Introduced by Hana Ali and Michael Mailer
First Printing
Photographs by Neil Leifer
Step into the ring with The Fight by Norman Mailer. This 50th-anniversary edition features an introduction by Michael Mailer and Hana Ali, photographs by legendary sports photographer Neil Leifer. This Folio edition captures the legendary ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ like never before.
Editor’s Note
- Mandy Kirkby, Editor
In 1974, Muhammad Ali prepared to face the formidable heavyweight champion George Foreman. Held in Zaire and dubbed the 'Rumble in the Jungle’, what unfolded became one of the greatest events in sporting history. But this was more than just a boxing match, this was a battle of wills, a clash of cultures, and a moment where a man’s spirit becomes as crucial as his strength.
Norman Mailer's words have been paired with the legendary photographs of Neil Leifer, and his large-scale images capture the crackle and tension of the atmosphere both in and out of the ring. To complete this 50th-anniverary edition, we have a pair of wonderful introductions. Michael Mailer's piece explores the background to the fight and his father's part in it, and Hana Ali writes movingly of her father's later friendship with George Foreman.
Bound in printed cloth
Set in Garamond with Early Edition as display
248 pages printed with colour integrated photographs throughout
Printed slipcase
Sized at 9¼˝ x 8¼˝
‘One of the defining texts of sports journalism. Not only does Mailer recall the violent combat with a scholar’s eye . . . he also makes the whole act of reporting seem as exciting as what’s occurring in the ring.’
- GQ
Norman Mailer brings readers into the heart of one of the most iconic boxing matches in history where the legendary Muhammed Ali prepares to face the formidable George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle.” With his sharp eye for detail and keen insight into human nature, Mailer goes beyond the ring, capturing the atmosphere of Zaire, the psychological warfare between the fighters and the cultural significance of the event. This is more than just a boxing match, this is a battle of wills, a clash of cultures, and a moment where a man’s spirit becomes as crucial as his strength. In Mailer’s hands, The Fight becomes a gripping tale of strategy, resilience, and the indomitable force of character.
Joan Didion’s visceral view of 1960s America is told in her first collection of journalism, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, presented in a new edition by Folio. Introduction and image selection by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Hilton Als.
Hunter S. Thompson’s acid-laced counterculture classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is given the ultimate collector’s makeover in this 50th anniversary Folio Society edition featuring Ralph Steadman’s original illustrations and an exclusive introduction by David Mamet.
Full of sweat, tears and side-splitting humour, Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods is a page-turning travelogue and this Folio Society edition is the ultimate companion for fans of the author’s inimitable wit.
The Right Stuff is an exhilarating flight into the death-defying lives of the Mercury Seven, America’s first astronauts. This Folio edition of Tom Wolfe’s classic features superb retro-styled colour illustrations by Tavis Coburn.
