Brett C's Reviews > The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Wow, this was so good! Malcom Little gives the account of his personal life that was very dark, tragic, yet hopeful toward the end of his life. Malcolm X endured many hardships, tragic loss, and struggles along the way. He turned to crime, drugs, hustling, and burglary before his undertaking on the path to discovering God. While in prison he converted to the Nation of Islam, full-heartedly embraced the ideology, and promoted the doctrine & hate rhetoric. Though believing the core values & tenets of Islamic thought, he eventually left the Nation to adhere to orthodox Islam.

After converting the Nation of Islam he changed his name to Malcolm X and then to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz after converting to Sunni Islam. His outlook on life and race changed towards the end. As time progressed, so did the tensions between him and the Nation. His assassination in front of his wife and children was a tragedy on many levels. Many people (including myself) speculate how things would have turned out if he'd lived.

I thought this was a raw, honest, and gritty personal account during a turbulent America. I knew very little of Malcolm X until reading this. I would recommend both thbook and the 1992 film starring Denzel Washington. Thanks!