scribepub's review against another edition
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.
Simon Callow, New York Review of Books
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.
Library Journal
Written with an exhilarating combination of insight and passion … A necessary book. A social movement that calls itself “Black Lives Matter” exists because those lives are being treated as if they don’t. Sparrow knows that when he writes of the past, “If you believed in nothing, you’d fall for anything,” he is also writing about now.
Anna Funder, Author of Stasiland
With sensitive inquisition; fierce curiosity; razor-sharp observation; crisp, engaging prose; and a fondness and respect 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.
Books + Publishing
Jeff Sparrow's No Way But This is a major addition to what we know of, and how we may know, this 20th-century giant ... It’s impossible to do justice in a brief space to such a life of commitment – or to suggest just what a compelling narrative Sparrow has made of it. He has aptly brought this giant to the attention of later generations.
Sydney Morning Herald
Paul Robeson was truly a giant of a man, in physical stature, courage, intellect, and creative endeavour. With this intimate and engaging portrait, we are able to gain an invaluable insight into a major political and artistic talent of the twentieth century. Ours is a time requiring inspiration, affiliation, and solidarity. Paul Robeson surely provides the inspiration we desperately need.
Tony Birch, Author of Blood and Ghost River
An amazing story I didn’t even know I didn't know. Jeff pulls us through the grubby terrain of race, Jesus, prison, and fascism.
John Safran, Author of Murder in Mississippi
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
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
This is an inspiring biography of a really remarkable human being.
Johann Hari, Author of Chasing the Scream
Both moving and illuminating ... It is timely that in an era when there are more African-American men in jail or on parole in the United States than there were men in bondage at the height of slavery and when the Black Lives Matter movement is gathering momentum that there is a book to remind us about this astonishing individual and the political climate in which he used his popular voice to highlight systemic inequality.
Readings
A great book about a fascinating man. Read it and be inspired!
Srdja Popovic, Author of Blueprint for Revolution
An illuminating look at the life of a frankly remarkable man.
The AU Review,Five Books You Need to Read this Month
Remarkable ... It revives Robeson as a model of integrity and bravery – someone who, despite the precarity of his social position, risked his life and career for the ideas of workers’ rights, black liberation, anti-colonialism and international socialism. As Robeson’s story unfolds, the ghosts of past struggles unite with those who fight for political emancipation around the world today. By naming and connecting these diverse groups, Sparrow opens a space for a new public to be formed. Robeson, with his integrity, struggles and flaws, provides a powerful model for the kinds of political action we so desperately need.
Sydney Review of Books
Told sensitively and often movingly by a writer awake to the nuances of the political and social contexts in which Robeson moved, this is a story that reverberates today, full of tragedy but also exhilaration and promise. It is the story we need to hear.
Overland
Sparrow's lively portrait should restore a little of the fame the great man deserves.
Weekend Herald(Auckland)
Book of the week … [A] conscientious and often painful biography.
Daily Mail
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
A thoughtful, sensitive and respectful examination of the life and work of Paul Robeson ... More than the biography of one remarkable man, the book is a testament to Robeson’s conviction that despite it all, there was no way but to struggle for a better world.
Green Left Weekly
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 Minder
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
An entertaining, informative and important book.
Kit de Waal, Author of My Name is Leon,
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
Absolutely wonderful.
Simon Callow
Sparrow’s account not only soars, it sings.
Sight and Sound
Jeff Sparrow is the latest biographer to tackle this riveting subject and he ably demonstrates how journalistic method can contribute to historical understanding.
TLS
Sparrow has made a worthy effort, joining other recent work, including Jordan Goodman’s Paul Robeson: A Watched Man, and Gerald Horne’s Paul Robeson: the Artist as Revolutionary. Each is worth reading.
Paul Buhle
Simon Callow, New York Review of Books
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.
Library Journal
Written with an exhilarating combination of insight and passion … A necessary book. A social movement that calls itself “Black Lives Matter” exists because those lives are being treated as if they don’t. Sparrow knows that when he writes of the past, “If you believed in nothing, you’d fall for anything,” he is also writing about now.
Anna Funder, Author of Stasiland
With sensitive inquisition; fierce curiosity; razor-sharp observation; crisp, engaging prose; and a fondness and respect 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.
Books + Publishing
Jeff Sparrow's No Way But This is a major addition to what we know of, and how we may know, this 20th-century giant ... It’s impossible to do justice in a brief space to such a life of commitment – or to suggest just what a compelling narrative Sparrow has made of it. He has aptly brought this giant to the attention of later generations.
Sydney Morning Herald
Paul Robeson was truly a giant of a man, in physical stature, courage, intellect, and creative endeavour. With this intimate and engaging portrait, we are able to gain an invaluable insight into a major political and artistic talent of the twentieth century. Ours is a time requiring inspiration, affiliation, and solidarity. Paul Robeson surely provides the inspiration we desperately need.
