Scan barcode
vumalilli's review against another edition
4.0
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!
Graphic: Gun violence and Racism
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Slavery and Forced institutionalization
applesaucecreachur's review against another edition
4.75
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.
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
ceci_cc's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation
bambicat234's review against another edition
5.0
Everything he says here is relevant today in some way or another.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Mental illness, Racism, and Antisemitism
sagelikesscats's review against another edition
5.0
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
lauren_shilling's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Hate crime and Misogyny
asen123's review against another edition
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Classism
jourdanicus's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Racism
menomica's review against another edition
What I am trying to say is that it just never dawned upon them that I could understand, that I wasn’t a pet, but a human being. They didn’t give me credit for having the same sensitivity, intellect, and understanding that they would have been ready and willing to recognize in a white boy in my position. But it has historically been the case with white people, in their regard for black people, that even though we might be with them, we weren’t considered of them. Even though they appeared to have opened the door, it was still closed. Thus they never did really see me.
This book was. Dense. And a lot. But it did what it was supposed to do. Give an insight on the mind of Malcom X. Honestly, he’s pretty cool, when he’s not talking about women, or jewish people (dear god was that man antisemitic).
I also really loved how the book helped to give insight on the ideals of race and civil rights at the time. Seeing how multiple civil rights movements worked together and also how they disagreed.
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence and War
michaelion's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexism, Slavery, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Confinement, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting