Remnick, David – King of the World

Description

Remnick, David ‘King of the World’ (Ali) 1998 1st ed. 326 pages. Fine/Fine

The 1998 first edition hardcover by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Remnick is actually titled King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero (erroneously referred to at times as Kings of the World) and was published in October 1998 by Random House, New York. Spanning approximately 326 to 336 pages, it is widely considered one of the definitive literary and socio-political biographies of Muhammad Ali.

Book Synopsis & Editorial Focus:
Rather than tracking Ali’s entire life, King of the World focuses intensely on the formative period of the early-to-mid 1960s. It chronicles the transformation of the young, brash Louisville Olympic gold medalist Cassius Clay into the world heavyweight champion and global cultural icon Muhammad Ali.
Remnick places Ali at the absolute center of the American civil rights movement, changing racial dynamics, and the geopolitical tensions of the 1960s. The book contrasts Ali against his two primary boxing contemporaries:
• Floyd Patterson: Positioned by the white mainstream media as the “Good Negro”—an integrated, polite, and submissive champion.
• Sonny Liston: Cast as the terrifying “Bad Negro”—an ex-con tied to organized crime whom the public feared.
The core narrative builds dynamically toward the historic February 1964 bout in Miami Beach where Clay shocked the world by defeating Liston to claim the title, leading immediately to his public conversion to Islam and name change. Remnick frames Ali as a transcendent figure who broke both prevailing stereotypes to prove he could define his own black identity on his own terms.

Physical Design & First Edition Features:
• Binding & Boards: Bound in high-quality two-tone paper and cloth boards (typically a black cloth spine with paper-covered gray/blue sides) featuring the title stamped elegantly on the spine.
• Dust Jacket: The original paper dust jacket features a striking, dramatic black-and-white archival photograph of a young, intense Cassius Clay looking directly into the camera.
• Pagination: Comprises 326 pages of main text, expanding up to roughly 336 pages when counting preliminary frontmatter, comprehensive historical chapter notes, a detailed list of sources, and an index.
• First Edition Identification: Published on October 20, 1998, true first printings feature the explicit statement “First Edition” printed on the copyright page, accompanied by a standard Random House descending number line starting at 2 (e.g., 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3) because Random House traditionally utilized a “1” in the first printing text block or let the “First Edition” statement signify the primary print run. True first editions carry the ISBN-10: 0375500650