Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X

8 reviews

vumalilli's review against another edition

informative inspiring slow-paced

4.0

"And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America—then, all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine."- Malcolm X

I love this book, and I love that I got to hear it and read it. Malcolm X had a surprising life story with so many moments of growth and maturity. So much conviction and passion to morph into one of the greatest speakers and fighters for freedom and justice. It was amazing to read him grow into the person he was until that fateful day in 1965. Laurence Fishburne is also the best audiobook narrator I've experienced. You would think Malcom X recorded this before he was killed. 

The most enthralling part of his story, to me (other than the palpable growth and wisdom), was his early years learning about his parents an his boyhood experiences. I really don't read enough about the northern experience for Black Americans pre-1970s. 

I also credit this man for being part of my journey away from Christianity. In tandem with James Baldwin and Audre Lorde - their assessments of white institutions and the unbelonging of Black people within these spaces has spoken to me. His searing insight on the passivity of the religion is 10/10!  

The deduction in my review was influenced by X's lack of intersectionality in his fight for racial justice, particularly for Black women and the way he spoke towards his wife. I don't believe Betty Shabazz or his amazing daughters ever raised an issue with him on on this, however, I felt like he put his own needs before that of his wife and daughters pretty often. His pilgrimage to Mecca humbled him in the necessary ways, but how do you do that when you have a wife and children at home? 

More so, he mentions racism from the POV of a Black man who needed to ask Black women about their experiences and never did (in America or in his travels throughout Nigeria, Ghana and Mecca). His wife kept his legacy going and he never gave her enough credit to her passion, convictions and experiences.  

Otherwise, really did enjoy this! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Racism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Slavery and Forced institutionalization

applesaucecreachur's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.75

If there was ever an electric revolutionary, it was Malcolm X. In this autobiography, he and Alex Haley have compiled his life into a riveting story. Having grown from a wounded and mischievous young boy to a prolific hustler (and lindy-hopper), to a scholar in lockup, to one of the most skilled orators and well-known revolutionaries of his time, Malcolm was no stranger to transformation. Through the foreword by his daughter Attallah, the Epilogue by Alex Hayley, and a gripping note by Ossie Davis, his story continues beyond 1965 and the Audubon Ballroom. The reader gets to glimpse not only how Malcolm's legacy began to unfold in the months following his death, but also how the man was behind the scenes with those who knew him personally. 

Similar to my review of Revolutionary Suicide, I cannot give this autobiography a full five stars for its omission of Black women as co-victims of racism and equally vital conspirators in Black liberation. Of course, Malcolm was a product both of his time and his Muslim faith, the latter of which I particularly cannot speak to. And despite his sometimes-derogatory references to women as a group, he held individual women in high regard – namely his mother, his half-sister Ella, and his wife, Betty Shabazz. I know from other accounts, too, that his view of gender was undergoing its own transformation towards the end of his life. It's a shame that this was not more prominent in his autobiography. 

Malcolm X was as complex as he was (and still is) misunderstood. In the wake of what would have been his 99th birthday, and the wake of Betty's 90th or 88th, I have to wonder what these two and their loved ones would make of the world they've left to us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement

sagelikesscats's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

What a easy 5 stars. Informative, relevant, and inspiring. Read this book!!! This book will teach you about racism, classism, radical organizing, and a little bit about Islam. This book has its flaws and Malcom X was pretty misogynistic and antisemitic but still a must for all those who want to learn about racism and activism.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, and Antisemitism

Minor: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, and Lesbophobia

akvolcano's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

I have never known much about Malcom X. Everything that was spoken about him was brief and told from a white person who painted him as a villain, not as a human. I loved being able to read about him from his own words. I’ve learned about his life, work, and legacy. He did so much for Black people. And It is so important for his story to be told, for this book to be read. Read the whole book-cover to cover. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Slavery, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Classism

mariajagoda's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization

joshsimp's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Moderate: Hate crime, Sexism, Antisemitism, and Murder

Minor: Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Colonisation

lucyy's review

emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Sexism, Trafficking, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Slavery, Police brutality, and Antisemitism

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

4.0

I don’t love the way that Malcolm talks about women in this autobiography but other than that, I appreciated reading about the life of Malcolm X. I learned so much that I didn’t realize about him. He was so well-read and self-taught. I’m glad I finally read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Islamophobia, Grief, and Murder