X

A Novel

By: Ilyasah Shabazz, Kekla Magoon

Narrated by: Dion Graham, Ilyasah Shabazz

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Co-written by Malcolm X's daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

I am Malcolm.
I am my father's son. But to be my father's son means that they will always come for me.
They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.

Malcolm Little's parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that's nothing but a pack of lies - after all, his father's been murdered, his mother's been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There's no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer.

But Malcolm's efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory when what starts as some small-time hustling quickly spins out of control. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he's found is only an illusion - and that he can't run forever.

X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

©2015 Ilyasah Shabazz, original book published by Candlewick Press (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Very well written

Even though I assumed I knew the story of Malcolm X, the way this story was told made it all seem new and exciting all over again. I listened to the entire book in just two settings and am now prepared to listen again along with my children.

Wanted to love

I so wanted to love this acclaimed book. The story of young Malcolm Little is indeed captivating and I enjoyed the way the authors depicted in his struggle against accepting his best self/the man and leader he was destined to me. It is definitely a book to get into the hands of young adults, but I struggled to connect with the writing itself. For me, it was too long in many parts and the dialogue was a little cheesy. The author's note and historical appendices were some of my favorite parts. 2.5 stars

Love!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've recommended this to several friends already. I loved hearing the part of the story that we never get to hear about his life. Because it was written in a more fictional style than biographical, it kept my attention.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Malcom of course. It was his story.

What does Dion Graham and Ilyasah Shabazz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Dion Graham brought life to the story!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I dont know that I could listen to any book in one sitting lol.

The fight goes on.

Loved hearing about the young Malcom X from the perspective of his daughter. It seems to me the Black mans struggle to be seen and treated equally continues.

One of the greatest stories ever told 🔥🔥

It clears up misconceptions about who he was and helps you understand the journey and how he grew to become one of the most influential and intelligent black leaders of all time. A lot to be learned and it's an exciting read.

I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed reading this book... keep up the awesome work my sister. I'm looking forward to the next one.

best book ever

love this book ,the best book to ride or work to. The story is so visual 😍

It was unbelievable

This book gives a clear picture of the abuse of Black People in the 40's. The progression from Lansing to Prison and his change was very well illustrated. I had difficulty with the narration. Overall it's a great book to learn about the early life of Malcolm Little to his change.

A real must hear

Great story! I liked the mixture of fact and fiction. I liked the fact that his family was involved

A True Gem

I enjoyed reading about the story of Malcolm Little! It was a great combination of fact and fiction. Great story about how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X.

A different perspective

Gives an interesting insight into the true story of Malcolm Little as a young man, before he became Malcolm X. Well written and well narrated, with additional material by the subject's daughter.