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

Mindblowing insight and analysis of Malcolm

The narrator of this book is excellent. Switches voice and inflection to denote change in characters/speakers. Manning makes some bold assertions, but backs up his analysis with concrete information. This book perfectly captures the evolution of Malcolm X.

A fascinating life cut short.

I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X around the release of the Spike Lee movie. And either right before or after that, James Cone’s Martin and Malcolm and America, but that has been a while ago.

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention is the first biography of Malcolm X I have read. Manning Marble passed away after the book was completed, but before it was published. He posthumously received a Pulitzer Prize in History for the biography in 2012.

Marable is presenting a complex picture of Malcolm X. There is no shying away from his power of his personality or his tendency toward being a demagogue. There is some controversy about the book because enviably, there has to be a comparison with the historical accuracy of his ‘autobiography’. Marable contends that Alex Haley was far more than just a ghostwriter, but the shaper of the story. He also contends that Malcolm X exaggerated his early life of crime to better show his transformation as a result of his conversion.

Malcolm’s life really was a full one. He spent a ton of time traveling, far more outside the US than I would have guessed. You cannot help but wonder what his life would have been like had he not been killed. Thematically, Marable is pointing out how frequently Malcolm X changed over time. But he also is careful to not grab on to the end of his life as an ideal or final position. The early part of his life and his time in the Nation of Islam was also important.

Like many great men, Malcolm X was fairly distant from his family. His marriage to Betty was troubled. She did not fit into his perception of how women should act. Her independence and his frequent travels did not lead a simple relationship, and Marable concludes that both likely had affairs. Ironically it was Elijah Muhammed’s affairs and many illegitimate children that seems to have started Malcolm X’s leaving the Nation of Islam, but it wasn’t until near the end of his life, after he left NOI that Marable thinks he first had an affair.

The patriarchy and authoritarianism of NOI mattered even when Malcolm X left. Independent initiative and responsibility was not encouraged. From the point when he left NOI until his death, much of the time Malcolm X was out of the country and not encouraging the development of the leaders around him so they could manage the work without him. There was a limitation of the growth of his vision because so much of it was about his own experience. The rest of the leaders around him did not go on the Hajj with him. Or on the long trips to Africa later where his orientation toward pan-Africanism matured. That lack of shared vision, and the speed with which Malcolm X’s views were changing toward the end of his life mattered to the development of the organization. If he had had another 10 years to develop both his theological/political vision and develop an organization around him, his legacy would likely be significantly different.

Don't meet your heroes.

It's a great, detailed book and is about as unbiased as it can be. It is a must read in 2017 as social movements sound exactly like Malcom X did decades ago.

My review

Prior to listening my knowledge of Malcolm was limited. The book provided impartial knowledge which is greatly appreciated. Towards the end when it provided an account of his assassination I felt sorrow him. In short, I feel the book is definitely worth listening.

History that applies to our current society

History that applies to our current society. Good narration, and the story captures the evolution of a man, his ideas, and the movement that he helped create.

In cconcert with Malcolm X's Autobiog

I enjoyed this book even though it is a hard read. I replayed each chapter because there is so much information needed further on to get a good understanding of the many, many actors in X's life. I am glad I read this book because history is important, as well as people's place in it.

Thoroughly enjoyed

He was truly a complex man..this book opened up my eyes about the man and the mission in its entirety. Lesson learned...never idolize people and despite his traumas he made a global impact.

invites further reading on Malcolm X

Whatever the demerits of the book as outlined by some very good previous reviews, for someone like me -- a white Canadian who had never looked into the life of Malcolm X any deeper than the film and excerpts from the Autobiography-- this was an engaging and informative read. Some have described it as scholarly; others dispute its scholarship. For me, it read like a novel and motivated me to learn more about Malcolm X. Don't be put off by the word "scholarly" --it's far from a snooze.

An important personality and a well-told story

This is an interesting (even fascinating) biography of a significant personality of the 1950’s and 60’s. I found that the story was well told by Manning Marable; he provided a good level of detail and the fact that he included some contrary versions of the same story added to his credibility as a researcher and his stature as a writer. I read favorable reviews of “Malcolm X” by reputable publications like The New York Times and The Economist. Neither publication cast any doubt on the quality or depth of Marable’s research – after all, he spent 10 years on this project. I read the reviews below that questioned the book’s accuracy – if you're considering this audiobook, I would take those comments with ‘a grain of salt’.

I also liked G. Valmont Thomas’ reading of the book; his tone and pacing reminded me of Samuel L. Jackson. I particularly enjoyed the reader’s addition of various accents that helped make a relatively dry subject “come alive.” Not being an expert of regional accents, I cannot comment of their accuracy, but the various accents certainly helped when I (the listener) could not see the quote marks on the page when an individual was talking or being quoted.

The previous biography I read was the much-heralded “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson. The story of Jobs was very interesting, but the quality of the narration by Dylan Baker was not all that good in my opinion. Mr. Baker would have benefitted from the use of a few accents to help convey a better story.

This audiobook comes highly recommended – both for the story and for the narration. I would recommend “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention” to anyone with an open mind who’s willing to learn about an important person and significant events in the USA from 50-60 years ago.

DC

This book offered a complete perspective of Malcolm X. I learned so much more about one of my social heroes. His life was truly more complex and purposeful than I understood reading Alex Haley’s version, as a teenager. Malcolm was so powerful and this book examined his power completely...thank you!!!