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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
Malcolm had an ability to see beyond what was right in front of him. His growth throughout the book was incredible and he knew he wouldn’t live much last finishing it. He was able to predict how the world would see him and it’s a loss to the world he was taken too soon. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Laurence Fisburne which was fantastic!
blown away by the rawness and how badly we ignore the larger ideological changes of Malcolm x during his lifetime. that Malcolm x kept his feelings and worship of elijah Muhammad in the book (even as he later changed his mind and his views away from muhammad) feels like a more honest depiction of being human; showcasing where he was versus where he ended up in his ever evolving beliefs.
from orphan to harlem hustler with only an 8th grade education, to prison, to becoming a national orator, to an international traveler and speaker, to a marked man- this book is a journey I think most people need to read to get a taste of this historical figure as something more than the MLK oppositional figure stereotype we learn about on school (if we learn anything about him at all)
from orphan to harlem hustler with only an 8th grade education, to prison, to becoming a national orator, to an international traveler and speaker, to a marked man- this book is a journey I think most people need to read to get a taste of this historical figure as something more than the MLK oppositional figure stereotype we learn about on school (if we learn anything about him at all)
“I know that societies often have killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America-then, all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine. “
I’m not very good writing reviews so i know my review will not give this book justice but I had to try. It saddens me to think of how people simply remember Malcom X for his anger when he was so much more. A prime example would be how in school, we didn’t cover him much besides the “angry Muslim pro violence black leader” and he deserves more than that. One of the best things about this book is that as you read, you can see the journey he was going through and how his mind and ideas changed. It’s saddening to think about how he was ripped away from us, especially at a time when he was going through a lot of change.
I feel like this is one of those books that I'll be talking people's ears off about for the rest of my life. I highly recommend it.
This book was mesmerizing, but it took me weeks to work up the courage to read the epilogue because I knew it would cover Malcolm’s assassination, and I had spent almost 400 pages getting to know him and admiring his passion for uniting and liberating his black brothers and sisters. I read this because all I knew about Malcolm X was that he was an activist who was often labeled as a violent fanatic and was eventually murdered. I was incredibly ignorant. I cannot begin to tell you how vital this book is. The journey from Malcolm Little to El Hajj Malik El Shabazz is a complicated one, but his story covers the struggles of the black man in America on all fronts, and it ended much too soon.
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Unrelenting and Unshakeable
A true account of what it truly means to be a man, if there ever could be a definition.
Inspiration that even though its been 50+ years since his passing and this book's publishing stands true in all its essence even to do this day.
It takes a lot of effort for a common man to achieve greatness, it takes double the effort when you decide to take a nose dive to the lowest of rock bottoms before beginning your climb. And it would take even double that when society has decided to barely see you as human beings, but to have achieved this climb, and done so with such grace, knowingly facing his killers unflinchingly, and without compromise is without a doubt something every person wanting to make a change in the system needs to encompass.
Its honestly a blessing that this book exists, and while it doesn't do justice, and is cut short from being able to witness the true greatness that El Hajj Shabazz Malik could have accomplished, not to mention the most often skipped Epilogue reveals so much more than what the Autobiography alone could have, and its so true, that its almost impossible to write an autobiography because a person changes all the time, so the best it can do is track the changes.
Its honestly a shame that his name is disparaged so often as an inciter of violence or anything even remotely not working towards the greater good.
An exemplary beacon of what it means to give people their rights, and a raw view of what oppression leads to and apart from all that, what one can achieve if they truly put their heart and mind to it.
Theres so much more I could say about the greatness of this book, but Id probably fall short, my only reason Im giving this a 4 star instead of a 5 is because as someone who isn't aware of all the events and personalities involved in the history, a lot of it didn't quite get captured for me the same as it may have for others, but that's a personal issue on my end and not entirely the flaw of the book. Maybe a slight gripe on despite how much Islam framed his life, it didn't get quite the same coverage and understanding and a lot of it was seen as Black Muslims when actually it was referring to Nation of Islam, but again its not something that can be nuanced from an outsiders perspective, and while that may misguide some from understanding properly, it is what it is.
A true account of what it truly means to be a man, if there ever could be a definition.
Inspiration that even though its been 50+ years since his passing and this book's publishing stands true in all its essence even to do this day.
