I really loved the way the author presented a mosaic-like portrait of the Baltimore community following the murder of Freddie Gray. Each person's perspective offered a different account that most of us did not see in the media during that time. This is one of my favorite ways that authors give historical accounts.

Vivian Gibson's story about my beloved hometown of St. Louis is both beautiful and tragic. When she was growing up in the heart of St. Louis, I was a little white girl growing up in Weldon Spring Heights. Her story is heartfelt and humorous, but the evils of systemic racism lurk in the background. Wiser leaders of the time could have saved the Mill Creek area, and it is a shame that this beautiful old neighborhood community could not have been preserved and rehabilitated. I hope that everyone in St. Louis reads this book and vows to do better in our time. Thank you, Ms. Gibson, for shining a light on our society in your lovely memoir.

I was born and raised in Maryland, and have lived in Baltimore City for the past 15 years, so this book hit especially close to home. I vividly remember when the uprising happened in 2015, and all that's happened since only furthers why books like these are so important. The points of view made this confusing at times, but it was still a worthwhile read, especially for those who don't have an intimate knowledge of the events.

4.5 stars. An eye opening read about the wrongful death of Freddie Gray and the five days of riots that followed. I really enjoyed all the different perspectives. The research put into this was truly phenomenal and it's a great look at how things need to change in America with law enforcement. Highly recommend.

In April 2015, Freddy Grey was handled roughly by the Baltimore police – so roughly, it resulted in his death. Protests against police brutality broke out in the city, and for five days, Baltimore was in a state of unrest. Unfortunately, since then, I believe we’ve become immune to these protests and protesters as we continue to see police brutality play out in cities across the US.

In Five Days, Wes Moore and Erica L. Green retell the story of the Freddy Grey protests through the lenses of eight different people who were involved – a police officer, the Baltimore Orioles owner, a sister to another vicitim of police brutality, and many more. It’s an in-depth look at how the city handled the crisis, what they could have done better, and where they went when the protests were over.

It’s clear there’s a lot of work to be done…still, even six years since the Freddy Grey incident. I don’t have any answers, but I appreciate the authors that continue to tell these stories that enlighten me and help me empathize.

An excellent narrative of those Baltimore days of riots and upheaval. Chilling to someone who was living the same world in Minneapolis during the summer of 2020. Wes Moore has an excellent narrative, and all the characters voices are authentic and distinguishable.

This is a non-fiction book that seems to want to be read like fiction, with the story told about multiple players in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray shooting in Baltimore.. I found it sad how similar the situation was to what happened in MN in 2020.

The author brings us a view of life in the five days after the death of Freddie Grey in August of 2015. Tensions are high in Baltimore, Maryland as Moore returns for the funeral and notices a different city than the one he grew up in. This story is one that needed to be told and Moore does a good job of allow us to feel the emotions from the people close to the event. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting is Baltimore, and not just the famous INNER HARBOR and the famous sports stadiums surrounding it.The FIVE DAYS refers to the riots following the arrest and subsequent demise of Freddy Gray, and Moore tells the story of those fateful days as seen and experienced through seven different people,ranging from a rioter and activist to a prominent member of the police force.The characters and story are interesting, unquestionably. But the prologue and author’s note make for compelling reading(I read both several times) particularly so in these times of BLACK LIVES MATTER and so much injustice and civil unrest.
One line , I thought summed it up: “ This book is about more than Baltimore.It’s about privilege,history,entitlement, greed and pain, Mine.All of ours.”If you do nothing else, read the above noted chapters.

My dad was working in the Baltimore City Government at the time of these riots and he would send me pictures of everything that happened each and every day. Reading this book along with hearing stories from my dad seeing it first hand just put together a picture that I wish never had to happen in the first place. Wes did a great job writing this powerful piece. Whether you feel on one side of the story or not, I recommend everyone read this eye-opening book to feel shook and want to help make a difference. If nothing else, it's a piece of history that we will never forget and it's great to be informed about it.

Five Days by Wes Moore covers the murder of Freddie Gray and the five days of unrest in the city of Baltimore that followed. This one is a heavy hitter. It tells the story from multiple viewpoints including, but not limited to, a police officer, a grieving sister, and an attorney. I learned a lot about Freddie from the prologue that I did not know before. I appreciate the humanization of victims of police brutality very much because destroying their character is often the first goal of the abuser. This is a very important read right now given the current state of civil unrest.
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I read some negative reviews about this book stating that the characters are flat and essentially boring. I want to point out that these are real people and this is a real event. They aren’t “characters” in a fictional story that the author creates to serve their purpose. I feel Moore very methodically chose these people to share their views because all of them together give us a more accurate depiction of the events.
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I really enjoyed the epilogue because it discusses child poverty in the US and is really insightful. This is a great book to read to learn more about Freddie’s story.

Wes Moore and Erica Green detail the days following the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of the Baltimore Police Department. The book follows the perspectives of a variety of people who call Baltimore home from a community organizer who lost her brother to police brutality years earlier to the VP of the Baltimore Oriels. Moore and Green explore these individuals and their connection to the days after Freddie Gray's death before they dive into the history of Baltimore and the social factors that set the foundation for events such as Freddie Gray's death and the reaction to such events. This book provides an interesting look that can help those grappling with events such as protests against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death.

An important book at look at the City of Baltimore after the killing by police of Freddie Gray He takes us into the heart of the city the race riot the real people who live there .The toll on the people and how they move on rebuild.An important book so well written,#netgalley#randomhouse.

Such a timely book, it's being published just as riots in cities across the US and world are happening to bring justice to the wrongful deaths of Black people across the country. Five Days details readers with the thought process of protesters and Orioles Stadium owners as they make decisions in the following days. It is really interesting to see this process and then how the riots played out and how it effected the community.

