Review: 'Brian Lara, An Unauthorised Biography'

English author James Fuller presents a sympathetic but balanced view of Brian Lara in his book Brian Lara, An Unauthorised Biography. Published by Macmillan Caribbean as part of a series called Caribbean Lives which has included works on Bob Marley, Che Guevara, Jimmy Cliff, and others, this 208 page paperback looks at Lara's life and career and attempts to put it in context.

Perhaps it takes an outsider to be able to tell Lara's story fairly, for although Fuller has lived in Trinidad long enough to appreciate the nuances of Caribbean culture his work does not betray any bias that might come through in a purely West Indian view. It presents a very human view of a man who is both blessed and cursed with greatness, but at the end of it is a man like any other. Fuller shows Lara at both his best and worst.

The book leads the reader through Lara's earliest years in Santa Cruz through his adolescence and into the brilliance and turmoil of his international career. Fuller draws on extensive interviews with friends, family, and those who knew and played with Lara, such as Jimmy Adams and Daren Ganga. Points are often illustrated with quotes from these sources.

At the same time Fuller does not shy away from the low points in Lara's story, including the infamous "cricket is ruining my life" episode. Without excusing them, one can understand the events leading up to some of his more notorious episodes, which makes Lara simply more human.

This is a book worth reading by any fan of Brian Lara. It is not sensational, it does not unveil any hitherto untold revelations, it just tells his story simply and honestly.

Available at Amazon.com: