BOOK: March Volume 1,2, and 3 by John Lewis

I've undertaken a spontaneous modern American history self-directed course in this past year. First, it was listening to Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin. The title mentions Vietnam, but it really was about how Nixon and Watergate happened. Fascinating!

The next  was Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History by Antonio Mendez. This was in my recent memory as I can remember the American hostages saved by the Canadian ambassador in Iran in 1980. 

Finally, I've read the three volume set March by John Lewis. Lewis was involved in a little spat with Trump back in January around the time of the inauguration. I happened to have requested this book at the library just a week or so before that all blew up and these graphic novels flew to #1 on Amazon. I really didn't know anything about Lewis before January, and now having read his memoir, I am amazed and humbled by what Lewis accomplished in the 1960s, along side Martin Luther King Jr.

The construct of the book, framing Lewis' memories of the Civil Rights battle of the 1960s with Obama's inauguration in 2008 was extremely powerful and moving. The horrific situations of segregation and violence that were still going on in the 60s made me sick. Clearly, Trump is not familiar with Lewis' life because Lewis deserves to be a national treasure and revered along side Martin Luther King Jr. and can not be considered, as Trump tweeted, "All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!"  If ever there was a person who was not all talk, it was John Lewis. His principled life of non-violence and action were eye-opening.

Everyone should read this book. (Can someone send Trump a copy?)