Product Description

Did Martin Luther King Jr. deserve the praise he received or was he a media creation, carried along by forces beyond his control? This biography of the most celebrated African American in history provides a thorough re-examination.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #201565 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 388 pages

Review

'The writer excels in the depth of detail offered ... [this] is a thoroughly interesting and informative text ... I would have no hesitation in recommending this text to either a historian or someone with a genuine interest in learning more about people, past or present.' - S.A.T.H Resources Review

'...refreshing and educational...the attention devoted by the author to the importance of King's relationships and the significance of family life are other strengths within this text.' Scott W. Murphy, Teachers of History Review

From the Back Cover
Routledge Historical Biographies provide engaging, readable and academically credible biographies written from an explicitly historical perspective. These concise and accessible accounts will bring important historical figures to life for students and general readers alike.
Did Martin Luther King Jr. deserve the praise heaped upon him or was he a media creation, carried along by forces beyond his control? This new biography of the most celebrated African American in history provides a thorough re-examination of both the man and the Civil Rights Movement, showing how King grew into his leadership role and kept his faith when the movement weakened after 1965.
Drawing on recent scholarship on the Civil Rights Movement, this volume condenses research previously only available in larger literature. Peter Ling's crisp and fluent style captures the drama, irony and pathos of King's life and provides an excellent introduction for both students and general readers.

Customer Reviews

A Solid and Concise Biography
In his biography, Peter J Ling attempts to inform the reader about the book's subject in less than three hundred pages what other writers such as David Garrow described in books over twice the length. It is fair to say he has succeeded; the main incidents and themes of King's life are given a good and balanced treatment, such as the Montgomery bus boycotts, his stance on the Vietnam war, through to his assassination and its effect on the world.

Early on in the book, Ling quotes a fellow civil rights activist who claimed "Martin didn't make the movement, the movement made Martin". The whole book appears to be an attempt to assess that statement - of whether King really was the saviour and hero he is perceived as being today, or whether he was simply swept along in a media ride and has been immortalised since his early death. Although it is never explicitly stated, Ling appears to lean toward the latter argument, but never does so without denying King's greatness or without credible evidence.

Although the prose is well written and lucid, my only complaint would be that Ling does not seem to have the same passion for King's life that others who have covered the same topic, such as Stephen Oates and Michael Eric Dyson. He mentions throughout the book that biographies should not be trusted by those serious in studying history, because they tend to exaggerate the achievements of the individual. Perhaps that is why his love for the subject never completely shines through.

Whatever disagreements readers may have with it, it is a welcome addition to the King biography shelf because of its concise style and unbiased manner. A suitable book for students of King's life.