Beyond a Boundary

Sometimes I get a bit worried about how much real estate cricket takes up in my head. At those times, I have often been reassured by the knowledge that the Trinidadian Marxist and historian C. L. R. James was afflicted with the same condition and still managed an intellectual career.

Having actually read the book now, it's clear that there were some kind of spatial contortions going on in James' head that gave him about a hundred times the mental real estate that I'm working with. The man appears to have thought more about cricket than I've thought about everything combined in my entire life. And it's been productive thinking!

We're always hearing that what you see out in the middle is a microcosm of the world, but I've never seen anyone show more spell this out in such fine detail as James. The book isn't a gimmick where he's challenged himself to draw links between the struggle for West Indian independence, English schoolboy sports etiquette, and the narcissism of small differences. The links essentially draw themselves when you lay out the history in the right way.

My ultimate takeaway from reading this is that it is immensely valuable to be constantly questioning how things are and why things are, and that this process should not be restricted to its traditional targets, but applied to basically everything. show less

I first learnt of "Beyond a Boundary" when my Marxist politics lecturer recommended it to me. I was just a babe in the woods those days and may have missed some of the more esoteric references to post-colonialism but loved the cricket and James's paeans to his cricketing heroes, learning more about the great Learie Constantine (who became a Baron) and the three W's.

In the current day of poor West Indian sides and low attendances, one can forget the huge role that cricket played in West Indian history (as well as throughout the Commonwealth). Cricket was the tool local leaders used to show that they were the equal of the colonial masters, and cricket was war by other means.

I've noticed other reviews here from non-cricket fans stumped by show more the cricket terminology James uses throughout "Beyond a Boundary". He's certainly worth persevering with so can only suggest a glossary of cricket terms; soon enough you'll be an expert at post-colonial Marxist theory and terms like "silly point", "leg trap" and "googly", to name just a few. show less

I was concerned that this book had been oversold by its many admirers, but it is truly excellent. It is neither a mere autobiography nor a history of cricket in the West Indies, though both subjects are discussed at length. Side topics include art criticism, classical civilization and Victorian education. I found most of these digressions fascinating, but if you prefer a straightforward cricket narrative, this book may not be for you. James generally states his arguments in a literate and engaging manner, though his point is sometimes obscured by the meandering course he pursues. The final chapters suffer from their focus on topical issues in 1960s Caribbean cricket that are less clear to modern readers, but in general this is a show more timeless work that deserves every plaudit. show less

I wanted to like this book, really. Up to a certain point (about the first quarter), I loved it. It's considered a classic in some circles. Cricket is something new to me and that's always interesting. The discussions about class distinctions and racism were enlightening. It's a wonderful picture of a bygone era.

After a while, however, I simply could not wade through any more dialect. I don't mean the language of Trinidad & Tobago: James' command of written English is astonishing. I mean the language of cricket.

Consider: "To score he had to get the leg-break away through two short-legs and force the off-break through two gullys." Not overwhelming; there's as much jargon in a discussion about a play in baseball or basketball. However, show more now continue that for three to five straight pages, and imagine encountering those pages in every single chapter, sometimes multiple times. That quote was chosen, not with care, but simply by flipping open the book to a random location.

Despite having spent a half hour learning the basic rules of cricket and some of the terminology, it was overwhelming. James' need to illustrate every point with ten to twelve examples was too much. I wouldn't have tolerated it in a book about baseball (where I know the terminology) unless that book advertised itself as "a book about famous baseball plays." Certainly not in a socio-historical effort.

If you're a cricket aficionado, then this might be a book for you. If not, you—like I—might have appreciated a Reader's Digest version where 75% of the cricket plays and endless lists of famous players were left out, letting the sociological insights shine through. show less

If you want to read a great book about something you aren't interested in (in this case, if you're like me, cricket) you could do a lot worse than this book. Colonialism, racism, sport as art, and sports unheralded place in the changes in 19th century English society are among the topics addressed in this engaging, erudite book.

A good read.

This is the classic examination of the history, culture, and politics of cricket, by the brilliant West Indian Marxist thinker. The introduction, by Sir Hilary Beckles,provides important historical and cultural context as much for the non-Caribbean reader coming fresh to the book as for the West Indian student being introduced to James for the first time.

The book is as powerful, as fresh,and as energetic as when I first read it in 1970 (was it that long ago?). Some of its urgencies are, perhaps, not as urgent today (and cricket has undergone some changes that James might have found as shocking as bodyline). It remains, nonetheless, an important reminder of the relationship of sport, class, and power. It remains, also, an important show more reminder that cricket is not just a sport, but an art, a branch of drama, as James correctly saw it, related to the tragedy of Aeschlus and Eurypides. show less

I want to be a big cricket fan, but it real hard to find the passion when Windies playing the ass! However I'll rally 'round the West Indies now and forever...Thank God for C.L.R. James for keeping me focused.

Having said that, even of you're not into sports, far less for cricket, you'd love this book. James is a brilliant, beautiful writer, whose sentences stun you.

I enjoyed reading this book, but I had to read it slowly to absorb if fully...so a re-read is in my future, and I can't wait.