Review: The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
By some fateful coincidence, I find myself writing this review on the 55th anniversary of Malcolm X’s murder. The coincidence feels significant, if only because this is probably one of the most crucial books in my reading life. I originally encountered the little paperback in university—borrowed from a roommate who had to read it for a class. Though I had only the vaguest idea of who Malcolm X was, the book transfixed me, even dominated me. Every page felt like a gut punch. My love of reading was substantially deepened by the experience. One decade later, The Autobiography of Malcolm X has lost none of its power.
This book has so many things going for it that it is a challenge to focus on a few. For one, Haley has beautifully captured Malcolm X’s voice. You can really hear him speak through the page—with humor, with wit, with passion, and most of all with righteous anger. (This time around, I listened to Lawrence Fishburne’s excellent audio version, which brought an extra dimension of realism to Malcolm’s voice.) What is more, the story that he tells is simply a
What’s your opinion of Malcolm X? What impression have you gotten? Do you remember where you got it from?
Depending on the mind, the mention of Malcolm’s name can bring forth images from a righteous, principled, heroic revolutionary, to an angry, hatemongering black supremacist.
In a word, I always figured he was a very intense person. I vaguely remember that from the trailer of the biopic starring Denzel Washington, but I was pretty young when that aired. From a more recent visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis I learned that he thought Martin Luther King Jr. was a “chump.”
Coincidentally, this last MLK Day I finished Malcolm X’s autobiography. Now, unexpectedly, I know a lot more about Malcolm than I do Martin. (Please, if you’ve read one, recommend a good book on Dr. King.)
I’d like to review the book, not the man – though what better report of a man can there be than his own autobiography? I guess then I’m sharing my opinion of what I’ve learned about Malcolm’s life, from his book; I’ve purposely withheld from learning more about him from other sources for now.
I cherish the ability to form my own opinions based off an original source. If someone paraphrases so
Quick Summary:The Autobiography of Malcolm X tells the powerful life story of Malcolm X, a civil rights leader who transformed from a street hustler to a pivotal figure advocating for African American rights and empowerment in America.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X Book Summary
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley, chronicles the remarkable journey of Malcolm X from his troubled childhood to his emergence as one of the most influential leaders in the fight for racial justice. Malcolm Little, born in , faced immense challenges early in life. His father was killed by white supremacists, and his mother was institutionalized, leaving him and his siblings to navigate a world filled with racism and discrimination. The book describes how Malcolm was shaped by his experiences growing up in a segregated society where he constantly faced the harsh realities of racial injustice.
As a young man, Malcolm&#;s life took a downward turn. He moved to Harlem, where he became involved in criminal activities, including drug dealing and robbery. During this time, he adopted the name &#;Malcolm X,&#; symbolizing his rejection of his &#;slave name&#; and his quest for identity
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X has been on my To-Read list for years, but I finally picked it up and read it. I am so glad I did. My main thought as I finished it was that the world lost a brilliant man too soon. I wonder at Malcolm&#;s potential accomplishments and legacy if he had lived a long and full life. So many of the sound bites and blurbs propagated about Malcolm X totally miss the man he was when he was assassinated.
The first half of the book is full of rich details of Malcolm&#;s upbringing: his precarious childhood, stint in foster care and juvenile reform school, his Lindy Hopping days in Roxbury and Harlem, his never-ending hustle, and his imprisonment. The writing style in this section is simple prose, often written in a passive voice. It was interesting, but not compelling from a literary perspective.
The Malcolm X few got to know
The style issues aside, the book came to life as Malcolm describes his conversion to Islam and his years with The Nation of Islam. His pilgrimage to Mecca is when the book catches fire. The transformation Malcolm underwent during his Hajj was complete. I was
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