Vendor
	Fritz Agency Christian Dittus
Original language
English

NO WAY BUT THIS

Jeff Sparrow

In Search of Paul Robeson

This book is much more than a simple biography of Robeson: Jeff terms it psychogeography', after Robert McFarlane's Landmarks and Anna Funder's Stasiland. It traces the places Robeson lived and worked as a means to explore many of the threads and currents of the 20th century, including the influence and legacy of fascism and communism throughout Europe and America, and the collapse of the Old Left. The most resonant parts deal with race in America today, the role of trauma in Spain and Russia, and the class divide and decline of mining industries in parts of Wales.

It's structured by place: Part I (Genesis) focuses on North Carolina, New Jersey, and Harlem; Part II (Exodus), on London and his famous performance as Othello, as well as his time in Welsh mining communities, then moves to Spain and the legacy of the Spanish Civil War; and Part III (Revelations) focuses on Russia and on the US McCarthy hearings, as well as the burgeoning civil-rights movement.

Jeff Sparrow is one of Australia's foremost political commentators, who writes regularly for many publications, including The Guardian.

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Book Published 2017-03-01 by Scribe Publications

Comments

nuanced and haunting Read more...

Sparrow shows how this admittedly splendid actor, this marvelous singer, this charismatic speaker, had somehow evolved into something more: he had for many people become the embodiment of the global longing for a better world, a juster dispensation Sparrow has made perfect and haunting sense of him.

With sensitive inquisition; fierce curiosity; razor-sharp observations; crisp, engaging prose; and a fondness for his subject that fairly sings, Sparrow once again proves himself one of the finest nonfiction writers we have. -- Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of The Hate Race

Urgent and compelling ... a mix of essay, journalism, history and biography [that is] engaging, original and insightful ... Fascinating, instructive and full of astute observations on race and politics, No Way But This: in search of Paul Robeson will appeal to readers passionate about social justice and the history of 20th-century political movements.

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

In a chronologically methodical and delightfully insightful approach that might best be described as "bio-tourism," Australian author, journalist, and broadcaster Sparrow tells the story of preternaturally gifted Paul Robeson [A]n excellent and perhaps timely reboot of Robeson's singularly incredible life, especially as its trajectory now intersects with contemporary racial issues.

Shortlist for the Hearst Big Book Award Read more...