... a small, powerful and deeply observed book of ruminations ... Lewis joined the civil rights struggle as a Freedom Rider and endured a brutal beating outside a bus station in Anniston, Ala., on May 14, 1961. His courage, tenacity and humility became hallmarks. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Lewis was the youngest keynote speaker at the Aug. 28, 1963, March on Washington. Carry On is at its best when Lewis casually discusses the intricacies behind this history, including parts of his speech that were censored by concerned allies who thought his words were too incendiary ... Lewis’s ability to forgive those who physically assaulted him in the 1960s — and in so doing betrayed American democracy — is both awe inspiring and complicates that movement’s legacy in important ways ... Perhaps the most remarkable part of Carry On is the way Lewis deftly converges the emotional with the intellectual, the personal with the political, freedom dreams with pragmatic calls for major policy innovation ... represents a final literary gift to a new generation of activists who have taken the responsibility — one that Lewis never considered a burden — to move America closer to the Beloved Community. Lewis’s political example remains as relevant now as it did in his own time, perhaps more so since — with intersecting crises that touch on the environment, immigration, voting rights and the future of American democracy — we have reached an existential crossroads in the wake of last year’s political and racial reckoning. As he did for his entire life, Lewis, through his words in this volume after his death, offers us sustenance, faith and hope for the battles that lie ahead.
This lovely book offers Lewis’ meditations on everything from love to public service and affirms that he indeed represented the best of our nation ... Lewis shares hard-earned wisdom from his years on the front lines of the civil rights battle ... Carry On is a bittersweet book, coming so soon on the heels of Lewis’ death, but a beautiful reminder of finding hope and joy in the simplest things.
Lewis expresses himself with clarity, authenticity, and humility, all of which can be applied in nearly every arena ... The author’s courage and conviction are crystal clear, and it’s also evident that he never feared death because he knew that his life had purpose. A bright, morally unwavering worldview from an exemplary human being.
