The Autobiography of Malcolm X

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Summary: Buy it, read it, discuss it, implore others to do the same..
Review: It is hard to know where to begin but to say that never have I read a book as engrossing, fascinating, and enlightening as this one is.

Do yourself a favor and try to relinquish any pre-existing ideas you may have had about the man. This book deserves to be read with an open mind, although I suspect that it's truths will crack the defenses of even the greatest skeptics. After reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X, I feel as though I have been given a powerful lens with which to see the world with a clarity I hadn't imagined.

It has changed my life, something I cannot say for many books I have read. As dogma, it is a blunt, honest and still amazingly relevant monologue about the plight of poor, disenfranchised people everywhere, especially African Americans. Even if taken purely as one remarkable man's story, it still crackles with intelligence, atmosphere, even humor. Bearing witness to Malcolm X's spiritual and philosophical evolution during the course of this book is enthralling, especially since some of it happened while the book was being sculpted. I devoured every word on every page.

This book is not just for African Americans. Not just for history, religion, or political science students. Not just for activists. Not just for Muslims. It is for EVERYONE. I implore anyone to buy this book and read it honestly. Then talk to anyone you can about it. If you can afford to do so, buy someone else a copy and give it to them. Keep this magnificent human being's ideals alive.......

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Summary: YES, IT HAS A MIDAS TOUCH
Review: There is little doubt that Malcolm X was (and is still) one of the most misunderstood figures in American history. My reading his autobiography was an interesting journey. I felt like I was attending a school: a remarkable one. It was the closest that I will ever come to him. Simply put, the book is MORE THAN fantastic. The story has a continuous momentum. It has a Midas touch. Everything about it was frank and direct. The genes of Alex Haley's ink was evident. I enjoyed every bit of it.

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Summary: excellent and inspirational, but extreme
Review: Malcolm X's life story is fascinating and inspirational, especially his dramatic transformation in prison where he educated himself with a great desire and hunger for knowledge, and changed from an ingorant hustler to a profound thinker and religous person, adopting a radical brand of Islam.

I don't mind that his views are rather extreme, which they are in the sense that there is little room for reconciliation with white people. His views are worth reading because they are: a) deeply felt, b) thoughtfully, though sometimes incorrectly, advocated, and c) non-violent. Even though I did not always agree with him, there is no doubt that he makes several powerful and provocative points, and I believe he has had an important influence on social history.

Excellent autobiography, as recorded by author Alex Haley.

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Summary: ?
Review: When an editor for "Ballantine Books" approached Alex Haley with the suggestion of an autobiography on Malcolm X, he had no idea that his proposal would create one of the most meaningful and heartfelt books in American literature history! Since its release in 1965, "The Autobiography Of Malcolm X" has sold over 3 million copies worldwide, establishing itself, according to Time Magazine, as one of the greatest non-fictional books ever written.

This timeless novelty begins in Omaha, Nebraska, with a dreadful incident between Malcolm's mother, Louise Little, and the notorious Ku Klux Klan. Readers are then introduced to the Little's family, and given a glimpse look into Malcolm's childhood.

As the pages turn, you'll travel with Malcolm from Boston, Massachusetts, to New York City, where his life takes a turn for the worst. You'll enter Harlem's underworld, where gangsters, pimps, hustlers, drug addicts, and prostitutes dwell. You'll meet such gangsters as "West Indian Archie," "Black Sammy," and "King Padmore"; such pimps as "Cadillac Drake" and "Sammy The Pimp"; such thieves as "Jumpsteady," and a host of women from all walks of life, including Malcolm's beautiful Caucasian girlfriend, "Sophia." You'll read in disbelief as the criminal lifestyle turns -- the impressionable -- Malcolm Little into "Detroit Red," an up-and-coming gangster who begins participating in illegal activities (selling marijuana, pimpin' prostitutes, and working for "West Indian Archie") to earn a living. For a period of time, Malcolm experiences the good-life, partying in night clubs, keeping company with "Duke Ellington," and getting high with the QUEEN herself, "Billie Holiday." But with a $20-a-day cocaine habit to support, a growing list of enemies, which included the NYPD, and an inevitable showdown with his former boss "West Indian Archie," Malcolm flees from the ruthless streets of Harlem and heads back to Boston, where he, along with the help of some friends, and of course "Sophia," becomes the leader of a successful burglary gang. One fatal mistake, however, leads to his arrest and incarceration in the Charlestown State Prison. The year was 1946.

From this point on, you'll journey with Malcolm as he converts to Islam, and joins the radical "Nation Of Islam," where he rises in prominence, and becomes Elijah Muhammad's most charismatic follower. But internal differences would force Malcolm out of the NOI, culminating in a bitter and violent feud, which ultimately led to the assassination of Malcolm X.

This book is a masterpiece!

R.I.P. El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

Rating:
Summary: beautiful
Review: very good book. malcolm x started out as a degenerate, drifted to becoming a hateful racist, then after this ignomious start he made an amazing transformation to a true man of peace. it's something to see the flowering of this man unfold.

