The Autobiography of Malcolm X: 05/06/07

Published the year of Malcolm X's death, Alex Haley's cowritten autobiography gets into the heart and soul of famous spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Except for Haley's epilogue, the book offers very few explanations for Malcolm's actions through out his life, instead each chapter is almost a parable unto itself.

As a historical document, the autobiography paints a vivid picture of life in America in the 1920s through the 1960s from the perspective of a young black man. While Malcolm doesn't brush aside his crimes as a youth, he doesn't ever question his own convictions about Elijah Muhammad's message or his faith as a converted Muslim. Yet through out he rails (and rightfully so) about the prejudices and misconceptions he has witnessed in other people. Perhaps if he had lived longer he would have had time to examine himself with greater depth and clarity.

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