t-shirt that reads "Trayvon Martin."
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