Tony Birch, Author of Blood and Ghost River
An amazing story I didn’t even know I didn't know. Jeff pulls us through the grubby terrain of race, Jesus, prison, and fascism.
John Safran, Author of Murder in Mississippi
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
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
This is an inspiring biography of a really remarkable human being.
Johann Hari, Author of Chasing the Scream
Both moving and illuminating ... It is timely that in an era when there are more African-American men in jail or on parole in the United States than there were men in bondage at the height of slavery and when the Black Lives Matter movement is gathering momentum that there is a book to remind us about this astonishing individual and the political climate in which he used his popular voice to highlight systemic inequality.
Readings
A great book about a fascinating man. Read it and be inspired!
Srdja Popovic, Author of Blueprint for Revolution
An illuminating look at the life of a frankly remarkable man.
The AU Review,Five Books You Need to Read this Month
Remarkable ... It revives Robeson as a model of integrity and bravery – someone who, despite the precarity of his social position, risked his life and career for the ideas of workers’ rights, black liberation, anti-colonialism and international socialism. As Robeson’s story unfolds, the ghosts of past struggles unite with those who fight for political emancipation around the world today. By naming and connecting these diverse groups, Sparrow opens a space for a new public to be formed. Robeson, with his integrity, struggles and flaws, provides a powerful model for the kinds of political action we so desperately need.
Sydney Review of Books
Told sensitively and often movingly by a writer awake to the nuances of the political and social contexts in which Robeson moved, this is a story that reverberates today, full of tragedy but also exhilaration and promise. It is the story we need to hear.
Overland
Sparrow's lively portrait should restore a little of the fame the great man deserves.
Weekend Herald(Auckland)
Book of the week … [A] conscientious and often painful biography.
Daily Mail
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
A thoughtful, sensitive and respectful examination of the life and work of Paul Robeson ... More than the biography of one remarkable man, the book is a testament to Robeson’s conviction that despite it all, there was no way but to struggle for a better world.
Green Left Weekly
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 Minder
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
An entertaining, informative and important book.
Kit de Waal, Author of My Name is Leon,
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
Absolutely wonderful.
Simon Callow
Sparrow’s account not only soars, it sings.
Sight and Sound
Jeff Sparrow is the latest biographer to tackle this riveting subject and he ably demonstrates how journalistic method can contribute to historical understanding.
TLS
Sparrow has made a worthy effort, joining other recent work, including Jordan Goodman’s Paul Robeson: A Watched Man, and Gerald Horne’s Paul Robeson: the Artist as Revolutionary. Each is worth reading.
Paul Buhle
valkyriejmu's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
pezski's review against another edition
5.0
This book was received as a free review copy for the Big book Awards
I tend to avoid biography as a genre, usually limiting my non-fiction reading to history or science, so wasn’t sure how much I’d like reviewing a biography, but when I opened the package and saw that it was about Paul Robeson I was intrigued.
Straight away, I was engaged. The single page prelude is a brief scene from the House Unamerican Activities Committee in 1956 before, in his introduction, Jeff Sparrow writes about a performance of Robeson’s for workers building the Sydney Opera House in 1960, and carefully sets the tone for what is to come, hinting at the hardships and activism of Robeson’s life, and their modern parallels. This is a biography of a man, but Sparrow also uses it a framework to view the times in which he lived and compare them to our own. To contrast the discrimination that Robeson experienced and the activism through which he fought it to a world today that is still built upon many of the same prejudices, for all it has changed.
For each stage of Robeson’s life - his childhood in Princeton, and the Harlem renaissance and early success, and then London and increased fame at home, his time in Moscow and his subsequent character assassination when the USSR became the enemy and Joseph McCarthy created the spectre of a red under every bed, his years in the wilderness and brief return before the decades of stress and disappointment took their toll - the author cleverly weaves the strands of pure biography with what might have been no more than background information and colour, but becomes a solid examination of the time and place itself, and a shadow thrown forward to the present day.
The portrayal of Robeson - referred to as Paul almost exclusively - verges on hero worship, but shows enough of his flaws to just stop short. And this is understandable; he was not only a man of prodigious talent and strength, but used those to fight throughout his life for the discriminated and disenfranchised - his own people as well as those he met elsewhere, such as the striking Welsh miners with whom he found such a bond.
Perhaps partly as this is as much a history book as a biography - and certainly because of the skill of the author - I enjoyed this far more than I expected. Both Robeson’s life and the ideals for which he fought will stay with me, so job done Mr Sparrow.
