Malcolm X,Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X

I picked up The Autobiography of Malcolm X, intrigued by the fact that the protagonist of the autobiography, Malcolm X is such a controversial individual; proponents of the reform leader contend that he is an immensely influential altruist, while critics of the same man claim him to be a downright impostor. By digesting the novel, I was able to conceive the truth: the revolutionary is a combination of both good and evil. This apparent paradox within Malcolm X is possible because, throughout the whole story, he goes through constant change.It is truly fascinating to witness the development of the protagonist as he reaches different stages of life. From the observant child who witnessed the tragedy of his parents to the fearsome drug dealer in the dark and dreary setting of Harlem, and from the knowledge-hungry pupil of the prison debate team to the venerated scholar of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm lives through an ever-changing life. The conflict of the story boils down to the psychological dilemma of righteousness within the mind. The backstabbing drug dealer is truly despicable; nonetheless, the nation's strongest speaker is definitely worthy of praise. Near the end of the novel, I had a strange feeling: I felt as if I read the biography of a number of very radical people. It was difficult to believe that such distinctive personalities rose from the same person.I highly recommend this novel for those individuals curious about the power of transformation; this classic does a miraculous job of giving hope to those people who wish to reform their lifestyles. In addition, the novel gives much insight on racial issues, definition of righteousness, pride, knowledge and religion using personal anecdotes and incidents. On the contrary, the autobiography will be an irksome piece to dedicated readers who respect usage of metaphors and other literary devices, for the novel is often dry and straight to the point. The biased tone of the nonfiction also may be infuriating to those who hold strong beliefs on religion or racism. Nevertheless, certain ironies as first learning literature in prison can be humorous and relishable.By just skimming through this review, one might ask, 'then who is the true Malcolm X?' The most vexing, yet delightful part of the novel is that there is no single Malcolm. Who knows? He might have been a complete new being the moment before he was shot.

The autobiography of Malcolm X is an incredibly inspirational read. It starts with his childhood growing up in the intolerant racist culture of America, his decent into crime and his stay in prison, the re-awakening of his desire for education and conversion to Islam, his pilgrimage to Mecca, his ascension to spokesman for race rights and equality, and eventually his untimely and brutal murder. This is a very educational book and helps to give you insights into the life of this truly remarkable man, I didn't realise when I picked up the book how it could make you feel, it could just change your life.