Holding was a West Indian fast bowler in the 70’s & 80’s, now a cricket commentator.
This is extraordinary, written out of years of frustration and triggered by the death of George Floyd.
As a bowler, Holding was fearsomely fast, but as a commentator he is knowledgeable, amusing and generally benign. But as a Jamaican, centuries of oppression and suppression of black identity, have sat suppressed, and the killing of Floyd and the BLM/ take the knee movement have triggered this book. He has friends who are black sportsmen and women and they have all contributed.
At times a bit of a polemic (but always fairly written), Holding is no intellectual so the arguments are a bit haphazard directionally from time to time, but as a white anglo Irish male of exactly Holding’s age, very challenging. And it should attract readers who might not normally address these issues and make them think, and this will generally contribute, I hope, to change.
Comments