Madison Park, Eric L.  Motley
Madison Park, Eric L.  Motley
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Madison Park
A Place of Hope

Author: Eric L. Motley, Walter Isaacson

Narrator: Brandon Maloney

Unabridged: 7 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 11/14/2017


Synopsis

Welcome to Madison Park, a small community in Alabama founded by freed slaves in 1880. And meet Eric Motley, a native son who came of age in this remarkable place where constant lessons in self-determination, hope, and unceasing belief in the American dream taught him everything he needed for his journey to the Oval Office as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush.Eric grew up among people whose belief was to “give” and never turn away from your neighbor’s need. There was Aunt Shine, the goodly matriarch who cared so much about young Motley’s schooling that she would stand up in a crowded church and announce Eric’s progress or his shortcomings. There was Old Man Salery, who secretly siphoned gasoline from his beat-up car into the Motleys' tank at night. There were Motley’s grandparents, who bought books for Eric they couldn’t afford, spending the last of their seed money. And there was Reverend Brinkley, a man of enormous faith and simple living. It was said that whenever the Reverend came your way, light abounded. Life in Madison Park wasn’t always easy or fair, and Motley reveals personal and heartbreaking stories of racial injustice and segregation. But Eric shows how the community taught him everything he needed to know about love and faith.This charming, engaging, and deeply inspiring memoir will help you remember that we can create a world of shared values based on love and hope. It is a story that reveals the amazing power of faith in God and each other. If you’re in search of hope during troubled times, look no further than Madison Park.

About Eric L. Motley

Eric L. Motley grew up in the freed slaves’ town of Madison Park, Alabama. From this beginning in the black community, he rose to become a special assistant to President George W. Bush at the White House. Eric is the deputy director of the National Gallery of Art based in Washington, D.C., and a former executive vice president of the Aspen Institute. He is a graduate of Samford University, and he earned a master of letters as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and a PhD as the John Steven Watson Scholar.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Nandi on March 31, 2019

I have earlier stated that Angie Thomas', "The Hate You Give" was probably the best book I've read all year. Well, for fiction, it was, This book, imho, was the best in nonfiction. Period. The very first time I saw the book at Walmart, I picked it up, intrigued. When I read that it was about a young......more

Goodreads review by Mattie on July 17, 2020

I deeply enjoyed reading Eric Motley’s story and found myself relating to him in certain areas - a tremendous amount of childhood support, the embraced calling to serve and learn from others, and a desire to honor God with his interests and talents. Madison Park remains a real and symbolic community......more

Goodreads review by Kate on May 30, 2018

I don't read a lot of memoirs for a reason. I had to really stay on myself to finish this book. It wasn't that I didn't find it interesting, because his story is full of amazing moments, but at times, I was skimming, especially through a lineup of names or details that didn't matter to me. In some p......more

Goodreads review by Kelly on December 23, 2017

I wanted to like this book, but for some reason, I just couldn't connect with it. I admire Motley, and I loved the story of his grandparents. Madison Park nurtured him well and it's inspiring to see how much he has accomplished. I appreciate his gratitude and humility. I kept thinking of Hillbilly E......more

Goodreads review by Emily on June 26, 2018

I am most definitely a biased reader, as a student of the university Motley attended (Samford in Birmingham, Alabama,) but I found Motley's memoir a captivating glimpse into his piece of Montgomery, Samford, and DC. Motley came last semester to speak at Samford, and it was probably one of my favorit......more