Bass does an excellent job of revealing the history behind Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail," the 8 clergy who prompted the piece, and the Civil Rights movement itself.

More than anything else, I appreciated the even-handed approach to the subject matter. While I whole-heartedly agree with MLK that the injustices of Jim Crow needed to be changed immediately, this book doesn't paint the white clergy with broad strokes of "bad guys" to MLK's "good guy." The fleshed-out history behind the "Letter" reveals Birmingham's 8 white clergy as heroes who may not have stepped out as boldly as MLK and his supporters, but they did speak out for equality when others remained silent. They were also the ones who remained behind in Birmingham and helped that community walk through the changes the Civil Rights era brought. Some became outspoken supporters of King. Others lost their pulpits, or their desire to step up to the pulpit because of the fall-out from the "Letter".

The behind-the-scenes look at MLK's support system and their masterful use of the media is also noteworthy.