Michael Holding, one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and part of the greatest Test cricket team we’ve seen. Latterly an unmistakable and intelligent voice on cricket media. In short a hero for me.
The book stems from a rain break in play in a test match
between England and West Indies, with BLM in the news Holding gave an emotional
interview to which people responded in their thousands. A seed was planted and a book became reality.
As a parent to mixed race kids I thought I was pretty clued
up with the subject, it turns out I didn’t know very much at all. The book educated me, saddened me and shocked
me.
I’ve never really understood “Black history month” and it is
only now that I realise just how much is being ignored. In the history taught to British children,
black people only enter the picture with slavery, all the civilisations before
this are ignored. Since slavery most
black history has been edited out, both the cruelties of white imperial rule as
well as the achievements of black individuals.
Yes we’re taught a bit about MLK and 60’s civil rights but that is it.
There were so many stories of appalling behaviour by white
people (though I want to add a distinction- historically white people of the
upper class. Their attitude was in turn
taught to ordinary white people) throughout.
Holding’s distinctive voice comes through, as does his
passion and anger but he is not a writer.
He has enlisted Ed Hawkins as ghost writer and spoke to other prominent
black athletes who are quoted in various chapters.
This book is a polite answer to the frightened people who
say “All lives matter”. This is a book
that everyone should read but sadly the people who really need to read it most
are the ones that won’t.
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