Customer Reviews

Autobiography of Malcolm X

5 star:		(157)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Do you really know Malcolm X? He is way more than his common image of "white hater" of the 60's. The book tells with verve the evolution of this great man who had an incredible "3-stage life": The wild pimp, The Eloquent Minister and The Matured Muslim. Fascinating life and great book. One of the best autobiography out there.

We loved reading the book in our book club. You really get a good sense of what was happening in Malcom X's life. It is was very entertaining, easy to read and understand.

I have only one thing to say about this book: Wow, what an amazing life-story. Anyone who reads this book will be changed in some way. Buy it.

a very interesting story about a man's life. The book is written beautifully by Alex Haley as he tells about malcolm's life which is educational and inspiring. This is a recommeded read for people of all races. you will never regret spending money and time on this book.

So... did these Chicago students have to submit their book reviews to amazon.com as one of their class requirements, or what?

'The Autobiography of Malcom X' is a wonderful, objective, autobiography that will captivate you. You'll sympathize with the horrendous childhood Malcom endured and relive the evolution of a man. Malcom became a black supremacist under the guidance of Elijah Muhammed and the Black Muslim teaching. An unfortunate series of events contributes to Malcom's search for himself. Amidst the most astounding change a man can feel, his life was cut short. Malcom X, upon returning from Mecca, altered his perspective so radically that he no longer provided the press with a racist appeal. Malcom was truly a hero who fought for his people. It's tragic that his history is misunderstood to the extent today.

I have used this book in my classroom for several years. It has never failed to inspire and motivate my students. As a master teacher and candidate for National Board Certification, I want my students to understand that one can improve his/her life through education. Malcolm X learned to read while he was in prison by copying the dictionary, the first word being, "aardvark." His desire to improve his life and influence others positively is a direct link to his learning to read. He was willing to risk becoming vulnerable by exposing his inadequacies in order to be a positive role model for others. Compare his story to the current news of the winner of the National Spelling Bee, David Tidmarsh, and students can begin to understand that a good student does not have to be a "geek," while serious academics can refocus one's life to become successful. Even if you only read excerpts from the book to middle school students, it is worth the investment.

This book is life changing and a must read for everyone!

I just finished reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X. As I approached the end of the book, I was also approaching the sad story of the end of his life, of his infamous assassination. It is sad that Malcolm X had to die in such a violent way, it is sad that his father was also a victim of violence. It is sad that his family was separated, that his mother was no longer able to uphold. It is sad that he was part of a society that forced him into taking narcotics, stealing, robbing, and prostitution. Most often he was criticized for the changes in his attitudes and philosophies. A man that is steadfast in his unfaltering ways, unable to see his wrong and make changes, is a foolish man. Malcolm X was not. He was constantly evaluating, challenging, and speculating. Hence, this should be not taken as a criticism, but rather, a compliment. Tears came to my eyes as I read the last pages of this book. I have never felt superior to any African American, but after reading this book, my feelings towards African Americans has changed. I feel inferior. They have struggled for so many years in a country that has created a social structure that has handicapped them, to say the least. They suffered tribulation after tribulation. They are fortunate to have Malcolm X as one of them, and for that I love them more.

Another CLIFFORD HODGE review
Who can guess how much better race relations in America would be if Malcolm had lived? He was the first minority leader to grasp a very important fact and make it the foundation of his activism: Power may derive from money, but it must be maintained with the help of ideas. AND people are not as stupid as they often act. At least singly they are not as dumb as their mob behavior would seem to indicate. So you must go to them via the mass media, where you reach them individually, or in small groups, each person reading or watching or listening, alone with his/her thoughts. Or you speak to small groups and provide them with logical arguments. That was his new weapon. With logic as his weapon, he got them where they live and breath and have their being. In this book you will see the development of Malcolm X from small time hustler and thief, to enraged convict, to deeply spiritual intellectual and social leader. His transmutation from "Boston Red" to Malcolm X, is remarkable, drastic, yet believable, because Malcolm was such an intelligent man. Like most intelligent people, he reaches a point at which he becomes a voracious reader, devouring one volume after another, educating himself on subjects like world history, philosophy, religion, sociology. Of the books on Malcolm, this is the one written from a series of conversations with Malcolm himself, for the express purpose of turning out a biography. It is strange to read of the young Malcolm dancing nearly every night, falling in with a couple of white women and forming a theft ring, getting hooked on drugs. You get insight into what social and economic options existed for young black men in U.S. cities in the late 40's and 50's. This book will be as interesting to white people as to black, to young as to middle-aged or old. You don't need to be curious about the 60's to enjoy this book about a person fascinating in his own right, who goes on a spiritual and intellectual journey which is the most important element of the book. If it were not an autobiography, it could easily be a bildungsroman novel. A very desirable book for those building 20th century American history collections.