Martin Luther King: The Essential Box Set

The Landmark Speeches and Sermons of Martin Luther King, Jr.

By: Clayborne Carson, Kris Shepard, Peter Holloran, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Narrated by: Keith David, Jay Gregory, Martin Luther King, Clayborne Carson

Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

For the first time ever, 24 original recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his iconic "I Have A Dream" speech to his stirring sermon "A Knock At Midnight," are collected together in this treasured box set. His landmark speeches that echoed around the world and the more intimate sermons from the churches where he carried out his ministry are just as moving and meaningful today as they were when the great orator first expressed them.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches stirred a nation to change - and his calls to peaceful action and refusal to turn to despair or violence in the face of injustice continue to inspire the world today. Each of the twelve sermons and speeches collected here is accompanied by an introduction by other renowned theologians and champions of civil rights, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rosa Parks, Reverend Billy Graham, Bishop TD Jakes, Aretha Franklin, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and Representative John Lewis, who share their priceless firsthand testimony on the events that inspired the delivery of King's message.

This definitive box set includes all the landmark speeches of the great orator and American leader Martin Luther King, Jr., from his inspirational "I Have a Dream" to his firey "Give Us the Ballot." Comprised of recordings previously included in A Call to Conscience and A Knock at Midnight, The Essential Box Set is a must-have for any home, library, or school collection.

©2009 Hachette (P)2009 Hachette

Dr. Luther

This January
Well all one to be for has been with a king
Something holiday for to day is a Monday and Tuesday for within thing if New York this January 19,

A tribute to my Hero

As another reviewer on Audible stated, this compilation is a collection of Dr. King's sermons and speeches spoken by himself. I am a white resident of the South, and MLK has been my hero for years. He is an inspiration because of his focus on non-violent action and perseverance. Although he passed away before I was born, I know that Dr. King put those virtues into practice. I highly recommend this title!

Well worth the read!!

Excellent read! It made me more appreciative of the magnitude one man had on our nation. I cannot put into words how much this book's importance is to me. It reawakened my conscience to what has really been accomplished for my people and this nation as a whole. It will inspire you to keep moving towards advancements for all.

More than just "I have a dream!"

Inspirational, emotional, profoundly intelligent and down to earth.

For every little guy, minority and underdog. Not just about civil rights and God, but how to turn the other cheek, put your priorities in order, spread love. The only self-help book you need, really.

Powerful and still relevant

Hearing his voice throughout the years is such a great reminder of how relevant and important this work still is today

11/10 Would Listen Again

This audiobook gave me LIFE. No matter if I was in a bad mood on the way home from work, or needed a pick-me-up any old time, MLK would get me amped. Sometimes sad, sometimes elated, sometimes indignant-- but always motivated. The introductions by various pastors, actors, activists, and other people of note are also amazing. They pack a ton of history into this book.

MLK was a prophet and being able to listen to his voice and his words is a gift.

Subchapters please

Organization of content: 5
Dr Kings authentic speeches and sermons: 5
Audible Chapter organization: 3

Audible, please put a little more care into how items are organized on your end. I sometimes just want a Dr. King speech or sermon. I love the intros, but should not have to scroll-guess by hand to find the speech.

This is a digital copy. It is a program. It would not be difficult to hire a programmer to allow for different organization of content.

Please take a moment to think about what would be useful to all listeners and use chapter breaks a little more thoughtfully.

Adding subchapter headings would do the trick.

Not to Audible: I have come across other texts, very long ones, that actually are not worth it due to a failure of having enough chapter headings to navigate through.

This cannot be the definitive King recording without chapter options or subheadings, which is too bad, because Clayborne is awesome and it should be.

Absolutely loved it.

Hearing his speeches and sermons gives me new respect for Dr. King. This is a must for all to listen to and gain a better understanding or this man and the struggle he and others engaged in.

A Great Resource!

The collection of originally delivered speeches is a preciious research. The reading of letters written by the history-makers involved in his campaigns and anecdotes of those present help to establish the contextual settings of the speeches.

I think it's great!

Worth Every Minute

This audiobook met and exceeded my expectations. The speeches and sermons speak for themselves and are of pretty clear quality given the passage of time.

What struck me most was that Rev. King could be speaking of America circa 2015, rather than 50+ years prior. My favorite speech was "Where Do We Go From Here?" It signaled a clear transition of King from a Black Civil Rights crusader to a crusader for equal justice, peace and opportunity for all, although those themes were in all of his speeches heretofore. Speaking out against war (in this case, Vietnam) and linking it to the poverty struggle and opportunity deficit of all less fortunate Americans would have been illuminating to the masses and threatening to the Established Order. To me, a man in my 30s, it showed me that King was willing to do what it took to chalk the Establishment and inform and unite the masses.

The speakers introducing each speech/sermon did not try to outdo King, but added context to the time and place, which I found I appreciated. They also pointed out to me that King was not alone in the work he did.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about this man and his Dream.