  | Chasing King's killer : the hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassin Author: Swanson, James L. | |
| Price: $24.48 | ||
Summary:
James Earl Ray and Martin Luther King, Jr. had two very different life journeys -- but their paths fatally collide when Ray assassinates the world-renown civil rights leader. This book provides an inside look into both of their lives, the history of the time, and a blow-by-blow examination of the assassination and its aftermath.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: UG Reading Level: 7.60 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 193762 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 6-8 Reading Level: 8.60 Points: 11.0 Quiz: 72563 | |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (+) (01/01/18)
Booklist (+) (12/15/17)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/04/18)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 01/01/2018 Gr 7 Up—A detailed, well-organized, and vividly illustrated history of Martin Luther King Jr.'s role in the civil rights movement and U.S. political history—and the killer who assassinated him. After introducing King, the first section of the book develops with a chapter for each year beginning with 1956 and continuing to April 23, 1967, the day that James Earl Ray escaped from prison. The second section gives a synopsis of Ray's early life and criminal history, describes his prison break, and details his wanderings before arriving in Los Angeles in November 1967. Swanson intersperses Ray's travels with a discussion of changes in King's work, specifically his opposition to the Vietnam War and his "Poor People's Campaign." The third section begins on March 17, 1968, as Ray and King both leave California. King headed to Memphis to support sanitation workers, and Ray followed and planned the murder. King's activities, private conversations, and public statements leading up to April 4, counter Ray's surveillance of King and preparations for the murder and his escape. The assassination unfolds moment-by-moment, as does Ray's flight from the scene. The final section covers responses to King's death from his friends and the public and efforts to apprehend his killer. Swanson includes a discussion of Ray's motives, theories regarding other conspirators, and analysis of Ray's claims of innocence, but his final words are a tribute to King's lasting legacy. The source notes are copious and clear enough to serve as a guide for continued study. VERDICT A top pick for YA history collections.—Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, Blinn Junior College, Brenham, TX - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
