Negative Positive
Title: A Pretty Little Atrocity
Review: This book begins with a sentence fragment arguing that the age of white racism and Southern apartheid seems like ancient history. It ends by implying that it was really all for the best that Dr. King was shot when he was shot, as he was "passing irretrievably into decline." The stuff in between these two whoppers is cribbed from a range of authors, all of whom are vastly more qualified than Frady to have written this book for Penguin Lives.Alas, I suspect Penguin is simply engaging in good marketing here. Yuppies buy most of the books, and this one is a perfect ego-stroke to yuppies. It lets you say you know something about MLK, without having your basic worldview challenged by a truthful presentation of his real meaning. Imagine Dr. King living to challenge our economic and political elites over several more decades. If you're smug and dumb enough to believe this wouldn't have mattered, you'll be happy to have Frady's tropes.The book is a serious miseducation.
Is the review positive or negative? 