Customer Reviews

My Soul Is Rested: Movement Days in the Deep South Remembered

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It was difficult to stop reading the book, once I started. This collection of interviews with the idealists, the activists, the real "fighters" in the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s -- and the people who stood against them -- is an empowering, educational read. Truly, this book is a must for those interested in learning more about the civil rights struggle (a struggle that continues until today), and about movements for peace and social justice in general.

Howell Raines is the new executive editor for "The New York Times," but he is at heart a writer. Both strengths come to the fore in this excellent book on the American civil rights movement. As an oral history, it necessarily contains first-hand accounts of dozens and dozens of the main (and not-so-important) players in the movement. Raines does a fine and fair job of putting their stories into essentially chronological order and editing or moving bits and pieces only where necessary to ensure good flow for the reader. There were a few names I had heard of before, but many were new to me. There are surprises in this book. While we mostly associate the civil rights movement with the deep south in the mid-1960s, it actually got its start in Chicago in the 1940s when groups of people protested with the first lunch-counter sit-ins (when a manager came out to scold one of these groups with the flat, "We don't serve colored folks here," one quick-witted participant fired back, "That's OK, we don't eat 'em!"). Another revelation was the tensions between the older blacks and the younger black student generation. The older blacks, while not happy with segregation, sometimes felt that at least everyone knew where they stood with it--while the younger generation was champing at the bit to get out there and change the world overnight. Finally, it was interesting to read that many of the original founders of the movement were inspired far more by Gandhi than by Martin Luther King, Jr. A number of them express their opinion that King--while undoubtedly important and absolutely essential once the movement got underway--was not himself so convinced as to the value of a) the movement itself and b) non-violent protest--many of this friends and co-workers say here that he continued to espouse it only because eventually, he felt he had been thoroughly and unmistakeably identified with it. Although I was surprised that neither Coretta Scott King nor the Reverend Jesse Jackson were inteviewed for Mr. Raines' book, their absence is my only quibble with what is otherwise an enormously valuable and terrifically readable history.

Mr.Raines in true reporters form asks the questions that needed to be asked of those people who took part in the civil rights movement. Yet, one see that the author,a native Southern,had some feelings for those men who played the role of vilians in the South, in tha he asked them questions that no one else had never asked of them.

This is an excellent book that provides a unique perspective on the civil rights movement. The author does an excellent job of compiling interviews not only from important leaders of that era, but also from the common man/woman/child you rearely hear from. This a unique perspective not often found.

One of the best first hand accounts of the civil rights movement I have read. There were things in this book you will not find in the history books. A must read

This book is on the list of 100 best or most influential books I've ever read--mainly because it is observant, honest, humble and direct, with no political agendas and no effete overtones. This is a title well worth re-examining some 20 years after publication. It can be browzed through at random, with something startling jumping at you on virtually every page. Or, it can be read straight through. It's quite a white-knuckle event. Many books have been written on the subject, but there's something quietly compelling about this one. Raines is one of our great journalists. This is a good way to become acquainted with him, in the days before he became elevated to one of the most prestigious newspaper jobs in the world.

--Jim Reed, author, DAD'S TWEED COAT: SMALL WISDOMS HIDDEN COMFORTS UNEXPECTED JOYS jimreedbooks.com

My Soul Is Rested was recommended to me by my friend Noel. It is a moving and soul searing oral history of the Civil Rights Movement from the courageous activists whose nonviolent direct action changed history. It also includes accounts from entrenched politicians and law enforcement individuals who did everything in their power including unspeakable violence to stop the tide of change.

Raines book is an oral history of the Civil Rights movement from 1955 to approximately 1968 (when ML King was assassinated). The oral histories discuss a variety of topics (usually ones most of us have only seen on TV): the marches to Selma; the bus boycotts and how the Blacks banded together to end the segregation on the buses; the lunch counter sit-ins; their attempts at voter registration; the formation of SNCC and the SCLC; the introduction of Martin Luther King into the civil rights battles; and much more. Also quite stunning are the indiscriminate bombings of blacks by whites and how most attacks went un-investigated! The appalling treatment of blacks by many Southern whites is certainly difficult to understand (and I'm white and this book leaves one just shaking the head at dis-belief). Reading the stories about their arrests (the bus had too much yellow!; or walking together and being arrested for "unlawful congregation"; ABSURD but true! You can't go wrong reading this book.

A wonderful piece of work, Raines merely interviews the people from the wide and varied perspectives of the movement and gives them free rein to tell "their story" "their way" managing within this framework to lace a compelling and interesting plot around some states and some history that time and justice seemed to have forgotten.

Seven years Raines' junior, I grew up white and a carpetbagger (from the North. . .)in Augusta, GA and I now have context for stories I was told. One among many, I knew the Hamilton Holmes' car story told by the KA frat guys when they were adults, still bragging but also, "they didn't really mean it."

I am still quite mystified how a Birmin'ham boy, bragging that his Alabama ancestors fought for the Union, lived to tell about it.

I highly recommend "Fly Fishing . . ." as well. IT's NOT ABOUT THE FISH. Great read.

He thought it was tough being the baby brother; I can only suggest that he try getting fishing privileges as the Irish twin younger sister.