MLK: A Life and an Inspiration

Some lessons from Jonathan Eig’s important new book

We mostly write essays in this newsletter about our best ideas on how to accelerate environmental progress. But we also sometimes discuss the books we are reading. Our goal is to draw lessons and inspiration for environmentalists from books we admire.

Every now and then a book comes along that is so profound and special, we call it out with a dedicated issue of our newsletter. 

This is one of those times. 

I recently read — devoured, really — Jonathan Eig’s brand new biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, King: A Life.

I won’t be able to do this magisterial book full justice, so let me keep my topline takeaway simple: 

This book is truly great. Please read it. 

I thought I knew MLK’s life story well. But while reading this book which I loved, I learned a lot that was new to me. I came away energized by his example and determined to do more — in my case, by trying harder on the environmental front.