Reviews
What sets Tyson's book apart is the wide-angle lens he uses to examine the lynching, and the ugly parallels between past and present... A terrific writer and storyteller, Tyson compels a closer look at a heinous crime and the consequential decisions, large and small, that made it a national issue., A powerful tale of violence summoned by the southern demons of race, class, and gender. Till's memory burns brighter with each year and is a touchstone for understanding white violence against black men in our nation today., [Tyson's] analysis of the big national moment does not upstage his attention to the Till family's unimaginable personal loss. He writes movingly of what Emmett's life might have been...., An Insightful Addition to the Tragedy That Energized Many American Citizens to Fight Against Racism., "Bolstered by prodigious research... the well-presented details... add atmosphere. In addition, Tyson is masterful at explaining how the Till murder became a major cause of the civil rights movement. Especially resonant today is the author's focus on obtaining voting rights for blacks in Southern states that denied those rights before the Till murder...Tyson skillfully demonstrates how, in our allegedly post-racial country, a "national racial caste system" remains in place.", "More than simply a retelling of the story of Till's death and the subsequent trial, the book incorporates new sources into the narrative... In the course of telling this story, Tyson explores larger, more important lessons about America's long, bitter struggle with race." , Tim Tyson's profound eloquence and groundbreaking evidence capture the cries of Emmett Till and the rise of a movement, and will call us to the cause of justice today., Apply[s] diligent research, scrupulous perspective and a vigorous aptitude for weaving pertinent public and intimate details., Elegant and sophisticated .... Tyson successfully connects the dots, and without actually saying so (he worked on the book for years prior to Nov. 8, 2016), draws a resolute if symbolic line between Emmett Till... and the white supremacist foreground of this country., When good and evil are evident, moral indignation comes easily, and readers might feel self-congratulatory, relieved that we are nothing like that anymore. We need historians like Timothy Tyson to break that spell for us., Tyson's remarkable achievement is that each thread is explored in detail, backstories as well as main events, while he maintains a page-turning readability for what might seem a familiar tale. Cinematically engaging, harrowing, and poignant, Tyson's monumental work illuminates Emmett Till's murder and serves as a powerful reminder that certain stories in history merit frequent retelling., " The Blood of Emmett Till unfolds like a movie, moving from scene to reconstructed scene, panning out to help the reader understand the racism and bigotry that crafted the citadel of white supremacy and focusing in on intimate exchanges imbued with meaning...." , An insightful, revealing and important new inquiry into the tragedy that mobilized and energized a generation of Americans to stand and fight against racial bigotry., I couldn't stop reading Timothy Tyson's The Blood of Emmett Till . It is civil rights history that captivates the reader like a mystery novel...., The Blood of Emmett Till is a work critical not just to our understanding of something that happened in America in 1955 but of what happens in America here and now. It is a jolting and powerful book... swift-flying and meticulously researched., " The Blood of Emmett Till unfolds like a movie, moving from scene to reconstructed scene, panning out to help the reader understand the racism and bigotry that crafted the citadel of white supremacy and focusing in on intimate exchanges imbued with meaning.... Tyson portrays the historical characters as fully fleshed out people instead of merely victims." , A shocking revelation.... For Tyson, this confession reveals the workings of a racial caste system that insured the murderers would be acquitted, and which, even decades later, makes it possible for young black men to be killed with impunity., More than simply a retelling of the story of Till's death and the subsequent trial, the book incorporates new sources into the narrative... In the course of telling this story, Tyson explores larger, more important lessons about America's long, bitter struggle with race., The Blood of Emmett Till unfolds like a movie, moving from scene to reconstructed scene, panning out to help the reader understand the racism and bigotry that crafted the citadel of white supremacy and focusing in on intimate exchanges imbued with meaning...., From one of our finest civil rights historians comes this harrowing, brilliant, and crucial book. The full story of Emmett Till has never before been told. It will terrify you; it should. It will inspire you; it must., "In many ways, Timothy Tyson is the ideal author to explore new details surrounding the lynching death of Emmett Till...." , "Bolstered by prodigious research... the well-presented details... add atmosphere. In addition, Tyson is masterful at explaining how the Till murder became a major cause of the civil rights movement. Especially resonant today is the author's focus on obtaining voting rights for blacks in Southern states that denied those rights before the Till murder.... Tyson skillfully demonstrates how, in our allegedly post-racial country, a "national racial caste system" remains in place.", [A] powerful new book.... Tyson's profound conclusion moves the Emmett Till tragedy into the present time., Groundbreaking new evidence and Tyson's masterful prose make The Blood of Emmett Till a devastating indictment of America, both past and present., "From one of our finest civil rights historians comes this harrowing, brilliant, and crucial book. The full story of Emmett Till has never before been told. It will terrify you; it should. It will inspire you; it must." , "An insightful, revealing and important new inquiry into the tragedy that mobilized and energized a generation of Americans to stand and fight against racial bigotry." , Tim Tyson has universalized the Emmett Till story to make it an American tragedy. His bracing, granular narrative provides fresh insight into the way race has informed and deformed our democratic institutions., Compelling.... With Tyson's new book, and Carolyn Bryant Donham's remarks, we have reason to revisit a period in our history when bigotry, blood, and sacrifice became a call to action., "An insightful addition to the tragedy that energized many American citizens to fight against racism." , When Cain killed Abel, the Bible tells us, God said, 'Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.' His blood screamed from the earth for the truth to be told. Tim Tyson's profound eloquence and groundbreaking evidence capture the cries of Emmett Till and the rise of a movement, and call us to the cause of justice today., This highly readable book is likely to remain the final account of the Till murder and trial and its impact in the United States and abroad. It will appeal to anyone interested in African American history and the judicial process., "[A] powerful, moving book.... [Tyson] has expertly unearthed and synthesized... to give a fuller picture than we've ever had of the minute-by-minute details of the crime, and of what people were saying and thinking about the Emmett Till case as it unfolded. It will certainly be the definitive account of this crucial catalyst for the civil rights struggle." , Tyson does an admirable job of condensing and updating information about the case, using a 2006 FBI report on Till's murder to weave together a historical tapestry., "Tyson does an admirable job of condensing and updating information about the case, using a 2006 FBI report on Till's murder to weave together a historical tapestry." , In many ways, Timothy Tyson is the ideal author to explore new details surrounding the lynching death of Emmett Till...., Tim Tyson's genius as a historian, author, and social visionary informs his unique commitment to write truth to power authentically and fearlessly., "Elegant and sophisticated .... Tyson successfully connects the dots, and without actually saying so (he worked on the book for years prior to Nov. 8, 2016), draws a resolute if symbolic line between Emmett Till... and the white supremacist foreground of this country." , "Groundbreaking new evidence and Tyson's masterful prose make The Blood of Emmett Till a devastating indictment of America, both past and present." , Such a powerful sweep of history.... With a tone at once measured and urgent, Tyson calls us to action, prods us to create a radically different future by making good on, and learning from, the past., "Apply[s] diligent research, scrupulous perspective and a vigorous aptitude for weaving pertinent public and intimate details." , [A] powerful, moving book.... [Tyson] has expertly unearthed and synthesized... to give a fuller picture than we've ever had of the minute-by-minute details of the crime, and of what people were saying and thinking about the Emmett Till case as it unfolded. It will certainly be the definitive account of this crucial catalyst for the civil rights struggle., Till's memory burns brighter with each passing year and remains a touchstone for understanding white violence against black men today., No American historian working today captures the nuances of white supremacy and the ways in which it engulfs us all more convincingly than Tyson.
