Author:Bob Mee
Sport can offer catharsis in times of crisis, but not this time. Liston was a mob fighter with a criminal past, and rumours were spreading that Clay was not just a noisy, bright-eyed boy blessed with more than his share of the craziness of youth, but a believer in a shadowy cult: the Nation of Islam. Instead of a hero and a villain, boxing had served up two bad guys.
Against this backdrop of political instability, of a country at war with itself, in a time when ordinary African American people were still being maimed and killed for the smallest acts of defiance, Liston and Clay sought out their own individual destinies.
Liston and Ali follows the contrasting paths these two men took, from their backgrounds in Arkansas and Kentucky through to that sixteen-month period in 1964 and 1965 when the story of the world heavyweight championship centred on them and all they stood for. Using original source material, it explores a riveting chapter in sporting history with fresh insight and in rare detail.
One of the most comprehensive books about a solitary ring saga . . . commendably exhaustive
—— Daily MailMee has provided a fascinating insight into Liston's rise and demise, the end of Clay and the birth of Muhammad Ali
—— The SunThere are hundreds of books about Muhammad Ali, but very little good writing about Sonny Liston. Liston and Ali . . . is very good writing about Liston
—— Thomas Hauser[The] two-fight saga and its aftermath are diligently researched and recaptured . . . the first book to dissect and debate two of the most controversial heavyweight fights in history
—— Independent on SundayImpeccably researched and wonderfully written . . . [Liston & Ali] transports you back to an era when things were so different, while dramatic social and cultural changes were being made
—— Boxing NewsAs a snapshot of a tumultuous era and a portrait of two legends, this is frequently fascinating
—— Metro LondonWell-researched
—— Sunday TimesDraws on a rich archive
—— Daily TelegraphMee goes into every detail in his meticulously researched book
—— Colin Hart , The SunDoes a great job of examining not only the fighters, but the wider social and political implications of their meeting. Detailing the story with clarity, depth and insight, it's a fine account of a tumultuous time
—— The Big IssueA fine account of a sparkling career in the saddle
—— Sunday Business PostA fine account of a professional sport on the verge of fundamental change
—— Times Literary SupplementA gripping insight into an unrelenting hard world
—— IndependentA stylish, whimsical and ultimately tragic jaunt through one of cycling’s golden ages
—— Daniel Friebe , Outdoor FitnessLaurent Fignon gives cycling fans a fascinating glimpse of what really went on behind the scenes of this epic sport
—— Cycle Sport