Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63
Score Classic
What it's about
The first volume of Taylor Branch's monumental history of the civil rights movement, covering 1954 to 1963: from the Montgomery bus boycott that made a young Martin Luther King Jr. a national figure, through the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides and the battles of Birmingham, to the March on Washington and the Birmingham church bombing. It tells the story through King, the movement's many other leaders and the Kennedy White House.
Why it's worth reading
It's widely considered the greatest history of the civil rights movement ever written, and it won the Pulitzer Prize. Branch brings an epic sweep to a story of real people making history.
You'll love it if you liked
King: A Life
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great MigrationGood to know
At over 1,000 pages it's a huge commitment, and it's the first of three volumes. The detail is immense, but the narrative carries you.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics88 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #17 of the 198 history books we rank
- #18 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #25 of the 762 classics we rank
- #98 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63 worth reading?
Yes. It's widely considered the greatest history of the civil rights movement ever written, and it won the Pulitzer Prize. It ranks #98 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 86.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63 about?
The first volume of Taylor Branch's monumental history of the civil rights movement, covering 1954 to 1963: from the Montgomery bus boycott that made a young Martin Luther King Jr. a national figure, through the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides and the battles of Birmingham, to the March on Washington and the Birmingham church bombing. It tells the story through King, the movement's many other leaders and the Kennedy White House.
How long does it take to read Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63?
About 27 hours (1064 pages), or about 8 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63 won?
Pulitzer Prize (History) winner (1989); NBCC Award (Nonfiction) winner (1988).
What should I read after Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63?
If you liked it, try King: A Life by Jonathan Eig, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson or The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.