Title: Learie Constantine
Reviewer: Daraine Luton
EVER WONDERED why a man who has a measly Test average of 19.24, compiled less than 2,000 Test runs, captured only two five-wicket hauls at the game's highest level, ends up being referred to as a great of West Indies cricket?
Peter Mason's book, Learie Constantine, is perhaps one of the best stops in understanding the cricketing prowess, as well as an eventful and well-decorated life of this giant of a man.
In the book, which is published by MacMillan Caribbean, Mason chronicles the life of Constantine, a man who helped to propel Caribbean pride throughout the world, during an era where racism attacked the black man's soul like hot tar.
Mason takes readers through almost every stage of Constantine's life, even giving a peek at his private papers. It seems only his bedroom business was omitted from the book.
Career
Constantine's life as a cricketer, barrister, politician, author and public servant is fully explored and packaged in the 211-page pocket dynamo.
The book also has an index of Constantine's professional matches, spanning his career in the regional competition, through to all of his 18 Test matches and his life as a professional cricketer in England.
Though laced with a heavy dose of cricket, the sport which makes up Constantine's DNA, Mason was able to capture, effectively, Constantine's life as a selfless politician and rights activist. He takes readers to Constantine's historic steps into the House of Lords.
Constantine's no-nonsense response to racial discrimination, which included his role in establishing legal precedence against racism and self-government in the Caribbean, was also exquisitely penned.
On the cricket field, through Mason's writing, Constantine is made out as a bullish batsman, slippery fast bowler and a mercurial, athletic fielder who played the game with highest degree of respect for his opponents.
Despite the brilliance of the book Learie Constantine, Mason fell short in many respects. By the account of Mason on Constantine's first-class career, it is difficult, if not incomprehensible, to see how he got into the West Indies team.
Mason said that Constantine, on debut, scored zero and 24 and then took two wickets for 44 runs. He also said that in Constantine's next few games there was not much to write home about with regard to his performance with bat and ball.
Yet, readers are told that he impressed Harold Austin, the captain of both Barbados and the West Indies at the time. Mason said that when Constantine was picked for the 1923 West Indies tour of England with just three first-class matches under his belt, Barbadian fast bowler Herman Griffith had a better case.
In making such a statement and starving the reader of the facts, it appeared that Mason was appealing to the section of cricket crowd that eat peanuts and chew sugar cane while the players are off the field for tea.
Short-changed readers
Mason erred badly by refusing to include in that chapter, appropriately titled Early Years, all the scores Constantine had in first-class cricket before his West Indies pick, and against whom. Also, by mentioning Griffith, he short-changed readers as there is no helpful statistics about the Bajan.
Similarly, his over-reliance on quoting writers such as C.L.R James and Michael Manley made sections of the book feel like an essay.
The book could have easily demanded a slot on the classics' shelf had Mason been a more engaging writer. There were times when the reader may be tempted to drift into boredomland because the author found it necessary to avoid applying the paint brush of an already demanding canvas.
The final chapter of the book, Compassionate Radical, was a waste of ink and paper. The chapter was merely a recap of the entire book.
It would have made better artistic sense to end the book at the chapter Back to Britain, which the writer appropriately ended with the death of Constantine and his wife. In fact, that chapter should have been titled 'The Last Days', as indeed it was Constantine's last innings in life's match.