The finest book ever written about boxing imho was this, by the great George Plimpton, who has long been a hero of idle's combining as he does a love of literature, sport, journalism and the human condition. A supreme stylist and a great American man of letters, right up there with Alastair Cooke in terms of style and sagacity.Plimpton knew Muhammad Ali, warts and all, and thought him exceptional. The Tuscan has a low opinion; perhaps he's seen When We Were Kings - if not, see it - but read this book and you might see Ali in a different light. Possibly the best book ever written about sport.
9 comments:
I agree that Ali was amazing.
Perhaps 'genius' could be redefined in order to encompass physical gift.
Being a pugilist myself I shall look out for this book.
I will make a rash promise, e-k, that you will love this book. You'll probably get it for nothing on amazon.
Years ago, Harry Carpenter hosted a programme called 'The richest prize in sport'. It was a seminal series, and I was hooked for years afterwards!
There were films from way back and lots of comments and twists which depicted a sport which was far different to that of today.
PS Idle, that was me deleting the one before, I wish I could spell...!
There's a reason you'd get the book for nothing on Amazon: Sport is boring.
Oh, mermaid - the things I could teach you if we were ever to spend a weekend on a sofa in front of the sport on the telly.
I'd have you tingling with the anticipation of the toss before a series-deciding test; sighing with pleasure at a Gower cover-drive; yelping at the screen as the referee fails to enforce the offside rule for the All Blacks, but blows us up every time; exhilarated by two thoroughbreds locked in battle for the last two furlongs of a classic; exhausted and spent after a Thrilla in Manilla (not the envelopes).
Afterwards, we could go shopping at Primark for anoraks.
Thanks for the tip, idle, its now on the crimblist
.
Post a Comment