A review by mlangman
The Awakening of Malcolm X by Tiffany D. Jackson, Ilyasah Shabazz

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.