Overview

The 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, staged in the young nation of Zaire and dubbed the Rumble in the Jungle, was arguably the biggest sporting event of the twentieth century. The bout between an ascendant undefeated champ and an outspoken master trying to reclaim the throne was a true multimedia spectacle. A three-day festival of international music—featuring James Brown, Miriam Makeba, and many others—preceded the fight itself, which was viewed by a record-breaking one billion people worldwide. Lewis A. Erenberg’s new book provides a global perspective on this singular match, not only detailing the titular fight but also locating it at the center of the cultural dramas of the day. TheRumble in the Jungle orbits around Ali and Foreman, placing them at the convergence of the American Civil Rights movement and the Great Society, the rise of Islamic and African liberation efforts, and the ongoing quest to cast off the shackles of colonialism. With his far-reaching take on sports, music, marketing, and mass communications, Erenberg shows how one boxing match became nothing less than a turning point in 1970s culture.

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9780226059433

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Reviews

An important and superbly written book. What makes The Rumble in the Jungle so convincing is Erenberg's extensive research, lively writing style, and detailed explorations of the biographies of Ali, Foreman, and the musicians, politicians, and business promoters encircling the fight. Although the fight between Ali and Foreman has received considerable commentary, Erenberg allows readers to understand its larger political significance for American and global history. --Lary May, author of The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way

"""An important and superbly written book. What makes The Rumble in the Jungle so convincing is Erenberg's extensive research, lively writing style, and detailed explorations of the biographies of Ali, Foreman, and the musicians, politicians, and business promoters encircling the fight. Although the fight between Ali and Foreman has received considerable commentary, Erenberg allows readers to understand its larger political significance for American and global history.""--Lary May, author of The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way"

Author Information

Lewis A. Erenberg is professor emeritus of history at Loyola University Chicago and the author of Steppin' Out, Swingin' the Dream, and The War in American Culture, all published by the University of Chicago Press.

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