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Summary: A sign of the the times
Review: This was a good look into the mind of Malcolm X. What he said really reflected the times of how blacks were treated in America. Even as a white guy, I thought he was making many blanket statements about whites, but then I had to keep reminding myself, "These were different times, put it into context." If he said these things today about whites, then I would say he was just making excuses, but there definitely was institutionalized racism against blacks at that time.Some people say these problems against blacks still exist. I disagree to a certain extent. I think most problems blacks face today are to their own making-high crime, unwed motherhood, rap, etc... True, there are whites (and blacks too) that are personally prejudice against people not of their kin. Malcolm X had a point back then about how the whites made it hard for blacks to get ahead, but such an excuse doesn't work today. Look at the many preferential treatments offered to blacks and Hispanics. As well, why is Malcolm X any better than Booker T. Washington, someone who spoke in much higher regards about black American than did Malcolm X? I do think Malcolm X's message about standing up for your rights can be applied to any group: gays, atheists (such as I am) and even whites(?). For example, Malcolm X had persuasive arguments against racist whites, which I use against predjudice theists who tell me, "You stupid atheists! There are no atheists in fox holes. This is 'one nation under god'." However, I do think Malcolm X would have been more successful than to write off all whites as bigots. There were whites that were against the way blacks were treated, but what could they do about it? They could have lost their jobs or even their lives possibly, by standing up for black rights. I mean, wouldn't you call me a bigot for making negative blanket statements about non-whites? Same thing goes both ways. It is ironic that Malcolm X thought the 'white man is the devil' yet it was black racists that gunned him down! Read this and a book by Larry Elder called 'Ten Things You Can't Say In America'
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Summary: Malcolm X
Review: Alex Haley's huge respect for Malcolm X led him to wanting to write a book about Malcolm X's life. He asked Malcolm to tell his life story and after careful thought he decided it was okay as long as Haley got permission from Elijah Muhammad. Alex Haley went to Elijah Muhammad and Elijah told him that Allah approves of the book. After getting Muhammad's permission Alex Haley and Malcolm X wrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X tells the story of Malcolm X's life from his perspective. The book is written in first person so the reader is having the story told to them from Malcolm X. This is effective because Malcolm is telling his story and how he feels on certain topics like racism in America in his own words as if he was talking to you.
The book takes you from when he lived in Lansing, Michigan to when he got in trouble with the law to his days as a preacher under Elijah Muhammad. He grew up in Lansing with his parents and at a young age his father was killed and his mother had to raise her seven children. He began stealing from neighbors and picking fights with kids, until he was taken away to a white foster family. He grew up living a life of crime until finally he was sent to jail. While in jail he transformed from an uneducated black man who could not read or write to a student of Elijah Muhammad's teaching of Allah and capable of reading and writing very effectively. He left jail with a vast vocabulary and ready to promote the Muslim religion.
This book tells the story of a black man living in a racist America and changing his life by finding 'Allah' as his savior. But his end was predicted by his family history. 'I would die a violent death, it runs in the family. My father and most of his brothers died by violence-my father because of what he believed in.' With past history of violence against his family because they believes differed from whites, he still choose to preach his believes of the Muslim religion until he was gunned down.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X tells the courageous story of an uneducated boy living in a city of racism and living without a father for most of his life. He found a new self by following the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and became a well-educated powerful speaker and spread his views of the black man in America and how the white man brought them down. This is a great book to read to better understand the background and the views of Malcolm X
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Summary: The Greatest book I have ever read.
Review: Malcolm X was known to be a very violent man, from what I have learned from my history teachers. But after reading this book I have a whole new respect for Malcolm X. Unlike other activists who are portrayed better, Malcolm X both has the good and bad parts about his life. The Autobiography of Malcolm X goes in depth of what it was like for him growing up in a white nation and how he helped changed the lives of not only the black community but every other ethnicity in the United States today. I highly reccommend this book for anyone who is willing to hear what it's like in the life of Malcolm X.
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Summary: Truth Hurts!!![.]
Review: Before I read the book, I saw the Spike Lee film. The film was good, the book was great...blowing the film away!! Sadly, "Spikeroo" missed a lot of the raw power and message of the book in the crossover. As I read the book, I constantly thought of the line from the film, "...I decided to dedicate my life to telling the truth to the white man's face." The book tells the truth about everyone and everything they're involved in...white, black, class, money, culture, consumer debt...everything! Many think of Malcolm X as a stubborn militant, but nothing is further from the truth. His life is an epic, and many times painful, journey of body, mind and soul across the vast US social landscape of the 1930's to the 1960's. Alex Hailey penned the book in such a warm and technically inviting way that the reader feels like they're sitting with Malcolm over a cup of coffee, engulfed by this one man's life. Every person of any race who calls themself an American needs to read this book at least once...by any means necessary!
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Summary: his own story, unfiltered
Review: This book is his own side of the story and is among the most readable of autobiographies. I feel it is important to read this book because it concerns the life of someone who undergoes the most extreme of metamorphoses. The manner in which Malcolm X tells his story ensures that the reader gains an uncontaminated impression of his life. One may not agree with all or any of his ideology, but that's to miss the point. Surely it is more important and profitable to endeavour to understand why this highly intelligent individual believed what he believed. Many questions are raised, few have been answered, even today almost 40 years on.
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Summary: Malcolm X
Review: This was a great book about a great man. You should not read this book if you can not take criticism. In this book an African-American man who had grown up hating white people and his oddysey of change before his tragic, early death. Malcolm was a son of a baptist preacher. The he became a black muslim and converted to a Muslim. The Black Muslims end up assinating him.
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Summary: Excellent book!
Review: This book is extremely well-written; you can almost imagine hearing Malcolm X speaking. I was interested in this book because I did not know the differences between Islam and the "Nation of Islam". The transformations that take place in Malcolm's life are drastic; from "living like an animal; thinking like an animal" to the concientious person he became is a tribute to his faith, his intellect and integrity. From what I see, after his Haj, he came to see that all races have good and bad. "The true Islam has shown me that a blanket indictment of all white people is as wrong as when whites make blanket indictments against blacks." It is unfortunate that the clever reviewer from North Carolina did not gain anything from this book other than an easy target for his sarcastic humor. Perhaps he is a product of his culture and may later learn true brotherhood from someone as great as Malcolm X.
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Summary: Best autobiography ever
Review: This book is a well-written account of the life of one of the most interesting people ever. If all you know about Malcolm X is what you learned in school, you know nothing yet. The story is riveting from the beginning, and Malcolm's life as a criminal in Boston and New York is depicted incredibly well. After he ends up in prison and converts (while incarcerated) to Islam, he emerges transformed and becomes a prominent political figure. He grows from a small-scale crook to a public figure of great stature and integrity. Eventually he breaks with the Nation of Islam, travels to Mecca, and takes a more moderate political stance. If the government and/or the Nation of Islam hadn't had him killed, who knows what he might have become? Malcolm X is a fascinating figure and Alex Haley is a good writer/interviewer. Best autobiography ever. Those interested in another point of view on this book should check out Matthew Celis' January 2003 review as well ;)
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Summary: Malcolm X
Review: This is the best book I have ever read. It changed my life. Every person - black, white, rich, poor - should read this book.
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Summary: Once again...
Review: Once again, a vivid account of Malcolm X's life. Alex has done it again!
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