Remarkable narrative. I did not know that King started out as a somewhat feckless, typical student who matured into a great man. He did not turn down a vocation entailing a world a suffering and eventually, death. His humility and humanity are really brought out in this book.

Well researched and written, this was incredibly engaging and hard to put down. I've read many books about Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement. As the title suggests, this focuses on his last hours of life on earth. MLK was at his height during the years of the Civil Rights movement. He was indeed the "King" who made it possible to fight the unjust system imposed upon the black people in the United States. Accolades poured in, and he is best known for his "I Have A Dream" speech when he took the podium at the Washington DC march for jobs.

A riveting speaker, a commanding presence who magnetically drew people, and especially women, to him. He met with two presidents, JFK, and LBJ. John Kennedy was so taken by him that after his march on Washington and his I Have a Dream speech, he immediately welcomed King into the Oval office where he and his close team were given accolades for pulling together such a large crowd wherein not one act of crime was committed.

While Kennedy pushed for the Civil Rights Amendment, it was Lyndon Johnson who took the credit for pushing this through after JFK was killed.

One of his crowning moments was when he received the Nobel Peace Prize. While many worked for and with him to push for the dismantling of the Jim Crow South, it was Martin that was always center stage.

Sadly, at the end of his life, all around seemed to be crumbling. He tried to pull together another massive march on Washington, this time with the focus of the abolition of poverty and the disparaging wide berth between the rich and the very poor. Unable to garner the assistance and the momentum for this march, some thought it was simply Martin longing for glory while looking back into the past.

Previously known as the preacher and accomplisher of non violent means of winning his goals, in Memphis during a march for the sanitation workers who were striking for better pay and better conditions, violence erupted. Windows were smashed, looting occurred and it was necessary for police to quell the crowds of rowdies.

Organizations that previously had large coffers to support the cause of civil rights, now were drained and funds were not pouring in.

Disparaged by the looting, by the lack of support for another march, by those who previous supported him grew tired of his position upstaging others, Martin Luther King was in great sorrow the months, days and hours before his assignation.

Those who supported H. Rap Brown and others who though violence was necessary to accomplish goals, now demanded money to be included in his second march for the sanitation workers. This time, the demand was for 1 million dollars in return for a guarantee of non looting and non violence.

Whereas previously, thousands upon thousands marched with King, now another day was coming when people grew tired of the slow pace of civil rights and demanded freedom at all costs.

When a no account, low life James Earl Ray shot a bullet that killed King on the balcony of the Lorrane hotel in Memphis, TN, it was incredibly sad not only that he died, but that his dreams seemed to be in peril. The night before his death, in front of a large crowd of supporters he spoke as though he knew his hours were numbered.

Five Stars

Well researched and written. This book shows a side of Dr. King, and a part of history, that we don't get in school. I would consider it a "must read" ( )