Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention

 Shirley J.                        Adult Non-Fiction Biography              Deeply detailed look at Malcolm X' life

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable   608 pages    

In depth look at the life of Malcolm X.  Malcolm learned activism from his parents who were followers of Marcus Garvey, though his youth was spent in various pursuits to chase money (hustling) and while he ended up going to prison at a very early age, he was introduced to the religion of Islam and the Nation of Islam while there.  Malcolm's youthful leanings were liberal though growing up during strict racist times, he maintained an on again off again relationship with a white woman he had met at a club in Harlem.  His friends warned him she would turn on him if pressed by other whites, he disregarded their advice and continued the affair, though he saw black women, too, as their relationship was not exclusive.   The white woman and her sister convinced Malcolm and his friend to come along with them to rob rich white homes and when caught the women lied to save themselves and blamed the whole thing on Malcolm and his friend who were sent to prison for the crimes while the women went free.   This taught Malcolm not to trust white people even those who claimed to love you.  He grew to hate the white race and after absorbing the teachings of Islam while in prison, he saw the need to wake the black community up to rise up and fight the white devils who held them down.   Malcolm adhered more and more to Islamic teachings and observed an exemplary life following the Koran and the laws of Allah, teaching others to turn their backs on the white man's religion.  He pledged his allegiance to the Nation of Islam and the head of the American arm, the Honorable Elijah Mohammed.  All was well until Malcolm's star started rising and the media began seeking him out making his name a household word.   Allegations began to appear about the morality of Elijah Mohammed (several paternity cases brought by former secretaries of the head of the American branch of the religion) and while the leader had been held in high esteem as a modern day prophet, his image was attacked and Malcolm was blamed for spreading rumors and falsehoods about him, though, Malcolm always publicly praised the man and was devoted to him, defending him always.   Though  accepting of his lot of losing his privileges as spokesman for the NOI, he remained a devout follower, accepting as the will of Allah, whatever Elijah Mohammed handed down to him.  His celebrity tarnished, even his friendship with Muhammed Ali was lost, though, other celebrities, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, The Poitiers, The Belefontes, Maya Angelou and others remained true friends to the end.  The book goes heavily into the FBI involvement, the inner workings of friends and foes within the church and issues and facts of his personal struggles culminating in his assassination and the lack of police/FBI presence into investigating the crime of his death.   Lots of information to be gleaned here about the man, his mission, his opposition to Dr. Martin Luther Kings' passive resistance movement - Malcolm's philosophy was 'talking was for the weak - kill them before they kill us', much information about the American church and the world religion and the jealousy and infighting that was going on.   Very well told with a historian's vision.   I recommend this book to mature young adults on up.