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Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for Hi...

Hampton Sides

Discussion: 2010-Apr-May-Jun

Why we're reading this: May 11, 2010
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2010-Apr-May-Jun

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* June 2010
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 7 views

last updated Feb 25, 2011 05:33PM

* May 2010
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 6 views

last updated Feb 25, 2011 04:29PM

What Members Thought

Oct 13, 2010 Judy rated it it was amazing

This is by far the most depressing book that I have ever awarded five stars. In telling the story of James Earl Ray and his stalking Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and ultimately killing him in Memphis, Hampton Sides demonstrates just how powerful and destructive an emotion hate can be. And not only Ray's racist hatred of King, but J. Edgar Hoover's fear and hatred of the same man. Ironically, after the assassination of King, it was Hoover's FBI that had to lead the international manhunt for the ki ...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Donna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-blog, news-sentinel

I wasn't quite a year old when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, and it frustrates me both as a history buff and as a journalist that I was alive for such a nation-changing event, but I can't remember it.
Hampton Sides has more than filled in the blanks with "Hellhound on His Trail: The Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt in American History."
I've lived in Tennessee all my life, so I remember growing up hearing about King's assassin, James Earl Ray, and his 1977 es I wasn't quite a year old when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, and it frustrates me both as a history buff and as a journalist that I was alive for such a nation-changing event, but I can't remember it.
Hampton Sides has more than filled in the blanks with "Hellhound on His Trail: The Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt in American History."
I've lived in Tennessee all my life, so I remember growing up hearing about King's assassin, James Earl Ray, and his 1977 escape from Brushy Mountain State Prison. But the story about how he ended up there is fascinating.
The book begins with a man called Eric Galt escaping from prison in Jefferson City, Mo., in April 1967. Eric Galt? Never heard of him. That's because Ray used a string of aliases, and that was the one he was going by when he snuck out in a box full of bread. In fact, the name James Earl Ray doesn't appear until page 321. Even though I knew it was him, it was still a dramatic "DUN-DUN-DUN!" moment when I saw it in print for the first time. Sides uses whichever alias Ray was using, and he went through several while on the run.
Sides gives extremely detailed insight into the lives and movements of Ray and King in the months leading up to the tragic day their paths crossed.
The portrait of King clearly shows his failings. Yet we also see he was the guiding force of the civil-rights movement, even if he did find that a heavy burden to carry at times. After his death, his devastated colleagues tried to carry on but couldn't fill the vacuum left by their charismatic leader. We also see the ugly infighting that began before King was even declared dead. Let's just say Jesse Jackson does not come off well.
Sides brings to life the speech King gave the night before he was killed, when, like a black Moses, he told a church full of people that he had been to the mountaintop and had seen the Promised Land and that though he might not get there with them, they as a people would make it. "Longevity has its place," King said, "but I'm not concerned about that now." It's heartbreaking foreshadowing for the next day. Then he had to go and ruin my sadness by going back to his hotel and spending his last night on this earth with one of his mistresses. It made me even madder when I read about the dignity and grace with which his widow, Coretta Scott King, comported herself after his death.
Sides also describes what can only be called Ray's sad, seedy life. At some point after his jailbreak, Ray basically started stalking King. Detailed media coverage of his plans concerning a garbage workers' strike in Memphis gave Ray just what he needed. The papers even ran a picture of King's hotel room, clearly showing the number on the door. It didn't really cost that much to kill the civil-rights leader. A rifle, a scope, a pair of binoculars and $8.50 to rent a room in a cheap boarding house with windows that faced King's balcony across the street. Ray fired only one bullet.
Ray fled Memphis and would remain on the run for 65 days. I hadn't realized it took so long to catch him or that his escape route took him to Canada, England and Portugal. He was captured at a London airport in line to fly to Belgium, thanks to a sharp-eyed employee.
Though it seems Ray was on the run for a long time by today's standards, you have to remember that all the law enforcement personnel trying to identify and catch him didn't have computers to help them. They had to look at fingerprints and passport photos one by one, armed only with magnifying glasses.
In some delicious irony, the FBI led the chase, though its director, J. Edgar Hoover, despised King and had been trying to dig up dirt on him and discredit him for years.
When King died, he wanted to change the focus of his movement into the Poor People's Campaign, which would bring together the disadvantaged of all races. He was trying to help people just like Ray, caught in a cycle of generational poverty.
Though Sides clearly believes Ray and Ray alone fired the shot that killed King, he does mention conspiracy theories and believes Ray had some help along the way with, for example, transportation and money, most likely from his family.
I thought this book was extraordinary. Though Ray likely took some secrets with him to the grave, now I feel like I've had an intensive history lesson and understand so more about that turbulent time. Five out of five stars.

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May 23, 2014 judy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, history

A non-fiction history that was an Edgar nominee? That should tell mystery fans something. If you don't know the story of the manhunt following the King assassination, let's just say this true story beats all the CSIs easily. For history buffs, don't worry. Sides is a journalist and editor of Outdoor magazine. His sourcing is flawless and he doesn't hype the story. He doesn't need to. This is an example of truth is stranger........ ...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, audio-book, 2011

Listened to this on the train. Thought it was great. Super well researched and interesting. Audio book is read by the author, who has a nice enough voice. Not my favorite to listen to, but the book was good enough that it didn't detract much. ...more

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