About this item
Written by a former publicist and friend of Ali's, an original analysis of one of the sports world's greatest superstars This book is for all Ali fans. It's been more than 30 years since Muhammad Ali last threw a punch, yet he remains unquestionably the best-known athlete of all time. A whole generation now only know the legend of The Greatest, never saw him fight, and yet are in awe of the man and his fantastic fistic feats. The Ali Files gives the facts behind the fable. Author Norman Giller became friends with Ali when he worked as his European publicist, and he has gathered many other intimate eyewitnesses - opponents, referees, trainers, sparring partners, celebrity fans, and ringside reporters - to Ali's astonishing adventures in and out of the ring.
About the Author
Rather than blow my own trumpet, I give you an excerpt from my Wikipedia entry that was written by an unknown admirer:
Norman Giller (born 18 April 1940 Stepney, East End, London) is a prolific English author, a sports historian and television scriptwriter.
With 100 books to his name, Giller is a prolific author who served his writing apprenticeship as a notable Fleet Street journalist. He was chief football reporter with the Daily Express in London (1964-74) , and has been a freelance writer since leaving Fleet Street in 1974. He was 14 years a member of the This Is Your Life scriptwriting team, and has devised several television series including Who's the Greatest? (ITV, 1980s) , The Games of 48 and Over the Moon, Brian (ITV 1990s) , Petrolheads (BBC2 2006) ; he co-produced 63 editions of Stand and Deliver (Sky TV, 1990s) , and has been scriptwriter and co-producer with Top Gear director Brian Klein of more than 50 sports-based videos/DVDs, featuring celebrities such as Gordon Ramsay, Ray Winstone, Alan Hansen, John Motson, Dickie Bird, Frank Bruno, Frankie Dettori, Lawrence Dallaglio, Harry Carpenter, and Jimmy Greaves. His output has also included crosswords and puzzle games with The Times, Daily and Sunday Express, The Sun, Sunday Telegraph and London Evening News. He has compiled the annual Times Sports Jumbo Crossword for 27 consecutive years
Giller was the argument-settling Judge of The Sun for ten years, and he and his sports statistician son Michael set the 2,000 questions for the DVD version of Football Trivial Pursuit. With his then partner Peter Lorenzo and associate Malcolm Rowley, Giller created one of the first major pub quiz competitions in 1974. It was called What's Yours? and had 64 competing pubs in a series sponsored by the Charrington's chain in south-east England.
Giller has a regular Fleet Street nostalgia blog at the Sports Journalists' Association website.
His 81st book was a collaboration with Pelé and Gordon Banks and in partnership with their UK agent Terry Baker, a limited edition featuring an in-depth look at their careers and, in particular, the famous Banks save against Pelé for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup finals.
Giller's 82nd book was The Lane of Dream], a complete history of the Tottenham Hotspur ground at White Hart Lane before the bulldozers move in. The book is introduced by two Spurs legends, Jimmy Greaves and Steve Perryman. It is a self published book by Giller, who experimented by having the second-half written on line by Tottenham supporters. Giller provided the facts; the fans provided the feelings. He had six books published in 2010, written in collaboration with his son, Michael, and leading sports agent Terry Baker: Jimmy Greaves At Seventy and The Golden Double, 'the story of Tottenham's historic League and FA Cup triumph in 1960-61, Greavsie's Greatest (The 50 greatest post-