I tend to avoid biography as a genre, usually limiting my non-fiction reading to history or science, so wasn’t sure how much I’d like reviewing a biography, but when I opened the package and saw that it was about Paul Robeson I was intrigued.
Straight away, I was engaged. The single page prelude is a brief scene from the House Unamerican Activities Committee in 1956 before, in his introduction, Jeff Sparrow writes about a performance of Robeson’s for workers building the Sydney Opera House in 1960, and carefully sets the tone for what is to come, hinting at the hardships and activism of Robeson’s life, and their modern parallels. This is a biography of a man, but Sparrow also uses it a framework to view the times in which he lived and compare them to our own. To contrast the discrimination that Robeson experienced and the activism through which he fought it to a world today that is still built upon many of the same prejudices, for all it has changed.
For each stage of Robeson’s life - his childhood in Princeton, and the Harlem renaissance and early success, and then London and increased fame at home, his time in Moscow and his subsequent character assassination when the USSR became the enemy and Joseph McCarthy created the spectre of a red under every bed, his years in the wilderness and brief return before the decades of stress and disappointment took their toll - the author cleverly weaves the strands of pure biography with what might have been no more than background information and colour, but becomes a solid examination of the time and place itself, and a shadow thrown forward to the present day.
The portrayal of Robeson - referred to as Paul almost exclusively - verges on hero worship, but shows enough of his flaws to just stop short. And this is understandable; he was not only a man of prodigious talent and strength, but used those to fight throughout his life for the discriminated and disenfranchised - his own people as well as those he met elsewhere, such as the striking Welsh miners with whom he found such a bond.
Perhaps partly as this is as much a history book as a biography - and certainly because of the skill of the author - I enjoyed this far more than I expected. Both Robeson’s life and the ideals for which he fought will stay with me, so job done Mr Sparrow.
archytas's review
4.0
This meditation on Paul Robeson, and the societies that shaped him, is an engrossing, gentle and thought-provoking read, which ends up revealing almost as much about Sparrow as Robeson. Sparrow is of the modern, journalistic group of biographers, who feel no compunction about being present in the narrative. Through his own journeys - pilgrimages - to sites of significance to Robeson, Sparrow muses on the significance of these worlds in shaping Robeson, and on how much of this remains relevant today.
I came to this book with an easy familiarity with Robeson's life and work. His ravine-deep voice played in our household (with my father's light tenor weaving distractingly over Robeson's bass), my grandfather deeply admired him, and as I got involved in politics, Robeson's praises were sung alongside his tunes. I also came to book as an admirer of Sparrow's work on Overland, Australia's preeminent left-wing literary journal, which under Sparrow's leadership survived a decade or two few literary publications did. Like any Australian who has heard of Robeson, I'd seen the clips of him singing to the construction workers building the Sydney Opera House, and a magnificent still of that moment dominated the bar of my regular for several years.
Given that, I can't say the biography taught me a great deal more about Robeson. It filled in some gaps - but Sparrow's intent here is to explore rather than uncover. By grounding the book firmly in times and places, he opens up the world that Paul lived in, and seeks to get the reader to see this through his eyes - where he is sometimes Paul, sometimes Jeff.
This is not, I must confess my favourite literary style. Sparrow gets away with it in part because he really does have the knack of a nicely turned phrase, and in part because he is such a gentle and mild tour guide, an interesting presence that eschews any cutsey interjections in favour of a more serious tone.
For the first half of the book, the approach works very well. It allows, for example, a meaningful exploration of the impact of Robeson senior - and his family's - enslavement upon his son. That Sparrow is able to dig up records of what likely happened to Robeson's grandmother, left in a will to a different sibling than that which had her son, is a testament to how poorly this had previously been considered. In speaking to the Welsh Robeson supporters, Sparrow brings the reader into a world impacted and inspired by Robeson, again developing an understanding of the impact beyond any dry account. Robeson remains somewhat obscured from the audience, with a minimistic approach to his personal life or writings. I did itch at times for some more voice or invocation of this musical giant, but Sparrow's approach also avoided that false sense of intimacy that some biographies invoke, usually to the detriment of someone in their tale.
However, in the second half of the book, it starts to unravel slightly. Partly this is structural, Robeson took many trips to Russia over a very long period, and the interspersing of accounts of Robeson's various life events over 30 years with Sparrow's sojourn in the cold starts to jar rather than enhance. It is also perhaps because Sparrow's investment in understanding how Robeson could continue to support the Soviet Union, even once he understood the totalitarianism and crimes, is so deep.
