Malcolm XRecensioni

#752 in our old book database. Not rated.

[audiobook read by Laurence Fishburne]

I feel it’s inappropriate to “review” such a influential book so here are just a few scattered thoughts

Not sure how much of this was his doing, but props on Alex Haley for helping to shape Mr. X’s life into the narrative in this book. This is something of an ideological thriller, as we are right there with the man himself as he twists and turns through the various stages of his life and thinking. X and Haley never take the easy way out of revealing the final iteration of X’s beliefs, even if that forces the reader (at least the white reader) to sit with the harsh truths about the brutality of the white man in the middle of the book.

Of course the main tragedy of Mr. X’s life was his untimely murder, a murder which he eerily predicts several times throughout the book; but the secondary tragedy is that we are dealing with a man of incredible intellect, psychological toughness, and voracious curiosity that was severely limited by the racist society he ended up being a major instigator against. Malcolm X had a great impact on this world that’s for sure, but I often wondered what would his legacy be if he had had a access to the educational and societal opportunities not afforded to black people at the time. He himself wonders about this at the end of the book.

Of course not everything in this book aged well, but I think it still has a lot to say about the efficacy of agitation vs incrementalism. If X was anything he was realist, someone who decried what he saw as hypocrisy or a fear of telling things as they were, characteristics which are still highly relevant in the political climate of 2021.

I have to amend my previous 5 star rating to account for the recent case of fraud discovered in an interview conducted by Haley of MLK on the subject of Malcolm X. His liberties taken to misrepresent King’s opinions lead me to believe he may have taken similar liberties with Malcolm X’s autobiography.

It is still a literary masterpiece of a fascinating man, but it is hard to read it credibly as it was published after Malcolm X’s death, and he would not be able to correct any misrepresentations.

Fascinating. The multiplayer forwards, introductions and afterwards are vital to making this autobiography well-rounded and contextual. A good read for 2020.

I read this the first time at age 14, when I really didn't understand it. Now, 46 years later, I returned to this heroic story and realize that while I couldn't have known it at the time, and hadn't realized it since, the life and thoughts of Malcolm X exercise a profound influence on me, and especially my approach to teaching in inner-city schools.

If you haven't read this, you really must.

He is so cool

Thank you again, Left Book Club. I probably wouldn't have come across this book without your excellent monthly choice; and it would have been to my detriment had I not read these marvellously inspirational speeches (and I'm white!)

The speeches need to be read aloud. They are as fresh today as they were when they were first delivered and there is so much for us all to learn.

BRILLIANT!

Only wishing Malcolm X didn't consider women traps and as objects for men to control for so much of his life.

Amazing autobiography, well worth the hype, and deserving of it's status of one of the best books of all time. I struggled a bit with the first half of it, with his time hustling on the streets, and up until going to prison.

His transformation in prison though, was incredible. Malcom's journey of spirituality and self-education was incredible. I also found his story on his Hajj to Mecca was particularly beautiful as well. Realizing that racial division is purely a social construct, and can be optional. Experiencing brotherhood with white people was something he was truly affected by, and changed his outlook entirely.

At the end of the book, he kind of just rambles about random philosophies he has with regards to fixing racism in America, and his plans for the future, and certain outlooks on life, and it's just incredible. I wanted that last part to go on forever, simply so much wisdom there to consume.

Tonnns of favorite quotes from this book:

“I’ve had enough of someone else’s propaganda… I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”

“Hence I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight.”

“Don't condemn if you see a person has a dirty glass of water, just show them the clean glass of water that you have. When they inspect it, you won't have to say that yours is better."

“I certainly wasn't seeking any degree, the way a college confers a status symbol upon its students. My homemade education gave me, with every additional book that I read, a little bit more sensitivity to the deafness, dumbness and blindness that was afflicting the black race in America. Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me, asking questions. One was, "What's your alma mater?" I told him, "Books.”

Of dubious authenticity as it was published 8 months after Shabazz was assassinated, and the author, Alex Haley, has been widely accused of plagiarism and/or fabrication. In some instances, these accusations have been proven. The most relevant instance involves an interview with MLK, Jr., which was conducted shortly before Shabazz's assassination and was published shortly afterwards. Haley was proven to have completely fabricated a statement, attributed to King, describing Shabazz as dangerous. The discrepancy between the transcript and the published interview was discovered after Haley's death by MLK, Jr. biographer Jonathan Eig.

