Minutes February book: The Fight

The Fight

by Norman Mailer

(chosen by JM)

Theme: Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.


JM is (we discovered) obsessed with Muhammad Ali and boxing.  She loves this book, and was waiting for an opportunity to choose it for bookclub - which her allocated theme gave her. In the past, she's shied away from selecting it, as she thought we'd "all hate it".  One of her favourite movies is When we Were Kings, which is a documentary about the 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight, and she can vaguely remember seeing parts of the fight back in the 1970s.

About the author:

Norman Mailer was born in 1923 and went to Harvard when he was sixteen. While studying engineering at university he became interested in writing; he published his first story when he was eighteen. He wrote a number of books and also directed four films. In 1955 Norman Mailer co-founded the Village Voice, and he was the editor of Dissent from 1952 until 1963. For his part in demonstrations against the war in Vietnam he was gaoled in 1967. He was President of PEN (US chapter) from 1984 to 1986 and was winner of the National Book Award for Arts and Letters in 1969 and of the Pulitzer Prize twice, once in 1969 and again in 1980. He was married six times and had nine children. He died in November 2007.

(general biographical detail from the publisher's website)

What the publisher says about the book:

In 1975, at the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in Kinshasa, Zaire, Muhammad Ali met George Foreman in the ring. Foreman's genius employed silence, serenity and cunning. He had never been defeated. His hands were his instrument, and 'he kept them in his pockets the way a hunter lays his rifle back into its velvet case'. Together the two men made boxing history in an explosive meeting of two great minds, two iron wills and monumental egos.

What we discussed about the book:

• Is this a book about Ali and Foreman, or a book about Mailer? How did he insert himself into the narrative?
• Why did Mailer chose an illeistic style to write this book? (referring to himself in the third person)
• In what ways are each of the characters presented?
• Why does Ali hold such popular appeal - what is it about his character that creates this? 
• How much would the fight fees of $5,000,0000 in 1974 be worth in today's money?
• What were each of them going to do with the money?
• Was Mailer privy to the actual training Ali was doing, or was it a strategic facade to seem to be doing less than Foreman? Was he training during the night?
• Was loosening the rope, and tightening the canvas within the rules?
• How did the written descriptions of the actual fight compare with the video footage on YouTube?
• How would we describe the writing style of this book? Did it help or hinder our reading experience?
• Did we understand the black political agenda underpinning the book? What were Mailer's views?  
• How did Mailer present the political situation in the Zaire? 
• Is this a book that appeals equally to men and women? Why or why not?

And then we were sidetracked into:

• What is the appeal of boxing as a spectator sport?
• How do you become a 'heavyweight champion'? Is there just one?
• What is cage fighting? Why is it popular?
• How a full-length book tells a story differently to newspaper and magazine articles. Does the longer deadline alter the views of the writer by offering time for reflection?
• Are there racist connotations to the term 'Rumble in the Jungle'?

In other news, we discussed:

• Numerous upcoming travel plans
• The experience of a Turkish hamam. Is communal semi-nude bathing in our comfort zone?

Ratings:
Range: 4 to 8.5
Average:  6.61

Next book: One Day by David Nicholls (chosen by Domestic Goddess)