King: The Life of Martin Luther King

The compelling story of Martin Luther Kings life and achievements has become simplified and domesticated in a way that fails to do full justice to his radical vision and importance.

Now, in King, we get the most comprehensive and complete portrait ever written about this iconic figure.

The first major new biography of Martin Luther King Jr in over 40 years, Jonathan Eigs superb King is based on years of research, hundreds of interviews with those who knew him and many thousands of previously unreleased documents, including a huge cache from the FBI.

Eig reveals Kings story to be more compelling and more complex than we knew.

For too long, his radical vision for the future has been erased.

The hope of his I have a dream message and the tragedy of his assassination at the age of 39 have overwhelmed the story of a brilliantly bold and complicated man, which obscures his real significance of todays society and for the future.

His vision went far beyond achieving equal treatment for black men and women, which was only a part of a much greater and more wide-ranging mission - something that has been forgotten by most.Eigs fascinating biography not only shines new light on Kings remarkable career, but also humanises him so that he becomes more than a symbol of hope and defiance, but a man with flaws, a sense of humour, as a father and a husband.

Its an essential read for our times.