It takes a lot of effort for a common man to achieve greatness, it takes double the effort when you decide to take a nose dive to the lowest of rock bottoms before beginning your climb. And it would take even double that when society has decided to barely see you as human beings, but to have achieved this climb, and done so with such grace, knowingly facing his killers unflinchingly, and without compromise is without a doubt something every person wanting to make a change in the system needs to encompass.
Its honestly a blessing that this book exists, and while it doesn't do justice, and is cut short from being able to witness the true greatness that El Hajj Shabazz Malik could have accomplished, not to mention the most often skipped Epilogue reveals so much more than what the Autobiography alone could have, and its so true, that its almost impossible to write an autobiography because a person changes all the time, so the best it can do is track the changes.
Its honestly a shame that his name is disparaged so often as an inciter of violence or anything even remotely not working towards the greater good.
An exemplary beacon of what it means to give people their rights, and a raw view of what oppression leads to and apart from all that, what one can achieve if they truly put their heart and mind to it.
Theres so much more I could say about the greatness of this book, but Id probably fall short, my only reason Im giving this a 4 star instead of a 5 is because as someone who isn't aware of all the events and personalities involved in the history, a lot of it didn't quite get captured for me the same as it may have for others, but that's a personal issue on my end and not entirely the flaw of the book. Maybe a slight gripe on despite how much Islam framed his life, it didn't get quite the same coverage and understanding and a lot of it was seen as Black Muslims when actually it was referring to Nation of Islam, but again its not something that can be nuanced from an outsiders perspective, and while that may misguide some from understanding properly, it is what it is.
An important book to read in helping to understand the climate in the U.S., both in the 1960s as well as now with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Whether or not you agree with his politics, Malcolm X lived a life worth reading about. In this book, Alex Haley weaves together a narrative with clear themes and dramatic pacing that’s still true to the infectiously charming, witty, and candid Malcolm X you can find in the videos of him still circulating today. He had an unparalleled strength of will that drove his metamorphosis from a man struggling to survive in a world of poverty and crime to an internationally recognized human rights leader.
Through years of intimate interviews, Haley also lifts the curtain of Malcolm X’s celebrity status to reveal the impact of his grueling schedule on himself and his loved ones. And in the way he holds up a mirror to America, Malcolm X bestows upon the reader stories that need to be reconciled for a complete and credible understanding of American society.
This is a great book about a great man. Read it.
Through years of intimate interviews, Haley also lifts the curtain of Malcolm X’s celebrity status to reveal the impact of his grueling schedule on himself and his loved ones. And in the way he holds up a mirror to America, Malcolm X bestows upon the reader stories that need to be reconciled for a complete and credible understanding of American society.
This is a great book about a great man. Read it.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is such a powerful book. It ought to be a must read for everyone today.
It tells about the powerful transformation that Malcolm X went through, from a criminal to a racist "Black Muslim" to true enlightenment and hope for a true brotherhood.
It dispelled so many of my ignorant beliefs concerning Malcolm X. I had been taught that he was basically the "opposite of Martin Luther King", which, for a while, was true. But we are not taught about how he turned around, and were brave enough, to change his beliefs. Not many people are that brave, most will stick to what they know, go the safe way. Quite probably, Malcolm X's courage, were the cause of his assassination. He broke with the Nation of Islam, and by the end of his life he was not violent enough for some, and not pacifist enough for others. But, altogether, he was an amazing man, who we could all learn so much from, and his story deservers to be told and heard by everyone - his story NEEDS to be told and heard by everyone.
It tells about the powerful transformation that Malcolm X went through, from a criminal to a racist "Black Muslim" to true enlightenment and hope for a true brotherhood.
It dispelled so many of my ignorant beliefs concerning Malcolm X. I had been taught that he was basically the "opposite of Martin Luther King", which, for a while, was true. But we are not taught about how he turned around, and were brave enough, to change his beliefs. Not many people are that brave, most will stick to what they know, go the safe way. Quite probably, Malcolm X's courage, were the cause of his assassination. He broke with the Nation of Islam, and by the end of his life he was not violent enough for some, and not pacifist enough for others. But, altogether, he was an amazing man, who we could all learn so much from, and his story deservers to be told and heard by everyone - his story NEEDS to be told and heard by everyone.