Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Alex Haley, Malcolm X

4 reviews

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. 

---

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

michaelion's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

Aside from the early 1900s slang, I would consider this a contemporary autobiography. Everything said in this book 57 years ago could have been said by someone yesterday. You don't have to look real hard to see things really have not changed.

---

Content Warnings

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

maggie_atwood's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring slow-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Murder, and Alcohol

I think this should be a must-read for Americans. You’ll unlearn what you’ve been incorrectly taught about Malcolm X in school.

joshsimp's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

---

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