This book sets the stage for the riots around Baltimore when Freddie Gray was arrested and hurt during police custody which lead to his death. The book also details other deaths of unarmed men being killed while in police custody trying to bring awareness to the situation and the sort through the frustrations. Wes Moore brings you seven different outlooks from people involved in what happened to the city during those five days. What you take from that is obviously an opinion of your own.

What did I like? Wes Moore is a thought provoking author of several different books, my favorite being The Work. This title however comes from seven different peoples view points during stages of the riots, and not really in the eyes of Wes Moore. Change needs to come about but from where and how much is too much. A peaceful protest and march turns deadly with riots. Wes Moore gives you the situation through the eyes of several key point players and you can form your own opinion.

Would I recommend or buy? This is an admiral fence book for Wes Moore, he gives you the situation and allows you to form your own opinion. Most people don’t like that this book takes so many view points, and it’s a lot of information to process. I’m sure you could have quite the list of police brutality and it’s very clear that a reform is needed.

Thoughts for the author? Interesting angle and unexpected, I really enjoyed the Work, and the other Wes Moore. This one was thought provoking but it raises more concerns than anything. Thanks to Netgalley for a copy to read and offer my opinion.

This is such an important book. Wes Moore does it again! How timely of a publication. Everyone should pick this up! Even if you followed the news closely, you will still learn so much from Five Days.

Synopsis:
In April 2015, Freddie Gray was arrested in Baltimore for possessing an “illegal knife”. The rough treatment he received while being put in the police van resulted with Freddie Gray in a coma, that he never recovered from. This was the final straw for the people in Baltimore and it lead to five days of riots that caught the nation’s attention.
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This book is a great tool to learn about the events that took place that day as well as how poverty is a significant problem that can lead to terrible circumstances. Moore wrote this book based off of interviews with 7 different people and their life experiences and what they went through during those 5 days. Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style, I could definitely see this as a book for a social work class.
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From the Author’s note:



"So how do we move forward? Our collective pursuit of justice must be as aggressive and intentional as the systemwide injustice that we now encounter. We must alter how we define the state and permanence of poverty. We must acknowledge and challenge our own complicity. And we must put forward policies that actively confront the systemic bias of past policies."
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If you want to understand the fight that black Americans have faced for centuries. Add this one to your list. Moore’s previous book, The Other Wes Moore, is another good one.

This book follows Baltimore in the five days of rioting following the shocking death of Freddie Gray, whose spine was severed after receiving a "rough ride" in a police van. The problem is Moore uses 8 different perspectives-- ranging from the sister of a police violence victim to the owner of the Baltimore Orioles-- to try to weave together the tale. It's too many. The chapters are short and choppy and it prevents a cohesive narrative from forming. The tone is flat. There's no atmosphere, no sense of the chaos and fear those five days brought to the city. Moore is a writer of few words, and there's a lot of blank space in this book to round out the pages, as well as filler (like why do I care about some back and forth between the Orioles and the Nationals?). "Five Days" could have easily been edited down to a magazine article.

I appreciate the intent of this book and it's an easy read. But this subject really needed a more sophisticated author.

Wes Moore's <b>Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City</b> looks at case that brought Baltimore to its knees. On August 19th 2015 Freddy Gray dies after having been in police custody for 7 days. Succumbing to a severed spine his is not the first death of an unarmed Black man at the hands of Baltimore police. Just two years before Tawanda Jones buried her brother Tyrone West. A community activist fighting on behalf of her brother's memory, Moore uses Tawanda's story, along with those from people within the judicial system, a politician, businessmen and a rioter to give us a three dimensional view of those five days of unrest. He makes sure to consider the perspectives of the privileged as well as the oppressed in this accounting. He also examines which sociopolitical factors that led to Freddie Gray's tragic death and the fury of the people.

<img src = "https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/baltimore-protest27april.jpg?quality=85&w=1200&h=628&crop=1"/>

I have to admit I started writing this review before I finished reading the book. As a mother of young black men I have so much emotion surrounding these incidents. I have had nightmares about this. My fears have dictated my sons' footsteps and at times kept them hostage at home. "You can't play manhunt with your friends -- they'll see your toy gun, shoot first and ask questions later". "You can't ride your bike home at night -- they'll assume you don't belong in the neighborhood and harass you. "Make sure you have your ID on you at all times -- otherwise they'll think you're a criminal." "If you get stopped it doesn't matter if it is not your fault, don't talk back. Keep your voice low. Try to be as unassuming as possible. Make sure to say 'Yes, sir' and 'No, Sir'."

<i><b>At the end of the day all I need you to do is come home.</b></i>

Where did I get these crazy ideas from you might ask? Not from the television and news casts. This wisdom comes from lived experience of the Black men in my family. Granted we have law enforcement officers in our family but even though know to be vigilant when out of uniform.

Unfortunately, the Freddie Gray incident is not an isolated event. In recent months Atatiana Jefferson, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, David McAtee, Sean Reed, Steven Demarco Taylor, Ariane McCree , , , , , , , , ,
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As of June 4, the U.S. police shot 429 people to death in 2020 with a disproportionate number of these people were Black.

I hope that this book touches someone's life and opens up their heart so that they may have a better understanding of the pain we feel as I honestly do not feel like I can explain it you. Part of me feels like I shouldn't have to. My fear for my sons consumes me so that I do not have enough space to give you. But I will leave you with a statement from this woman who so eloquently sums up the rage, pain and frustration of a people oppressed.

<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1269291643842289666">Kimberly Jones</a>

<i>"A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel the fire's warmth."</i> - African proverb as quoted by Wes Moore

‘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.