The world is poorer for not having gotten to see where Malcolm X's evolution as an activist and intellectual would have taken him next.

I also think he was definitely still presenting an image in his book, and I would like to find a good biography vs autobiography. Preferably one that does not rely heavily on Alex Haley reporting, given recent revelations that Haley fabricated the Martin Luther King Jr quote calling Malcolm X "fiery" and "demagogic." Given that the Autobiography of Malcolm X was published posthumously, can we be sure Malcolm X really did approve what was written?

This is a masterpiece. It took so long to read because every chapter left so much to digest and grapple with. Malcolm X was a polarizing dynamite. He believed what he believed with his entire being, but was able to be open minded and make real-time changes to his beliefs which he wasn't ashamed to advertise. He didn't have the language we have today of systemic oppression and institutional racism, but he got pretty close to articulating that on his own, albeit not in a way most people were willing to hear then. I was pretty shocked by how misogynistic he was, he even said he's been accused of being anti-women and does nothing to dispel that.
This is certainly a must-read, it's so well written and so important. The first half reminded me so much of Harlem Shuffle which I read last year. What a character this man was.

Malcolm X died right before I was born, so to be honest, I pretty much knew nothing about him. This autobiography was a tremendous introduction. My book had an introduction by M.S. Handler (a journalist at the time) and a lengthy epilogue by the writer (Alex Haley).

Malcolm X, as it turns out, led a very interesting life. From intelligent youngster to teenage criminal to prisoner to religious leader, his autobiography leaves out nothing. My sense is that Malcolm X told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from his perspective. If you want to know the man and what he really thought, it's definitely in here.

The book was close to a 5 star read for me, but there was a section in the middle about Malcolm X's pilgrimage to Mecca that was very dull with a recitation of all the people he met there. It was important because it did transform his views of whites to some degree. But it was dull.

It's pretty easy for me to separate the quality of this book from my perspective on the man. The read is top notch, but there's a lot about Malcolm X to admire and a lot to be disgusted about. On the admirable side, the man read a LOT. He basically completely educated himself in prison. He had unparalleled intellectual curiosity. He cared deeply about the welfare of his people. On the flip side, he is a great example of some of the dangers of deep blind religious belief. Malcolm joined an American Islamic group, and it was to be the savior of the black man in America. It reminded me completely of the Moral Majority. Follow our moral guidance because we say so - - otherwise we will kick you out of our religion. Swear allegiance to our (human) leader. The mixing of politics and religion ultimate lead to Malcolm X's downfall, and the book details the entire story. Overall, and perhaps inadvertently, I felt like the book shows how we are each limited by our own upbringing, experience and beliefs - - and how hard it is to be dispassionate and to see things from the perspective of others. Malcolm X expresses some very misogynist and anti-Semitic points of view, acknowledges that others will see his points of view in a negative light, and then insists they are true.

As you can see, the autobiography provides a great deal of insight into the life of one man who tried to make a difference during a very tumultuous time period. My one disappointment was that I really don't know enough about the actual historical events of the time period to have the proper context. I'd love to see a rendition of this book where some of the parallel historical events in the civil rights movement were detailed in chapters between periods of his life. Not instead of this book, but as a re-release for those who are seeking to improve their understanding of the context of the times.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the story of Malcolm X's life from his own perspective. It was interesting reading about his life and how his views evolved over the course of it. I found it fascinating seeing how his experiences were reflected in his approach to civil rights. I didn't always agree with his approach, but I understood it. At the end of the book, I felt a sense of melancholy knowing how his life ended. I think the world would have been a better place today if his life wasn't ended so soon. I think it would have been interesting to see how his outlook would have continued to evolve, especially on his view on the roll of women in the movement. Overall, I am glad I read this book. I think some of his views on the need to address the poorer black communities are still valid today. If you listen to audiobooks, Laurence Fishburne's performance on the Audible Audio is excellent.

Interesting and thought provoking. I actually listened to the audio version of the book which is read by Laurence Fishburne. They actually say “Performed by” on the listing. This is an apt distinction. The reading truly brings the words to life and, I imagine, Malcolm X would approve. I knew the general story from the Spike Lee movie and other sources but this book takes you well beyond them. X would be much more controversial if he were living in our divided times but it’s hard for me to disagree with anything he says based on his background, reasoning and experiences.

