Muhammad Life

Cassius Clay Jr. The Greatest. The Louisville Lip. The People’s Champion. Muhammad Ali. All are names for one of the greatest boxers of all time. Muhammad Ali lived a life that produced some of the most notable boxing matches ever. He also had battles outside of the boxing ring - battles that included fighting with the federal government for his freedom, as well as fighting against his debilitating Parkinson’s disease.

In nine stories and 13 poems, Sharon G. Flake gives listeners insight into the minds of a diverse group of adolescent African-American males. There’s Tow-Kaye, getting married at age 17 to the love of his life, who’s pregnant. He knows it’s the right thing to do, but he’s scared to death. James writes in his diary about his twin brother’s terrible secret, which threatens to pull James down, too. Tyler explains what it’s like to be a player with the ladies. In a letter to his uncle, La’Ron confesses that he’s infected with HIV. Eric takes us on a tour of North Philly on the Fourth of July.

How are you? In your lifetime, you are going to be asked this a few thousand times. Or at least it seems like you are. The problem is when a question becomes so common it tends to carry less meaning. We answer, “Fine” without thinking, an automatic response much like saying “Hello.” But are you fine? Really?

Makena Matthews and her family have just moved to Springhill, Georgia to start a new chapter in their lives. She is super excited about starting her new school. Makena is an exceptionally bright girl with an extreme love for people. Her late grandmother Azul always told her how powerful it is to have a positive mindset no matter what and how important it is to use it to help those around her.