King of the World by Mark

King of the World by Mark - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

A book that has influenced me is King of the World by David Remnick. The book is about a man named Muhammad Ali who took the world by storm and became the most well known boxer and athlete of his time. The book talks about him before his first title fight where he defeated the heavyweight champion of the world. It also talks about him in the midst of his stardom. The pieces of writing that impacted me were his career in the ring and outside of it.
In the ring, Ali’s focus and determination impacted me due to his ability to do everything right for his body. For example, he never drank or smoked and put himself on a strict diet. He announced that soda pop was as lethal as cigarettes. His laser focus has made me be more determined to pay attention to tasks at hand. It has also made me laser focused on school and sports. Outside of the ring, Muhammad’s character made a positive impact on me. When Ali was drafted for the Vietnam War he refused to go because of his faith. He felt he couldn’t fight in the war that he completely disagreed with. His ability to stand up for what he believed in, no matter the consequences or judgement by others is a quality I admire greatly about him and use in my life. Reading King of the World has had a positive impact on my life.