Having said that, Ali’s consistency didn’t come from conviction in his opinions all the time, there were issues on which he would tread both sides of the fence.

I don’t demand perfection from all my idols, I know that we are all flawed individuals and it doesn’t prevent us from being able to make outstanding contributions to the world. Rumour has it that he actually would have failed high school but for the fact that the administrators recognised that he was destined for big things, and they wanted to be able to claim part in his success, rather than be the organisation that failed Cassius! Starting from school days racing the school bus as part of a single-minded regimen to become the greatest boxer of all time. Movie star good looks, charisma for days, outrageous boxing ability and an unshakeable confidence combine in an individual who seemed destined for greatness. Despite his flaws, errors in judgement and the mistakes that Ali made, Eig speaks about how often Ali has been proven to be on the right side of history. It is not an open glorification or hero worship, but an examination of a man who had flaws like any of us. What Ali: A Life does wonderfully is to talk through the major movements that Ali’s life spanned. It took over 600 pages to cover the life of this man, so I will not attempt to summarise the story, it is largely fairly well known. Taking his speech, mobility and coordination, but not his sense of humour and charm. Before passing away in 2016 the world watched as the once ‘most famous black man in the world’ had his physical capabilities eroded by Parkinsons Disease. A hero of the people, who was a villain to many at the same time and for many years.

He has been a symbol of hope, equality and defiance spanning many decades. Muhammad Ali is an inspirational figure to many, and for good reason. Biographies are one of my favourite genres to read, so combining the genre with a subject that I have long been interested in is a chance to be a big hit, or a big miss.

Ali a life