Malcolm X: A Life of ReinventionMalcolm X: A Life of Reinvention
Score Modern
What it's about
Malcolm Little was a street hustler in Boston and Harlem who became, in prison, Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam's most famous minister. Later he broke with the Nation, made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and was assassinated in 1965 at thirty-nine. Manning Marable spent more than a decade on this biography, and he goes beyond Malcolm's famous Autobiography, using FBI files and new interviews to show how much Malcolm reinvented himself and to examine the circumstances of his murder.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for history and was a National Book Award finalist. It's the most complete account of one of the most important Americans of the twentieth century.
You'll love it if you liked
The Fire Next Time
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Notes of a Native SonGood to know
Marable died days before the book came out. Some of its findings challenge parts of the Autobiography and caused debate, so it's worth reading alongside that book.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #32 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #84 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #156 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for history and was a National Book Award finalist. It ranks #156 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention about?
Malcolm Little was a street hustler in Boston and Harlem who became, in prison, Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam's most famous minister. Later he broke with the Nation, made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and was assassinated in 1965 at thirty-nine. Manning Marable spent more than a decade on this biography, and he goes beyond Malcolm's famous Autobiography, using FBI files and new interviews to show how much Malcolm reinvented himself and to examine the circumstances of his murder.
How long does it take to read Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention?
About 16 hours (641 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention won?
Pulitzer Prize (History) winner (2012).
What should I read after Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention?
If you liked it, try The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson or Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin.