‘Five Days’ is an enthralling and thought-provoking read that follows seven disparate perspectives of Baltimoreans committed to social justice in their community during the April 2015 uprising in Baltimore, Maryland. We hear from the perspective and Baltimore citizens touched by police and community violence to members fighting within the system (legal, police force, etc.) What I found most striking was the poverty and segregation in Baltimore, a city also plagued with corruption in its police force and local government. It was interesting to see how individual contributions to communities make a difference, but much wider systemic change is needed to truly improve lives and help people rise out of poverty.

This was a very timely read in June of 2020 as protests against police violence and corruption are going on around the United States. I am heartened to see so many citizens taking action and demanding change. It is interesting to note how much public perception on protesting and BLM has shifted since 2015, when ‘Five Days’ is set. This book also illustrated the severe lack of training in policing protests and de-escalation techniques in Baltimore and presumably the majority of police departments throughout the United States.

There are many aspects of policing and poverty that we accept in society that need to be questioned and dramatically changed. The institutions are flawed, so making changes within won’t fix them. The vast majority of those born in poverty will never be able to escape it. Real investments have to be made to our communities, especially at the government level. Poverty is not a symptom of weak moral character. So many children and families are being left behind. Investing in our children and communities improves all lives and future generations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing a copy of this ARC.

I read this in the days following George Floyd's murder amidst the worldwide protests against police violence, and found it a very helpful framing. Moore is thoughtful and detailed about each of the stories he shares, leading the reader to see all of the perspectives in equally bright light. I recommend it for anyone who is looking to understand why and how people protest following violent incidents.

A really well-rounded overview of the 2015 Baltimore uprising. Since I work for the library in the city and have been to branches in the neighborhoods mentioned, I was able to visualize the spots Moore talked about, particularly Penn North. A lot of the names were familiar too, so it was interesting to be taken behind the scenes of those days and understand what a lot of people were going through. Someone not familiar with Baltimore should get just as much out of it though. The author’s note was the strongest part for me - I went crazy with my highlighter! Highly recommend for people looking for books to help them understand black oppression and what needs to be done to overcome it.

I so remember Freddie Gray, the video of his arrest, the TV news coverage, the Baltimore Sun coverage , the protests and the funeral. I live a little over 30 miles from Baltimore, and still recall this trying time. As I had many thoughts during that time, this book presented things that I did not know. This is a bird’s eye view from various people and how they played a role in the five days of anger and turmoil in Baltimore. This should be a must read in schools across the land. Outstanding writing and character development. You feel like you are sitting across from the participants for this book. Highly recommended. RIP Mr. Gray. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House/One World for sharing this upcoming title. This a definitely another of those must read books for any who cares about race relations and income inequality in our country. I live not far from Baltimore and consider it my closest big city, even though I am equidistant from DC. But Baltimore always feels more real, more like home to me and it’s where my family usually goes for theatre and sports. When the riots were happening I watched on TV in dismay and felt sad and also somewhat uncomprehending. This book helped with the comprehension piece for sure. I thought The authors did a great job covering a spectrum of individuals who were involved. However, I did find some parts of the book to end abruptly and move on, in ways that it didn’t always feel finished. A minor complaint. I recommend this to all.

Today is May 8 and we just found out that a young black man jogging in his neighbor was shot by two white men. Which is why I could not continue to read this. How many times I must I watch white men, who are more hateful to themselves, get away with murder. This book digs further into the death of Freddie Gray and the riots and anger thereafter. It should be required reading in every school so that they can understand how an incident was not just wrong, but how it affects even in 2020. It hurts to read and it hurts more to see we have not learned.

A very engaging and interesting read about the five days of protests in Baltimore surrounding Freddie Gray’s funeral told through eight people’s perspectives. It shows various experiences and underlying issues and injustices in various parts of the city. It ends with what we can learn from what happened and how we can press corrupt systems into much-needed change.

This is a must read book. Moore’s approach to such a polarizing subject as race relations and law enforcement is illuminating, to say the least. Seeing the death of Freddie Gray and the systemic issues at play leading up to, during, and after, through half a dozen viewpoints helps so much in the way of providing perspective on issues where it is difficult to see the other side. A heavy read to be sure, but a necessary one for everyone. I could not recommend this book more highly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me with an ARC of Five Days by Wes Moore. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

In April 2015, the city of Baltimore exploded into a fiery rage when Freddie Gray, an African American male died under police custody. It was determined that a severed spine induced while being arrested for suspicious behavior was the cause. His untimely death fueled riots, violence and destruction throughout the city. Wes Moore shadows seven individuals who were instrumental during those five days. Each had a unique lens and shares their stories of what led to the breakdown and ultimate unrest. An insightful piece of investigative journalism.

The writing is engaging and the narrative compelling. Mr Moore’s afterward is especially important as he offers suggestions to help end the plague of inequality and poverty that is contributing to this epidemic.

4.5 stars
Moore and Green have written an in-depth first hand account of the wrongful deaths of African American men in the United States at the hands of police brutality and how their deaths impacted Baltimore. In April 2015, Freddie Gray was chased by police and arrested for having a pocket knife on his person. He was put into a police van for transportation to lock-up and twenty minutes later, EMS is called for an unconscious male. Freddie is transported to the hospital for emergency surgery. He dies with three broken vertebrae and an injured voice box. His death is the final straw and later that day, the protests began. The people have had enough of their police force being unable to protect and serve them. What ensues is a tumultuous five days of uprising and riots in Baltimore that the whole city feels.

Moore’s interpretation of the riots are told from several different perspectives who play an integral role in Baltimore over the next week. We hear from a black police officer, a sister turned activist of a man who was murdered by police, the owner of the baseball stadium, politicians, lawyers and a man directly involved in leading the movements. We see how the police corruption has impacted the community and the inequalities of the different parts of the city. I couldn’t believe some of what I was reading. It was a horrifying depiction of violation of human rights and lack of support for the city’s citizens when they needed it the most.

Thank you to Wes Moore and Erica L. Green for informing me about the situation of Baltimore and police brutality in the US. This should be a must-read for everyone, I learned so much.

This was an incredible read from the perspectives of multiple people after the 2015 Baltimore protests. The protests were in response to the death of Freddie Gray & the book interweaves the stories of different people who were there, participated, and were directly impacted.

If you want to get a good understanding of what led to the Baltimore uprising and the struggles of a community from many different angles, then read this book.

WOW! I need to remember how to breathe while reading this book. It was so intense. The people narrating it, each had their own agendas, yet they all collided during 5 days of unrest that culminated in a riot in Baltimore. There was so much going on from the streets, the poverty, the lack of opportunity, to the other side of the spectrum...the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, a police officer, a councilman, and attorneys.
The authors did a great job blending the stories together.
YET, one of my main drawbacks was that the days ended abruptly. I actually went back and was like what happened during the melee outside of the stadium?!
The authors did NOT do a great job of saying how the melees and riots ended....they just went on to the next day.

Overall, a quick, gritty real life look at the Baltimore riots, the death of Freddy, and trying to move forward for a city, a race, and a nation.

This is a real eye-opener of a book that every single person needs to read. The authors laid out the facts and backed them up, but I still googled things as I read because I just couldn’t wrap my head around everything that happened. The perspectives of the same event from different points of view made this book come across as authentic and factual.