James argues cricket is as much an art form as theatre and ballet! A denial of this would probably make James frown and talk about western elitism. James recognised that the intensity and passion of West Indian cricket was very much linked to the tensions that came from colonialism. Janes parodies Kipling: “What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know”. In my opinion it is certainly one of the best books ever written about sport. “Great claims have been made for Beyond a Boundary … that it is the greatest sports book ever written that it brings the outsider a privileged insight into West Indian culture that it is a severe examination of the colonial condition. The book has gained iconic status and this is from a Sunday Times review: There is a great deal about the history of cricket and the way it is played, so a knowledge of it (even basic) is very helpful. The early part of the book about childhood is one of the stronger parts. James’s account of his childhood is very much about cricket and education. James was brought up on the island of Trinidad and cricket was pretty much a religion.

This book is about one of his abiding passions, cricket. He was a political activist throughout his life. James was a Marxist, anti-colonialist and agitator for the independence of the Caribbean states. All rights reserved.This is the same James who wrote about Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Haitian rebellion. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. What do they know of cricket, or anything, if it is walled off from every other aspect of life and struggle? We are invited to reject the fragmenting of reality, and to see its diverse interconnections without which we are prevented from ever knowing anything fully - including our own reality. As startling as his connections is the light he sheds on each - not only cricket but every subject benefits from shattering boundaries. Writing in the Guardian, Selma James, wife of CLR, shares her insights into a book that her husband 'had to write'.Įstablishing early the interconnection between cricket and race and class divisions opens the way for Beyond a Boundary to fulfil its author's full purpose: to draw out other startling connections - cricket and art, life in ancient Greece, even rewriting English social history with cricket's great WG Grace as a crucial figure. Fifty years after its publication, it is still regarded by many as the greatest book on the game. There are few books on cricket that have had as powerful and as lasting an impact as CLR James' Beyond a Boundary. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser

Beyond a boundary by clr james