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I Am The Greatest: The Best Quotations from Muhammad Ali
Presents a collection of quotations from the boxer on such subjects as boxing, Islam, life's purpose, and Parkinson's disease.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 27, 2022
This little book is full of quotes made by Ali over the years, with the sources for them and usually a sentence or two explaining the context of the quote.
It is like an ultra-concentrated biography. The reader gets a sense of who Ali was, what he believed, and how he lived his life.
I remember watching him, listening to him, and wondering why he seemed to scare so many people and make others so angry (like my Dad, who was one of the many people who never cared for Ali, but he never explained why, at least not to me).
One of the greatest television moments I remember was when he lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta 1996. Nobody knew who it would be and when he appeared, I think the world cheered. I know I did. I get teary even now just remembering it.
Here is what he said in 2000 to The New York Times about that moment:
"My left hand was shaking because of Parkinson's, my right hand was shaking from fear. Somehow, between the two of them, I got the thing lit."
There are also a few quotes from other people about Ali, and some words from baseball great Reggie Jackson explain what I did not get back in the day.
"Do you understand what it did for Black Americans to know that the most physically gifted, possibly the most handsome, and one of the most charismatic men in the world was black? Ali helped raise black people in this country out of mental slavery. The entire experience of being black changed for millions of people because of Ali."
Love the man or hate him, he was special and will be remembered forever.
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them ~~ a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
It is like an ultra-concentrated biography. The reader gets a sense of who Ali was, what he believed, and how he lived his life.
I remember watching him, listening to him, and wondering why he seemed to scare so many people and make others so angry (like my Dad, who was one of the many people who never cared for Ali, but he never explained why, at least not to me).
One of the greatest television moments I remember was when he lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta 1996. Nobody knew who it would be and when he appeared, I think the world cheered. I know I did. I get teary even now just remembering it.
Here is what he said in 2000 to The New York Times about that moment:
"My left hand was shaking because of Parkinson's, my right hand was shaking from fear. Somehow, between the two of them, I got the thing lit."
There are also a few quotes from other people about Ali, and some words from baseball great Reggie Jackson explain what I did not get back in the day.
"Do you understand what it did for Black Americans to know that the most physically gifted, possibly the most handsome, and one of the most charismatic men in the world was black? Ali helped raise black people in this country out of mental slavery. The entire experience of being black changed for millions of people because of Ali."
Love the man or hate him, he was special and will be remembered forever.
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them ~~ a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
November 29, 2017
Not very gripping
After first couple of pages it gets very boring . just more and more of the same. Not compulsive reading
After first couple of pages it gets very boring . just more and more of the same. Not compulsive reading
April 21, 2012
I grew up loving Muhammad Ali because my dad loved him. I remember he and my mom laughing about how sharp his tongue was. It was a delight to read some of those quotes that were inspirational to them during hard times.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews