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A review by hreed7
Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr by Clayborne Carson, Martin Luther King Jr.
5.0
Disclosure: I own the physical book of this, but I consumed it via its Grammy-winning audiobook instead. Why?
1. It's narrated by LeVar Burton, the former host of Reading Rainbow--there's a reason kids listened to him and wished they knew how to read, and it's because he makes whatever he's saying jump to life.
2. It's peppered with clips (or full recordings) of numerous speeches by Dr. King himself. Some you've doubtless heard before, like his "I have a dream" speech or even his "I've been to the mountaintop" address, but some you likely have not--his speech at the rally before the start of the Montgomery bus boycott is a moving example. In all cases, these words take new meaning when put into the context of King's life, the progress of his actions, and of his thoughts.
In modern America, Dr. King has a mythical quality surrounding him: some in my generation are liable to see his work as merely inevitable, having never known an America divided de jure by segregation. To the young student of civil rights, this narrative of King's life, his development and his impact as a civil rights leader is truly fresh, revealing with gripping immediacy the struggle at each step of the journey, from Montgomery to Albany to Salem to Chicago and beyond.
And yet, even to those who are well versed in the civil rights movement, who can name prominent figures like Roy Abernathy and Fred Shuttlesworth, or key opponents like Bull Connor, there is still a depth of detail into King's personal development that speaks directly to mainline questions of ethics, morality, and the human condition.
For example, early in his development at Morehouse College (where he enrolled at the age of 15!) King faced a dilemma squaring his religious upbringing and belief with intellectual rigor and modern sciences. Guided by the models of Dr. Benjamin Mays, president of Morehouse, and Rev. George Kelsey, prominent African American theologian, King came to square these influences, becoming a man both of great intellect, and unshakable faith. This internal dialogue of his is profound, and is of great value to any student who asks such questions.
Another moment of interest is the conflict between King's devotion to the principles of non-violence and the ideologies of other leaders like Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael. I never even considered how MLK might feel about the notion of "black power" but the result is fascinating, and was another highlight of this story.
Later in his life, King became an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War, and this chapter grapples with bedrock questions about the role of US military might in the global community, the growth of the military-industrial complex, the conflict between solving domestic problems and engaging military actions abroad, and numerous other ethical dilemmas that have emerged in the globalized world. He roots the problem to materialism in a fascinating way, and one that is moving.
I cried at the end of this book, gripped by the passion, the faith and the mission of Dr. King's life and message. Yes, it's easy to let MLK day pass with a "gee he was a good guy" attitude, but to learn more about him is a truly enriching pursuit, and this book is an excellent introduction to a full life. Please listen to this audiobook.
1. It's narrated by LeVar Burton, the former host of Reading Rainbow--there's a reason kids listened to him and wished they knew how to read, and it's because he makes whatever he's saying jump to life.
2. It's peppered with clips (or full recordings) of numerous speeches by Dr. King himself. Some you've doubtless heard before, like his "I have a dream" speech or even his "I've been to the mountaintop" address, but some you likely have not--his speech at the rally before the start of the Montgomery bus boycott is a moving example. In all cases, these words take new meaning when put into the context of King's life, the progress of his actions, and of his thoughts.
In modern America, Dr. King has a mythical quality surrounding him: some in my generation are liable to see his work as merely inevitable, having never known an America divided de jure by segregation. To the young student of civil rights, this narrative of King's life, his development and his impact as a civil rights leader is truly fresh, revealing with gripping immediacy the struggle at each step of the journey, from Montgomery to Albany to Salem to Chicago and beyond.
And yet, even to those who are well versed in the civil rights movement, who can name prominent figures like Roy Abernathy and Fred Shuttlesworth, or key opponents like Bull Connor, there is still a depth of detail into King's personal development that speaks directly to mainline questions of ethics, morality, and the human condition.
For example, early in his development at Morehouse College (where he enrolled at the age of 15!) King faced a dilemma squaring his religious upbringing and belief with intellectual rigor and modern sciences. Guided by the models of Dr. Benjamin Mays, president of Morehouse, and Rev. George Kelsey, prominent African American theologian, King came to square these influences, becoming a man both of great intellect, and unshakable faith. This internal dialogue of his is profound, and is of great value to any student who asks such questions.
Another moment of interest is the conflict between King's devotion to the principles of non-violence and the ideologies of other leaders like Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael. I never even considered how MLK might feel about the notion of "black power" but the result is fascinating, and was another highlight of this story.
Later in his life, King became an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War, and this chapter grapples with bedrock questions about the role of US military might in the global community, the growth of the military-industrial complex, the conflict between solving domestic problems and engaging military actions abroad, and numerous other ethical dilemmas that have emerged in the globalized world. He roots the problem to materialism in a fascinating way, and one that is moving.
I cried at the end of this book, gripped by the passion, the faith and the mission of Dr. King's life and message. Yes, it's easy to let MLK day pass with a "gee he was a good guy" attitude, but to learn more about him is a truly enriching pursuit, and this book is an excellent introduction to a full life. Please listen to this audiobook.