Recommendations from our site
“Eig enriches our understanding of King and rescues the civil rights leader from what he describes as ‘the gray mist of hagiography.’ He traces the arc of ‘Little Mike,’ son of a Georgia sharecropper, to national prominence as an eloquent advocate for Black rights, as well as a crusader against the Vietnam War and poverty, all the way to Memphis and the Lorraine Motel balcony. Building on more than 200 interviews and recently released FBI files, Eig made national news by debunking a famous quotation about Malcolm X attributed to King, tracks fissures in the civil rights movement, and reveals King’s womanizing.” Read more...
The Best Biographies of 2024: The National Book Critics Circle Shortlist
Elizabeth Taylor, Biographer
“King: A Life is a new biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.—billed as the ‘definitive’ biography—by the author of a bestselling 2018 biography of Muhammed Ali. King grew of that previous work, as many of his sources knew both men, says Eig; this new book was written with an intention of creating a true intimacy with his subject. Despite extensive previous coverage and several previous biographies, Eig uncovered unseen archive material and revelations that Alex Haley, co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, had fabricated quotes in a high profile interview.” Read more...
Award-Winning Biographies of 2024
Cal Flyn, Five Books Editor
“I was excited to see a new biography of Martin Luther King Jr. by American journalist and biographer Jonathan Eig. Like many foreigners who spend time in the US, I was aware who Martin Luther King Jr. was and his importance, but not the details nor why he shared a name with a 16th-century German monk (whom my history professors at Oxford seemed to think important). This biography is highly readable and, according to the introduction, draws on new information, particularly on Mike’s father.” Read more...
Notable Nonfiction of Early Summer 2023
Sophie Roell, Journalist
