FROM THE PUBLISHER

Every year over a million people pack the streets of London's Nottingham Hill for carnival, but as the carnival-goers soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the festival, few appreciate that its founder died in poverty on Christmas Eve in the bitterly cold winter of 1964, the end of a life dogged by struggle and illness. CIaudia Jones: A life in exile is the first book to chart the life and work of this visionary and pioneer." "Born in Trinidad in 1915, Claudia Jones's family moved to Harlem, New York, where the young Claudia became a leading figure in Communist and black politics. Forced into exile in Britain in l955, Jones arrived in London penniless and friendless. She became active in civil rights campaigns amongst the new West Indian communities established in the capital and launched an annual carnival to showcase the talents and culture of the Afro-Caribbean community. The book's particular focus is on the time that Jones spent in Britain.

FROM THE CRITICS

Innes - Times Literary Supplement