Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches Paperback – 21 Feb. 1991

Many thanks,Book is exactly as described AAA+++

If you like Martin Luther King, you will love this classic collection of speeches and texts. It's absolutely brilliant!! The only downside was that, for some reason that is absolutely beyond me, Amazon delivered it into the outside rubbish bin. I had to put my nonviolent skills into practice immediately.

Great readMissing some nice workLike, letter from the Birmingham jail

Excellent detailed book. So far what I have read of it is very well written, informative and interesting. Good value for money too.

Good as I expected

First published in 1986, "A Testament of Hope" remains the most comprehensive single-volume edition of the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. The book consists of 57 selections from King's books, essays,sermons, speeches, and interviews, all of which work to give a broad picture of the thinking and accomplishments of this great American civil rights leader.The book includes works of King that many readers will find familiar including the "I have a Dream" speech delivered in August, 1963 on the Washington Mall, but it includes many writings that remain difficult to find, even in more recent anthologies.The work is divided into five broad parts, with King's writings arranged chronologically within each part. Part I covers King's philosophy and is divided into three sections, the first of which includes King's thoughts on religion and on nonviolence as a means of social activism and as a way of life. The second section of the part includes King's thoughts on social philosophy, centering on the struggle for integration and on the crucial factor of human dignity. The third section is devoted to political themes, including the pace and nature of the civil rights movement in both North and South and on black nationalism. An essay new to me that I learned from was "Hammer on Civil Rights" (1964) which offers a history of civil rights action and stresses the need for continued vigorous activity in the North as well as in the South.Part II of the volume includes 13 famous speeches King delivered between 1957 and 1968 on many subjects ranging from the right to vote, the dignity of labor, the "I have a Dream" speech, King's speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, his "Drum Major Instinct" speech and his passionate, impromptu speech "I have seen the Promised Land" delivered on April 3, 1968, the evening before his assassination.Part III consists of three important essays, including 1963's "Letter from Birmingham City Jail", an extended consideration of the Black Power movement, and "A Testament of Hope", which gives the title to this volume, a lengthy essay not published until after King's death.Part IV of the book includes four illuminating interviews which are not easily accessible elsewhere. The selections include a lengthy, revealing discussion King had with interviewers from "Playboy" magazine in 1965.The book's final section includes substantial excerpts from each of King's own five published books, "Stride Toward Freedom", "The Strength to Love", "Why We Can't Wait", Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?", and "The Trumpet of Conscience".In addition to the breadth of the selections, this book features an introduction by the volume's editor James M Washington, formerly Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary and Adjunct Professor of Religion at Columbia University. Washington wrote many works on the history of African American religious experience. His introduction to this anthology of Martin Luther King stresses the historical role African American religion played in King's thought. Washington stresses eloquently King's "monumental contribution to the moral, social, political, and spiritual history of the twentieth century."This volume on King's "Testament of Hope" is an excellent way to explore King's thinking and action in the areas of social justice, freedom, human dignity, and religion.Robin Friedman

A very broad and insightful book. It takes you through the life and writings of one of Americas' greatest heroes. And certainly a world changing figure from the last Century. It situates you with the time and events that shook America to the bone, and in some cases Martin Luther King too. The sub-title says that it's the 'Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.' and I would agree. This book is not only essential but definitive. The speehes are inspirational by themselves, but also as you read them, you can almosty hear him utter the words as he did because of the way they are written. After 'Strength To Love' this book earns itself a place among the bestsellers. Buy it, but read 'Strength To Love' first.