Malcolm X

A Life of Reinvention

By: Manning Marable

Narrated by: G. Valmont Thomas

Length: 22 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, History, 2012

Years in the making, this is the definitive biography of the legendary black activist. Of the great figures in 20th-century American history, perhaps none is more complex and controversial than Malcolm X. Constantly rewriting his own story, he became a criminal, a minister, a leader, and an icon, all before being felled by assassins' bullets at age 39. Through his tireless work and countless speeches, he empowered hundreds of thousands of black Americans to create better lives and stronger communities while establishing the template for the self-actualized, independent African American man. In death, he became a broad symbol of both resistance and reconciliation for millions around the world.

Manning Marable's new biography of Malcolm is a stunning achievement. Filled with new information and shocking revelations that go beyond the Autobiography, Malcolm X unfolds a sweeping story of race and class in America, from the rise of Marcus Garvey and the Ku Klux Klan to the struggles of the civil-rights movement in the 50s and 60s. Reaching into Malcolm's troubled youth, it traces a path from his parents' activism through his own engagement with the Nation of Islam, charting his astronomical rise in the world of Black Nationalism and culminating in the never-before-told true story of his assassination.

Malcolm X will stand as the definitive work on one of the most singular forces for social change, capturing with revelatory clarity a man who constantly strove, in the great American tradition, to remake himself anew.

©2011 Manning Marable (P)2011 Penguin

Long, but very good

Would you listen to Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention again? Why?

Yes. I'm fairly young, and didn't know a lot about the 1950's and 60's or the Civil Rights movement before listening to this book. What I did know revolved around MLK, Rosa Parks, etc - mainstream history. This book really helped me gain an understanding of the history, actions, and motivations of Malcolm X. I empathize a lot more with him and his place in history. Great book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Not really applicable.

Which character – as performed by G. Valmont Thomas – was your favorite?

Not applicable.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Spike Lee already did it :-)

One of the best!

Aside from an accusation made against Malcolm (I won’t spoil it here), and the occasional/almost frequent “probably” that occurs throughout the book, this is one of the best written books I’ve ever read. The “probably” frequency that occurs concludes that there is much speculation done on part of the author. Nevertheless, the book was exceptional. Narration was flawless. I loved it.

Listen to the Book NOW. Buy the Book to Read Later

A Great book. I would call it a seminal text in the study of Malcolm X and a testament to Manning Marable's brilliance as a scholar storyteller.

I recommend that the narrator is paid to redo the recording correcting the numerous mispronounced African words. Otherwise, he was great. He just needed better direction.

Excellent book, stellar performance

Malcolm X's life is enthralling, and Marable does a fantastic job taking the reader or listener back 60-70 years to witness the American blacks' fight for equality.

Particular praise goes to Mr Thomas outstanding performance. I'll be looking for other books read by him.

Fantastic!!!!!

Absolutely fantastic overview of one of our greats!!! Absolutely sensational!!! Without question one of the best overviews of Malcolm X!!!!

one of the best narrators I've heard

Excellent and informative examination of Malcolm X and a fantastic performance by the narrator.

Very good

I enjoy Anything written about Malcolm X. He was an amazing Brother with a huge purpose in life. Gone way too soon

Reader Comments

This amazing biography teaches a great deal about Malcolm X. As a Mulatto man I felt a deeper desire to embrace me African heritage after reading this book. I highly recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn more about African-American history and Malcolm X.

WOW!!

Outstanding work on the life of Malcolm X. Detailed information. Alex Haley's version takes a back seat to this work.

FEAR AND HOPE

Driving to the office the other day, while waiting for a traffic light to change, a well-dressed youngish black man offers a newspaper titled “The Final Call” to anyone willing to make a donation to its publication. “The Final Call” is the official paper of the “Nation of Islam” (NOI) that covers news worthy events of black America and proffers the philosophy of Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the NOI movement in the United States. “The Final Call” generates feelings of fear and hope. There is the fear of widening the gap between blacks and other races in America. There is the hope that black Americans will embrace belief in their ability to equal and exceed accomplishments of any race, creed, or color in America, as well as the world.

Malcolm X is not a saint in this biography. He is shown to be a political leader in transition that touches the nerves and lives of black and white America. Malcolm X lives and dies in American history’s faltering effort to become a true land of the free, with equality of opportunity for all. Malcolm X’s life story kindles fear and hope in a world populated by “all too human” human beings.