Five Days: Baltimore's Fiery Reckoning

In the spring of 2015, after Freddie Gray was arrested and treated roughly by police, a week of protests and an uprising followed in Baltimore. This killing felt like the final straw, leading to the Black Lives Matter movement. Wes Moore, a New York Times bestselling author, tells the story through the eyes of eight characters, providing an engrossing and cacophonous account of a moment in history with resemblances to more recent events.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 04 February 2021
Publisher: Icon Books Ltd

A captivating portrayal of Baltimore emerges in this mesmerizing book, captivating readers from start to finish. Publishers Weekly describes it as a kaleidoscopic account of five pivotal days in the life of a city on the brink, intricately woven through the experiences of eight characters who were at the forefront of the uprising that shook Baltimore and captivated the world.

The events unfolded in April 2015, when Freddie Gray, a young man, was arrested for possessing an illegal knife. Eyewitness accounts, later corroborated by video evidence, depict the brutal treatment he received as police officers loaded him into a vehicle. Tragically, by the end of his journey in the police van, Gray had slipped into a coma, from which he would never recover.

This tragic incident, in the context of a long history of police abuse in Baltimore, ignited a week of protests fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement. The protests took on a more tumultuous turn, alternating between riots and uprisings, as tensions soared.

New York Times bestselling author Wes Moore takes readers on a profound journey through these five days, offering his own observations alongside those of other Baltimoreans. Partee, a conflicted black captain of the Baltimore Police Department, Jenny, a young white public defender drawn into the violent center of the uprising, Tawanda, a young black woman who had spent a lonely year protesting the killing of her own brother by police, and John Angelos, the scion of the city's most powerful family and executive vice president of the Baltimore Orioles, each contribute their unique perspectives to the narrative.

Through these diverse voices, Moore paints a vivid and intricate portrait of a moment in history that bears striking similarities to recent events. It serves as a poignant reminder of the deeper roots of violence and the fragile seeds of hope that can sprout in its aftermath. The book offers a thought-provoking exploration of the complex dynamics that shaped the uprising and its impact on the city and its residents.

In conclusion, "The Five Days" is a masterful work of non-fiction that delves deep into the heart of Baltimore's unrest. Through the eyes of eight compelling characters, Moore weaves a tapestry of experiences that shed light on the complexities of a city on the edge. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the ongoing challenges faced by communities of color and the urgent need for systemic change.

Weight: 326g
Dimension: 135 x 214 x 40 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781785787249