Why We Kneel How We Rise

By: Michael Holding

Narrated by: Michael Holding

WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2021
WINNER OF THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR
THE TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
'The best book about racism I’ve ever read' Piers Morgan

Through the prism of sport and conversations with its legends, including Usain Bolt, Adam Goodes, Thierry Henry, Michael Johnson, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Makhaya Ntini, Naomi Osaka and Hope Powell, Michael Holding explains how racism dehumanises people; how it works to achieve that end; how it has been ignored by history and historians; and what it is like to be treated differently just because of the colour of your skin.

Rarely can a rain delay in a cricket match have led to anything like the moment when Holding spoke out in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter protests about the racism he has suffered and has seen all around him throughout his life. But as he spoke, he sought not only to educate but to propose a way forward that inspired so many. Within minutes, he was receiving calls from famous sports stars from around the world offering to help him to spread the message further.

Now, in Why We Kneel, How We Rise, Holding shares his story together with those of some of the most iconic athletes in the world. He delivers a powerful and inspiring message of hope for the future and a vision for change, and takes you through history to understand the racism of today. He adds: 'To say I was surprised at the volume of positive feedback I received from around the world after my comments on Sky Sports is an understatement. I came to realise I couldn’t just stop there; I had to take it forward – hence the book, as I believe education is the way forward.'

©2021 Michael Holding. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, UK. All Rights Reserved.

Critic reviews

'The best book about racism I’ve ever read. Powerful, passionate, challenging, and, like the author’s fast bowling, at times very uncomfortable. I learned a lot & it made me think a lot.'
(Piers Morgan, TV presenter and journalist)

'One of the most important [books] of the year, and certainly among the most powerful... If anything will change the way we see the world it is this - the sports book of the year.' (Roger Alton)

'This powerful book...recounts unsparing stories of prejudice and injustice, but the best passages are when Holding writes from the heart.' (Matt Dickinson)

'Holding writes of his personal guilt at rolling with the racist punches throughout his career... The language is raw, his observations unsparing, but there is no more important sports book this year.' (Ben Taylor)

Educates, but twists facts to suit his narrative..

I agree and feel sorry about the persecution that Africans had to endure through history. However, in his eagerness to convey his message, he selectively views facts from a certain angle. E.g. He says that Christianity endorsed slavery. Slave owners may have justified their actions with Scripture, but Jesus Christ has inspired people like Martin Luther King, Gandhi. In this regard, Michael has done a shameful job. 😔