The Autobiography of Malcolm X - as told to Alex Haley 5/5
This book starts with a 70-page forward by Alex Haley talking about his time with Malcolm X, The Autobiography of Malcolm X - as told to Alex Haley 5/5
This book starts with a 70-page forward by Alex Haley talking about his time with Malcolm X, it was as interesting and educational as what was to come.
This book is seemingly a very objective self-examination of his life. Malcolm X was passionate, intense, and extremely influenceable. His chameleon-like tendencies took him from fitting in at a predominately white high school, to a black neighborhood in Boston, to being a (self-described) "hustler" in New York, to a criminal in prison, a disciple of the Elijah Muhammad and ultimately a follower of "true" Islam. Most of these versions of Malcolm were contradictory to each other, and as a result - he had an image problem. He is associated with Hate, Violence, and Racism. He had no illusions about his future ... on Page 229 "Deep down, I actually believed that after living as fully as humanly possible, one should then die violently."
He was a smart, eloquent, dynamic person. Malcolm had a dream ... but it's very unlikely his dream would have been any more successful than Dr. King's. If Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were alive today, I wonder if they would be broken by what they see? There were parts described in this book - the beating of a black man by police - happening today. Ferguson. Trayvon Martin. I can't breathe. Has there really been any progress? It's interesting that Malcolm's choice was separation. Personally, I don't see that has being any more of a solution, and I know towards the end of his life his views were changing I'm just not sure how much they would have diverged from that core principle.
Probably the most revealing and important chapter of this book is called "Black Muslim." I kept noting passages I wanted to write down. It's the culmination - the crystallization - of the philosophy of the whole book. So much of this book focuses on religion, and just to put it out there - I'm anti-ALL organized religion. Malcolm X needed Islam - it centered him, and I understand it, but that aspect does nothing for me personally. I also found this quote quite interesting "Christian love is the white man's love for himself and for his race." This chapter goes on to talk about how first we went to Africa and took their people, as slaves, then we went back to get their resources (Colonialism) . But first, they pave the way with the balm of Christianity. "Christianity is the white man's religion. The Holy Bible in the white man's hands and his interpretations of it have been the greatest single ideological weapon for enslaving millions of non-white human beings. Every country the white man has conquered with his guns, he has always paved the way, and salved his conscience, by carrying the Bible and interpreting it to call the people "heathens" and "pagans"; then he sends his guns, then his missionaries behind the guns to mop up-"
(the white man) "He loves himself so much that he is startled that his victims don't share his vainglorious self-opinion."
Isn't that the crux of it? You've oppressed me, raped me, ripped me from my home and enslaved me, and I'm supposed to love you? To willingly share my world with you?
Elijah Muhammad's version of Muslim was to some degree about the religion, but it was more about black equality at a minimum, and probably to some degree black supremacy. That was alluring to oppressed people. When Malcolm went to Mecca, he learned what was the "true" Islam ... and it wasn't about Black Supremacy - it was about love of all people who love God. (their god, but whatever.) Regardless if the misguided notions of any form of Islam (or any religion, IMHO) the Black Muslims brought up a lot of valid points and they are worthy of our attention.
Towards the end of his life, Malcolm wrote to friends "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."
However you ultimately feel about Malcolm X, this is a great and important book EVERYBODY should read. It's very accessible, Haley did a great job of putting it together. If we are ever going to be a part of solving race relations in this country, in the world, we are going to have to do something ourselves. We can't wait for someone else to fix it. ...more
While this isn't a 5-star book, it was a 5-star story and I was totally entertained, so I'm giving it 5-stars.
Good for Weir! I love these success sto
While this isn't a 5-star book, it was a 5-star story and I was totally entertained, so I'm giving it 5-stars.
Good for Weir! I love these success stories of self-published authors who make it big. The writing was a bit rough at times, and yes, way too much science detail, but in spite of that it was a fun, fast-paced, funny adventure.
"I'm the first person to be alone on an entire planet."
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