Interesting biography. From the street to leading a movement.

Four speeches which, divorced from their time and intended audience, are baroquely surreal, deep and troubling. And proven, in that no, white liberals have in fact done little to change the reality for blacks in the US, and have used the black vote to attempt to maintain their own power. The idea that there is a god protected future for blacks when the whites are finished ruining their world is probably not going to be an accurate prediction, but then I'm a mere unbeliever.

(32) Around this time each year, I re-read a book from the past. I was not inspired to pick anything until I recently read 'Solitary,' a biography of a black man who was imprisoned unjustly for most of his life. He referred to Malcolm X quite a bit and given current events and some of the conflicted ways I have been feeling, I thought this would be a good re-read. And it was! An amazing man. I wonder what he would have to say about the current racial justice movement/BLM - I don't think he would like It much. I do think he would love the more ubiquitous use of white supremacy as being more of an inherent tenet of American society as opposed to an outlook one chooses to adopt.

This is the story of his life as told to Alex Haley, the author of 'Roots', who became a friend of sorts to Malcolm. He was the son of an acolyte of Marcus Garvey, he dropped out of school in the 8th grade despite a promising start - popular, class president, etc. and ultimately took to a life of crime on the streets of Harlem where he sold drugs and robbed people. He went to prison for about 8 years and it was there that he discovered the Muslim religion as practiced by Elijah Muhammad. A black nationalist movement that preached separation from the white man instead of integration. Some of the hard truths he espoused during this time and the hard stances he chose to take were brilliant in my opinion. He preached personal responsibility which is so missing from the liberal democratic dialogue focused on equity - i.e. handouts, quotas, lowering standards. Malcolm must be rolling over in his grave. He does say a life of crime is inevitable when you are raised in the black ghetto and I think this stands true today.

I remember reading this in my 20's and watching Spike Lee's movies and having a complete transformation regarding my thinking on race relations. My 20 something self and my 50 something self are in agreement on this book. 1/2 star off only in that at times it was repetitive with a lot of name dropping that meant nothing to me. Some of the words to describe him come through in this rendering - electric, uncompromising, charming, powerful. I think this book should be read before any of the whiny social treatises like 'White Fragility.' Not only are you fragile, but a devil. Ha!

It is a huge tragedy that he did not have more support and that he was hunted as he tried to create a new Black Nationalist movement. I suspect the Black Panther movement was ultimately influenced by him; but I bet he could have done so much more. Would the country have been different, better, worse if he had lived? Read this, and decide for yourself.½

Back in grade school, this gave me hope. It was an influence on my running away & joining the counter-culture at 17.

How I raised myself from failure to success by the grace of God. From hustler to prisoner to Muslim minister, the amazing life story of the fiery black orator and leader who spared no one the harsh truth about American race relations.

Circuito Ubu - Agosto de 2021

I decide to rate this book in how I enjoyed the the book rather than the historical weight of the book. Loved reading the beginning, of then known as, Malcolm Little. It was raw and more than a little scary.

When Malcolm joined the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad, it got too scary and painful to stomach. So I took a break and returned a couple weeks later, which I rarely have to do with a book.

Incredible read. Written very much in Malcolm X’s authentic voice. Malcolm’s story is remarkable—both for how improbable it is and for his continuing evolution and openness to change. This book shows him to be a remarkable, passionate, brilliant, articulate, and amazing man who made a tremendous impact despite numerous struggles and flaws. While the book at times shows sexism and prejudice against others, I can’t help but wonder—as with so many other civil rights leaders of his era—what might have been if Malcolm had lived longer. And his insights on world religions are stunning. In many ways, Malcolm seems to understand Christianity better than many Christians. This is truly a must-read for anyone interested in race, religion, and politics in America. Thanks to #EkpesBookClub for the great read and discussion on this one!

Malcolm X has been unjustly represented in school history books. This autobiography should be required reading for all Americans.

More than you could ever expect

For such a galvanizing figure in the history of not only America, but of humanity’s evolution towards a more just existence, this book shows the passion, frailty, and power of someone who spent a good part of his life preaching one thing, only to have the courage to admit he was wrong once he was shown a better thing.