I can understand Sparrow's fascination. Much of Australia's literary heritage (including Overland) is indebted to intellectuals who forged their politics in the Spanish Civil War, and supported the Soviet Union up to the Khrushchev revelations, and all too often beyond. It is hard for any Australian left-wing Gen Xer to understand, or know how to respond to, such heroic people's unwavering support for a society underpinned by a police state. In exploring Robeson's loyalty, Sparrow goes a long way towards understanding that question, and the coda is some of the best writing in the book. I couldn't help chafing a little, however, that Robeson's story here was not discussed as part of a broader one; and that this question begins to overshadow other aspects of Robeson's life, including his awkward engagement with the Civil Rights movement. Sparrow toys with implying that Robeson's suicide attempt, and subsequent mental health degeneration, was the result of the intensity of his disillusionment. I have a mild bug bear about historians speculating without much contextualising of mental health, but it stayed on the non-irritating side.
However, I really enjoyed this, and Robeson's gorgeous voice has been blasting in the house for the last couple of days. I would strongly recommend it to those less familiar with Robeson. Sparrow has that ability to summon visuals in an easy journalistic way, and the book flows like a quick rewad in the best way. More importantly, his exploration of an artist who prioritised equality and economic justice over his own career is a timely approach to how an arts community behaves when it's values are at odds with the government it is often dependent on.
I came to this book with an easy familiarity with Robeson's life and work. His ravine-deep voice played in our household (with my father's light tenor weaving distractingly over Robeson's bass), my grandfather deeply admired him, and as I got involved in politics, Robeson's praises were sung alongside his tunes. I also came to book as an admirer of Sparrow's work on Overland, Australia's preeminent left-wing literary journal, which under Sparrow's leadership survived a decade or two few literary publications did. Like any Australian who has heard of Robeson, I'd seen the clips of him singing to the construction workers building the Sydney Opera House, and a magnificent still of that moment dominated the bar of my regular for several years.
Given that, I can't say the biography taught me a great deal more about Robeson. It filled in some gaps - but Sparrow's intent here is to explore rather than uncover. By grounding the book firmly in times and places, he opens up the world that Paul lived in, and seeks to get the reader to see this through his eyes - where he is sometimes Paul, sometimes Jeff.
This is not, I must confess my favourite literary style. Sparrow gets away with it in part because he really does have the knack of a nicely turned phrase, and in part because he is such a gentle and mild tour guide, an interesting presence that eschews any cutsey interjections in favour of a more serious tone.
For the first half of the book, the approach works very well. It allows, for example, a meaningful exploration of the impact of Robeson senior - and his family's - enslavement upon his son. That Sparrow is able to dig up records of what likely happened to Robeson's grandmother, left in a will to a different sibling than that which had her son, is a testament to how poorly this had previously been considered. In speaking to the Welsh Robeson supporters, Sparrow brings the reader into a world impacted and inspired by Robeson, again developing an understanding of the impact beyond any dry account. Robeson remains somewhat obscured from the audience, with a minimistic approach to his personal life or writings. I did itch at times for some more voice or invocation of this musical giant, but Sparrow's approach also avoided that false sense of intimacy that some biographies invoke, usually to the detriment of someone in their tale.
However, in the second half of the book, it starts to unravel slightly. Partly this is structural, Robeson took many trips to Russia over a very long period, and the interspersing of accounts of Robeson's various life events over 30 years with Sparrow's sojourn in the cold starts to jar rather than enhance. It is also perhaps because Sparrow's investment in understanding how Robeson could continue to support the Soviet Union, even once he understood the totalitarianism and crimes, is so deep.
I can understand Sparrow's fascination. Much of Australia's literary heritage (including Overland) is indebted to intellectuals who forged their politics in the Spanish Civil War, and supported the Soviet Union up to the Khrushchev revelations, and all too often beyond. It is hard for any Australian left-wing Gen Xer to understand, or know how to respond to, such heroic people's unwavering support for a society underpinned by a police state. In exploring Robeson's loyalty, Sparrow goes a long way towards understanding that question, and the coda is some of the best writing in the book. I couldn't help chafing a little, however, that Robeson's story here was not discussed as part of a broader one; and that this question begins to overshadow other aspects of Robeson's life, including his awkward engagement with the Civil Rights movement. Sparrow toys with implying that Robeson's suicide attempt, and subsequent mental health degeneration, was the result of the intensity of his disillusionment. I have a mild bug bear about historians speculating without much contextualising of mental health, but it stayed on the non-irritating side.
However, I really enjoyed this, and Robeson's gorgeous voice has been blasting in the house for the last couple of days. I would strongly recommend it to those less familiar with Robeson. Sparrow has that ability to summon visuals in an easy journalistic way, and the book flows like a quick rewad in the best way. More importantly, his exploration of an artist who prioritised equality and economic justice over his own career is a timely approach to how an arts community behaves when it's values are at odds with the government it is often dependent on.
birdoneday's review
5.0
Really accessibly written. Informative and interesting. No footnotes, but there are unnumbered endnotes.
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