A Knock at Midnight

By: Martin Luther King Jr.

Narrated by: Martin Luther King Jr.

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a leader and visionary of the civil rights movement, was first and foremost a preacher. This unique collection features a selection of Dr. King's best sermons - some not heard since he first delivered them - recorded at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, and in other churches where he carried his ministry. They include "Rediscovering Lost Values," "A Knock at Midnight," "The American Dream," and "When Jesus Called a Man a Fool." Each is introduced by a distinguished member of today's spiritual community, including Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, Dr. Joan Campbell, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

(P)1998 Intellectual Properties Management, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Critic Reviews

• Winner of Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award: Best Audio of 1998, Use of Archival Tapes

Best audible book yet

Martin Luther King was not a politician he was Christian Preacher who felt compelled to "do right." You may not agree with everything he says (eg. re. viatnam and role of UN) but, if you listen, you do know this man *truly* believed in what he said. He was in every way a true believer. He also truly belived in and loved all people and perhaps especially African Americans.

People who want to ignore religion in his life just don't get it. People who believe that the only reality is the physical things of this life just don't end up with drive to do well in the world like MLK had. After listening to this book I am convinced he felt God was driving him to do his work and acting through him. After listening to this book I believe his feeling was correct.
Whether someone truly believes in a cause or not this book will enlighten you about someone who does believe in a cause and throws his soul into. It also indicates what he go through and how he handles it. This was truly inspirational

20 of 23 people found this review helpful

One of the best audio books I've ever

These sermons are amazing. I've shared them with a few friend's, and all of us love it.

Prior to listening to these sermons, I was only familiar with a few of Dr. King's speeches. These sermons show Dr. King was truly a preacher first; he was a genius at taking the lessons of the Gospels and making them accessible to his congregration. He draws inspiration from philosophy, socialology, economics, science, and theology. Yet, he's able to speak in a way that all can understand. The sermons are good for all - Christians and non-Christians alike. The content of his sermons and his delivery is amazing. For me, it illuminated Dr. King's motives for leading the civil rights movement during his life. He was motivated by justice - by the true teachings of Christ - not by the desire to advance a particular people. He was interested in the advancement of all people. If only today's leaders listened to his teachings.

You will not be disappointed with this selection. Amazing.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great Content, Bad Audio

Would you try another book from Martin Luther King and/or Martin Luther King?

Yes, if the audio were cleaned up better.

What other book might you compare A Knock at Midnight to and why?

C.S. Lewis'

Was A Knock at Midnight worth the listening time?

I had to struggle to make out the words.

Any additional comments?

The audio really should have been cleaned up better with modern technology. Dr. King was often impossible to understand just because of the bad dynamic range.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Required Reading for All

I truly believe that Martin Luther Kings Sermons and quotes should Required Reading for all students.

His message of love your enemy, non violence and a stronger America through acceptance of all people groups by all people groups is timeless.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Wish he were still alive...

Fantastic collection of Dr. King's sermons/speeches, with good introductions. The sound quality is surprisingly good. It makes you wonder where these kinds of leaders are today. We could sure use them.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Outstanding message, poor quality audio

First comment on the audio: of course they are poor quality. They were recorded with old equipment in the 60s. I get that. I just mention the poor quality because it does make it hard to listen to when there are other noises--like road noise when driving, or environment noise when out for a walk.

Two things make this worth the listen: hearing MLK's voice and message and the introductions for each sermon, each intro by a different person. I so appreciated understanding the context of the sermon or the person MLK prior to hearing his message, and does he give a good message! I also appreciate that MLK's message was consistent. This has been worth my time and reflection.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great Proclamation From A Master Preacher

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would highly recommend this audiobook as it gives you some additional insight into the genius of Dr King. Much of the material presented is not included in his more famous civil rights speeches. Also, Dr King is more personal in these messages as far as sharing glimpses of his family life and friends. While intense in his presentation, there are also times when we see the humor of Dr King.

What did you like best about this story?

It was great to hear Dr King's sermons in a variety of contexts. He was a preacher first and civil rights leader second so I enjoyed hearing Dr King in a preaching context on a Sunday morning. As a preacher, I appreciated how he took a biblical text and walked through its practical and social implications for the times in which the message was presented.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Classic King oratory

Although some of the sermons in this selection are hampered a little by not being excellent recordings, the overall effect is very satisfying. Here is King giving his deliberate, cadenced, moving delivery in both his earliest sermons and his later ones. If King interests you, you will not be disappointed with this audio book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Inspiring

It's amazing to know Dr King as a,political activist, but to also get you know him more through these sermons as he identified himself. . As a man of God, servant of Christ

Truly Inspirational

These recordings transport you into the very churches, halls and venues that Dr King spoke in. The editors have provided excellent context for each recording. This truly inspirational period in history resonates with us today as the themes touched upon here are universal and timeless.