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Summary: Man of Islam-Man of X!
Review: I began to read this book with very high expectations. I heard so much about Malcolm Little and what he was all about through oral tradition although I never once read anything from him. I really didn't know what Malcolm was all about or his accomplishments. I choose this book knowing that a majority of it was written by Malcolm.
....

The book is very descriptive about Malcolm's childhood and his views." This is the story of a man who lived life intensely, first as a criminal and then transformed into the nation's leading prophet and social critic. You get to know him as a naive student, a hip hustler in 1940s Harlem, a jailbird and finally, as a Muslim activist acutely aware that he is a target, a man who confronts danger in the face without compromise."-wvw Its easy to make assumptions of ones life through what is said, but until you read the views of Malcolm himself you cant possibly have a full understanding.

The parts in the book about Malcolm and his trip to Islam should be read by everyone who is interested in the sixties Islam time period. He tends to quietly shun the scandals and mishaps of the honorable Elijah Mohammed.

Over all it is a great bout about a great man. I recommend it to anyone!

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Summary: Truly Insightful
Review: I approached this book with great curiosity. Malcolm X has a legend that everyone knows but I truly didn't know much about the facts behind the legend.

I found that he had a troubled childhood and lived many different lives in his one short life. A hustler, a drug dealer, an armed robber, a bootlegger, a woman beater, a drug addict, a convict, a preacher, an 8th grade dropout, a leader of men, and a world traveler. His ideas were very harsh. He spoke of the "white devils" and believed that blacks and whites should live seperately but for most of his young life wanted to be with white women, and had white girlfriends. He was befriended and helped by white people in his youth as well as hurt by them. The amount of trouble this man had seen before the age of 21 is equaled only by the amount of controversy he saw after his conversion to Islam.

He saw Islam and it's leader in the United States, Elijah Mohammed as the savior of his life. The true religion of the black man. He seems to have been single handedly the most responsible for the growth of the religion in the United States in the 1950s. He criss crossed the country opening new temples, sometimes going from East to West coast three of four times a week. He did all this in the name of Islam, with an oath of poverty. At the time of his death he left his pregnant wife and four young children with no savings, no checking, no credit, no insurance and no hope for security in the future. To him Islam meant more than his family.

This book offers true insight into the man and his thinking. The reasons behind his actions. While I found myself upset many times by his thinking I had to read on to see why he thought that way. It was interesting to see his revelations after his Holy trip to Mecca and how it refined his thinking on blacks, whites and religion. This is a very good book that should be read by many both black and white. I think it sheds light on a previous generation more so than the religion of Islam. I had to keep reminding myself that things have changed in the United States so much in the last 50 years that it is impossible for me to truly understand the deep problems of racial division that were present in Malcom's time.

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Summary: The Life of a Hero
Review: The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an excellent book. This book is excellent because it is very interesting and informative. It tells the interesting story of his life. I never knew exactly what it was that he had done until I read this autobiography. This book highlights all the major events of this civil rights leader. The autobiography details many of the changes that he endured in his time.

He went through a lot of struggles throughout his childhood and later on in his life. Most of those struggles dealt with Malcolm's personal life. Before being incarcerated, he had been a thief, a drug dealer and was involved in many illegal activities. He was even hooked on the very drugs that he was selling. He later became a Muslim, which changed his outlook on life. In prison is where he made the change to the Islamic faith. He was no longer a criminal; he was now on the verge of being a hero.

When he was released from prison he was a new man. This is the point where most people became to know of him. It's a lot of people in the world who really don't why Malcolm X was so great. For many people reading autobiographies and other informative books is boring. Personally I like to read pieces like these. If you're a person who likes to read about real life stories about real life people, then this is a perfect book for you. If you also want to know, more about the life of the extraordinary Malcolm X then this is a really perfect book for you.

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Summary: A must read for ALL black people.
Review: This book is amazing, it shows the life of one of the greatest black leaders, and possibly leaders in general, to ever live. MalcolmX's autobiography reflects this with his down to earth view of everything, his pointing out of his biases old and new. His change in mindset, and everything else.

This book is divided in chapters that represent sections of his lives. Each of these sections is greatly interesting because of his writting style, for example he can make his trip to Mecca as interesting as him dealing drug. Read along with Man Child in the Promised Land, this does say quite a bit about how strong the African spirit can be in a person. A must read for anyone who wants to be "up" with African-American history.

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Summary: Everyone should read this gem
Review: I first read this book about a year ago and was enthralled with it. The life of this man was truly remarkable and despite some of the hateful rhetoric he espoused, a great tribute to the human spirit.

As a white man it is very difficult for me to understand the frustration and prejudice that many blacks have to go through, even to this day. This book puts you into the shoes of a poor black man that took a stand to fight the mistreatment and economic inequality of his people.

Please do not judge Malcolm X or his cause without first reading his words. You will be surprised by him.