No Way But This: in search of Paul Robeson - Softcover

Jeff Sparrow

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1911344293 ISBN 13: 9781911344292

Publisher: Scribe UK, 2017

Synopsis

Film star. Icon. Agitator. Martyr.

Paul Robeson was a brilliant student and champion athlete who abandoned a career in law to find worldwide fame as a performer and activist. He was undoubtedly the most famous African American of his time before losing everything for the sake of his principles.

The son of a former slave, Robeson's life took him to Hollywood via the Harlem Renaissance and London's West End. While he stunned audiences with his performances of Ol Man River and Othello, he also championed social justice around the world, travelling from the coal-mining towns of Wales, to the frontiers of the Spanish Civil War, and to the Soviet Union.

Yet privately Robeson was a troubled figure, burdened by his role as a symbol for the African-American people and an international advocate for the working class. His stratospheric rise would reach its end in the courtroom of the McCarthy hearings. Today, Robeson is largely unknown, his legacy obscured by the forces of history that destroyed him.

Jeff Sparrow traces Robeson's career, showing how his remarkable life tells the story of the twentieth century and illuminates today's reality. From Black Lives Matter to Putin's United Russia, Sparrow explores questions of race in America, political freedom in Moscow, and the legacy of communism in Europe. Part travelogue, part biography, it is a story of political ardour, heritage, and trauma -- a luminous portrait of a man and an urgent reflection on the politics that define us now.

About this title

About the Author

Jeff Sparrow is an Australian writer, editor, and broadcaster. He writes a fortnightly column for The Guardian, and presents a daily show on Australian radio.

Review

'Robeson’s character, art, principled politics and legacy of extraordinary courage all come vividly to life in No Way But This. There are many worthy books about the life of Paul Robeson, but this is one not to be missed.'

(Red Flag)

'Part journalist, part historian, Jeff Sparrow writes with loving discernment about a remarkable man and the forces that shaped his unmistakable voice. [This is] a gripping story of courage and commitment, told by one of our finest chroniclers of the human capacity for tenderness amid the squalor. Sparrow takes us on a global journey, revealing that beyond an old man and a river, there lies a deep valley of hatred and hope, sadness and solidarity.'

(Claire Wright, Stella Prize-winning author of The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka)

'Sparrow has eloquently portrayed Robeson as a giant of a man who was prepared to kill off his career for his political beliefs. He emphasises that past struggles should inform today; we need not just inspiration to act but affiliation to organise and solidarity to withstand.'

(Morning Star Online)

‘This is an inspiring biography of a really remarkable human being.’

(Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream)

'An illuminating look at the life of a frankly remarkable man.' FIVE BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ THIS MONTH

(The AU Review)

'Brilliantly told by Jeff Sparrow, Paul Robeson's story is compelling and important. No Way But This is a challenge to history and a reminder of what unites us.'

(Owen Jones, Guardian columnist and author of The Establishment)

‘An entertaining, informative and important book.’

(Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon)

‘Book of the week ... [A] conscientious and often painful biography.’ (Daily Mail)

'The book gripped me. I read excerpts to The Spouse over breakfast; I neglected the ironing, forgot to water the vegetable patch ... Now that’s a book well worth reading!'

(ANZ LitLovers)

'a splendid account of this fabulous figure ... This is an intriguing life, beautifully realised by a fine writer, and should be widely read and appreciated.'

(The Miner)

Edition details

• Publisher: Scribe UK
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1911344293
• ISBN 13: 9781911344292
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304