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  • Death of a King

  • The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Year
  • Written by: Tavis Smiley, David Ritz
  • Narrated by: Tavis Smiley
  • Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

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Death of a King

Written by: Tavis Smiley,David Ritz
Narrated by: Tavis Smiley
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Publisher's Summary

A revealing and dramatic chronicle of the 12 months leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination.

Martin Luther King, Jr. died in one of the most shocking assassinations the world has known, but little is remembered about the life he led in his final year. New York Times best-selling author and award-winning broadcaster Tavis Smiley recounts the final 365 days of King's life, revealing the minister's trials and tribulations - denunciations by the press, rejection from the president, dismissal by the country's Black middle class and militants, assaults on his character, ideology, and political tactics, to name a few - all of which he had to rise above in order to lead and address the racism, poverty, and militarism that threatened to destroy our democracy.

Smiley's Death of a King paints a portrait of a leader and visionary in a narrative different from all that have come before. Here is an exceptional glimpse into King's life - one that adds both nuance and gravitas to his legacy as an American hero.

©2014 Tavis Smiley and David Ritz (P)2014 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

" Death of a King is a fitting climax to a noble saga. It is here adequately told and placed before history." (Reverend Gardner C. Taylor)
"Tavis Smiley has captured not only the spirit of the movement, but the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. in his last days. We didn't realize it but he knew he was on his way to Jerusalem, and as much as we tried to deter him, he fought back." (Andrew Young, United States ambassador to the United Nations and former mayor of Atlanta)
"One of the most important political voices of his generation." ( The Philadelphia Inquirer)

What listeners say about Death of a King

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