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mcbibliotecaria's review
5.0
Clear and concise. I think its a great idea to grab just one year of an iconic person's life and explore that fully, and his final year is absolutely heartbreaking. Having gone through my own bouts of depression, I know that ultimately I can seek out help and get better. MLK JR. could not even though he desperately needed to, because of government surveillance led by an a**hole better know as the Hoover. Its also reflective of today's race battles, and the division of a homogenous group but that have different goals. He at first was able to bring things into an umbrella, but once he decided to advance the goals of his organization to fight poverty, the most powerful tool the corporate state has, his support wavered between civil rights activists, liberal guilt part timers, and a growing militant ideal popular with younger people.
Then he died, and his dreams unfortunately died with him. And I want to believe I'm living in a day of resurgence, but its too early to tell.
Then he died, and his dreams unfortunately died with him. And I want to believe I'm living in a day of resurgence, but its too early to tell.
crankylibrarian's review
4.0
An eye-opening behind the scenes look at the travails, struggles and failures of Martin Luther King's final year. Given the hagiographic tone of most popular treatments of King, complete with the sanctification of his January 15th birthday, few remember that towards the end of his career, King's legacy was far from assured. Accused of being a communist and traitor by the FBI, and of being a sellout and an Uncle Tom by the newly militant Black Power movement; his fervent, outspoken critique of the Vietnam war lost him key allies. President Lyndon Johnson felt betrayed, and many of the core Civil Rights leaders: Adam Clayton Powell, Bayard Rustin, and Roy Wilkins feared that King had weakened the movement by expanding his vision to include anti-war and anti-poverty efforts. Plagued with depression and self-doubts, King turned to alcohol and adulterous liaisons.
How did such a reviled, controversial and at times self-destructive figure become America's patron saint of racial understanding? Smiley's answer is to show the warmth, strong faith and devotion to the down and out which kept King going in the face of unimaginable pressure. His description of King's respectful and open hearted conversation with a group of young prostitutes who had been heckling him is reminiscent of Pope Francis' bypassing photo ops with world leaders to break bread with the homeless.
Yet Smiley argues that King’s radicalism toward the end of his life has been papered over, while King himself has been reduced to “an idealistic dreamer to be remembered for a handful of fanciful speeches”. How well do most of us today know the "real" King as opposed to the tolerant, peace loving icon trotted out every January 15th?
In his January 2015 essay "Time to Take Back Martin Luther King Day", Rick Cohen argues that "This year, more than any in recent times, the onus on all of us should be to take back Martin Luther King Day from the emphasis on top-down, one-day, feel-good volunteer fix-up projects and refocus attention on strategies and actions to address racial inequity and injustice today...In 2015, we should all be showing courage to analyze, address, and attack overt, structural, institutional, and implicit racism on the day on which we all too often miss the point of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy by making his holiday one that doesn’t forthrightly address issues of race".
Indeed.
How did such a reviled, controversial and at times self-destructive figure become America's patron saint of racial understanding? Smiley's answer is to show the warmth, strong faith and devotion to the down and out which kept King going in the face of unimaginable pressure. His description of King's respectful and open hearted conversation with a group of young prostitutes who had been heckling him is reminiscent of Pope Francis' bypassing photo ops with world leaders to break bread with the homeless.
Yet Smiley argues that King’s radicalism toward the end of his life has been papered over, while King himself has been reduced to “an idealistic dreamer to be remembered for a handful of fanciful speeches”. How well do most of us today know the "real" King as opposed to the tolerant, peace loving icon trotted out every January 15th?
In his January 2015 essay "Time to Take Back Martin Luther King Day", Rick Cohen argues that "This year, more than any in recent times, the onus on all of us should be to take back Martin Luther King Day from the emphasis on top-down, one-day, feel-good volunteer fix-up projects and refocus attention on strategies and actions to address racial inequity and injustice today...In 2015, we should all be showing courage to analyze, address, and attack overt, structural, institutional, and implicit racism on the day on which we all too often miss the point of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy by making his holiday one that doesn’t forthrightly address issues of race".
Indeed.
jvmilks's review against another edition
3.0
Insider's view into the tumultuous last year of King's life. His passion and perseverance are truly remarkable.
"I've been in the struggle a long time now... and I've conditioned myself to some things that are much more painful than discourteous people not allowing you to speak, so if they feel that they can discourage me, they'll be up here all night." (p. 191)
"I've been in the struggle a long time now... and I've conditioned myself to some things that are much more painful than discourteous people not allowing you to speak, so if they feel that they can discourage me, they'll be up here all night." (p. 191)
ronntaylor's review against another edition
5.0
Straight and to the point: excellent book that has inspired me. I wish others would read it. Not so much to learn anything new. Just to ponder the last days of a prophet. This has been an inspiring read.
rich2023's review against another edition
informative
reflective
5.0
This was a great book. The writing was easy to read. I like how the author gave us an insight into the struggles that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr faced during his last year. It was received opposition from the press, the government, and even his own organization. One thing I can say that I loved how he stood firm on his beliefs. He was unwavering. When he should have taken a rest, he kept pushing on. I also think he knew that he was going to die and that’s why he kept going in-spite of being depressed and tired. I think this a book that everyone should read.
bryan8063's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fascinating read as MLK is challenged by other black leaders in his last year of life. A must read to get a fuller picture of MLK.
michael_kelleher's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed learning more about MLK, but realized that I don't know anything about the supposed revisionist version of MLKs final year & how this is different. I appreciated learning more about the civil rights movement and the issues close to MLK's heart.
marcy_kelleher's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed learning more about MLK, but realized that I don't know anything about the supposed revisionist version of MLKs final year & how this is different. I appreciated learning more about the civil rights movement and the issues close to MLK's heart.
missjonesreads's review against another edition
2.75
Interesting read, learned more about MLK Jr.’s end of life politics and struggles but the end was abrupt and I did not like the choice of epilogue.
greenblue22's review against another edition
3.0
Like the joke about the movie, "Titanic," a few years back, you know how this story is going to end, yet the book is quite a page-turner anyway.
Smiley does a thorough job of expressing the exhaustion, both mental and physical, of Dr. King after he began opposing the Vietnam War and as the civil rights movement morphed from themes of nonviolence to black power. What he does less well is provide a balanced view of King, warts and all. He glosses over the extramarital affairs and the fact that King's children play almost no role in his life, at least as portrayed here. King also must have had confidants, but it felt as if none were interviewed, only quoted briefly from other research. Some photographs would have been helpful as well.
Despite dwelling more on the surface of the events (such as the travel itinerary), the book is compelling and I learned things I never knew, since King died before I had any firsthand memory of him. People who already studied Dr. King will find little new here. For others, like me, it's worth a read.
Smiley does a thorough job of expressing the exhaustion, both mental and physical, of Dr. King after he began opposing the Vietnam War and as the civil rights movement morphed from themes of nonviolence to black power. What he does less well is provide a balanced view of King, warts and all. He glosses over the extramarital affairs and the fact that King's children play almost no role in his life, at least as portrayed here. King also must have had confidants, but it felt as if none were interviewed, only quoted briefly from other research. Some photographs would have been helpful as well.
Despite dwelling more on the surface of the events (such as the travel itinerary), the book is compelling and I learned things I never knew, since King died before I had any firsthand memory of him. People who already studied Dr. King will find little new here. For others, like me, it's worth a read.