'This is an unrivalled storehouse of information about one of the twentieth century's most important revolutionaries. John Williams's sparkling biography counterpoints understanding of James's ideas with a richly-detailed account of his itinerant life and times' Paul Gilroy

'This is a passionate, timely and challenging portrait. CLR James was decades ahead of his time in challenging our thoughts about empire, colonialism, black history and, not least, in writing brilliantly about cricket. He finally has the biography his extraordinary influence deserves' Barney Ronay