Island Empire: The Rise and Fall of West Indies Cricket

From the sun-baked streets of Bridgetown to the electric nights at Eden Gardens, Island Empire is a sweeping narrative of West Indies cricket-its birth, brilliance, collapse, and stubborn heartbeat. Through vivid storytelling, this book charts the game's rise from colonial pastime to a symbol of Caribbean identity, resistance, and pride.

It tells of the pioneers like George Headley who played under a system stacked against them, and of the golden generation led by Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, and the fearsome quartet of fast bowlers who ruled the world. It follows the genius of Brian Lara as he carried a crumbling team on his back, and examines how Twenty20 cricket brought both revival and reckoning.

With chapters that blend history, personality, and cultural reflection, this book explores the game's shifting meaning across eras, across islands, and across generations. It is a tribute not just to a team, but to a people-for whom cricket was never just a game, but a way of walking taller in the world.

Whether you're a longtime lover of the maroon or discovering their story for the first time, Island Empire captures the soul of West Indies cricket in all its glory, grit, and groove.