Reviews

Loved this book!! I can read about Malcolm X in many different ways and never get tired of learning about the different events of his life.
I enjoyed how the book intertwines historical information within the book, so that young people can learn more about events such as mistreatment of prisoners, religion, racism and other things.
This book was very well written and I highly recommend it!

dahabow's review against another edition

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4.0

Rating: 3.5

This book took me on a journey through Malcolm's early years. It goes back and forth from the past and present, the past showing us just how he came to be imprisoned and the present letting us into his mind and experienced at Charleston. Before reading this book, I knew little to nothing about Malcolm X's life - I had always been intrigued and wanted to educate myself and thanks to this book, a historical novel about Malcolm's early adulthood years, I have a starting point.

This book has opened my eyes. It's taught me so many lessons but most importantly the lesson of education. Throughout the book, Malcolm feels lost and finds solace in the power of words. He reclaims his spirit thanks to Allah and his family. The power of these relationships stood out the most to me - family is such a blessing and they serve as a means of guidance for him. His relationship with Allah was also endearing to witness, seeing as I am a Muslim reader, I was fascinated with the transformation Malcolm went, from a disgruntled, hopeless prisoner to one whose spirit and soul were free from the confines of incarceration.

Not only did I see representation and the mind of Malcolm come into his own, but I also learnt a lot in terms of the Middle Passage, slavery and the impact of slavery on Black Americans following its abolishment. I have quite a few favourite quotes but one that stood out the most was:

"You see, Black people all around the world endured hundreds of years of chattel slavery—they were hunted, stolen, tortured, separated from families, forbidden to read and write. There were no laws to protect us from these criminal acts, you see. And your father, he served a mighty God. He challenged us to stand up and to restore our own humanity. You must never forget that."

Another quote that spoke out to me was:

"If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress. The progress is healing the wound that the blow made."

The one thing I want everyone to take from my review is that education is a paramount tool in changing for the better. I buddy read this book with a friend and we had so many discussions about Malcolm, his experiences and his faith, as well as his second conversion to Sunni Islam. We also did rudimentary research on the NOI and I'd urge anyone who does pick up this novel to research for themselves and see Malcolm's transformation following his break from the NOI. You'll hopefully realise that some concerns in the book about NOI do come to fruition.

Knowledge distinguishes us from the ignorant.

krissyronan's review against another edition

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4.0

Really loved this book. It’s an illuminating look into Malcolm X’s time in prison and the significant shifts he made in his own life, that eventually went on to impact so many others. Makes me want to go reread The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Recommended for teens and adults.

Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the advanced copy.

cocoanut7's review against another edition

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4.0

A small snapshot in the life of Malcolm X. I'm used to knowing more about MLK Jr and his movement, but it's helpful to remember why different methods were used and what led to them. Overall an interesting read.

mlangman's review against another edition

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3.0

I was so excited by the prospect of this book, but for me, it fell short. I really enjoyed the last section of the text, but was frustrated at the first 60ish%. I understand that the main premise is examining Malcolm X's time in prison to see what led Malcolm X to become the leader he eventually became. That said, the first portion was largely flashbacks to his childhood and internal dialogues while he was in prison. In considering this book for my students, I don't think it would grab and hold their attention in the way I was hoping. The last portion, after he discovers and joins the Nation of Islam, was excellent and very compelling, but it simply took too long to reach that point.

z_brarian's review against another edition

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4.0

The path Malcolm LIttle had to take to “reawaken” as Malcolm X and embrace the Nation of Islam, was sprinkled with small, meaningful, sometimes nightmare-ish, Easter Eggs, one of which burst open at his lowest moment. This story was a well written, fictionalized version of his awakening by his own daughter Ilyasah Shabazz. The book explored many important issues, such as race, the justice system and prison reform. I liked how the story went back and forth from his tough upbringing, by a single mother with seven children to his rough and tumble teen years, and his time spent in prison. This would be a great book for history classes.

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