Selena (Life of a Random)’s Reviews > The Autobiography Of Malcolm X > Status Update

This book is still definitely worth the read despite dryness because it provides huge perspective.

Malcolm taught the importance of fighting for black freedom. He wasn't afraid to thunder out the bad-tasting truths that exist, that needed to change.

Peace is good. But with peace, nothing will change. Peace is many times status quo. Malcolm understood that--there's a reason it is called "fighting for freedom."

GAH. I've been power reading through this book for the past few hours. Longer than normal because I'm trying to absorb everything, think about things & look up new words.

I'm going to quickly note my opinions on writing style/basic book quality stuff then later race/etc stuff:
>the writing is very dry, has a lot of era-specific words
>the font is small & serif. 'nough said
>in short--not best readability

"I've had enough of someone else's propaganda. I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against."

thoughts cont//

this is especially true in terms of religion

but as Malcolm X said, "if one [is] sincere in professing a religion, why should he balk at broadening his knowledge of that religion" which imo includes the positive and negative aspects

It's fascinating to read about Malcolm's discovery of knowledge through reading everything he could get his hands on. I've read tidbits of things he learned about China and African history and archaeology.

Above all things, it has made me realize that despite what I've learned, I still need to widen my worldview so much.

(Also tempted to try to copy down pages of the dictionary to study, like he did in prison)

If Coate's book was honest and unapologetic, this book is 20x more. It has been an unapologetic assault of anger, reckless abandon, and unbounded desire. A story of a man who thus far (in the book, so basically until imprisonment) did his best to seek out the worst, darkest parts of the world and thrived in it throughout his teenaged years and early 20s.

2nd book of Lit of Black Lives Matter class.

This was written 53 yrs ago as told to Alex Haley (another Important African American™) & it's really obvious with the era-specific vocab and yellowed pages of my mass market version. 😂

Also, small print.