Wednesday, May 22, 2019

My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King





Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Narrators: Phylicia Rashad and January LaVoy
Length: 14:20:00
Published: June 2017 

In the midst of a reading slump, I solicited help via social media and was provided with several recommendations. The first I chose to take up was Mrs. Coretta Scott King's autobiography, My Life, My Love, My Legacy. This book was published in 2017, more than 10 years after her death. The book is a chronological story of her life as it was told to Dr. Barbara Reynolds.

For this re-telling, I selected the audiobook which was read first by January LaVoy then after Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, was read by Phylicia Rashad of The Cosby Show fame. My biggest question was why the change in narrators. I think maybe the publisher wanted to give readers an audible signal that Mrs. King's life vastly changed after her husband's, her love's murder but that she continued to live a life full of charitable work and purpose.

And that is my biggest takeaway from this wonderful book. Mrs. Coretta Scott King was an activist in her own right. She was an educated and independent woman who was a loving daughter, mother, and wife. She was a fierce partner and confidant during her husband's very demanding and successful life. I truly enjoyed listening to the stories, many that I've heard growing up, from her perspective. It was also eye-opening just how much she did after that fateful day in April of 1968. Her strength through harassing and threatening phone calls, her patience with an often-traveled spouse who's work was never done, and her persistence and commitment to non-violence when there had been so much violence against her family. I appreciated how she shared private bits of her relationship with her children. I also enjoyed learning little facts about her that I never would have known, like her reason for never re-marrying and who funded her living quarters in the latter part of her life.

Dr. King is well known for his eloquent speaking and presentation skills. This book proves that Mrs. King was also a talented communicator. In this book, her prose is rhythmic and inspirational. I closed my listening app feeling satisfied as it ended with this:

For struggle is a never-ending process, and freedom is never really won. You earn it, and win it - in every generation. -Coretta Scott King

Recommendation: I absolutely recommend this book to anyone. It should resonate with any reader on a variety of levels as it activates a wide range of emotions. Mrs. King has left a long-lasting legacy that her children and grandchildren should be most proud of. I am thankful for the recommendation from Kara, and I hope my review is a way of paying it forward to another reader.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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