Customer Reviews

Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X

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I am a big fan of Malcolm X. Next to my father, Malcolm has been the biggest influence on my life. So I was very interested in getting an analysis of Malcolm's life from the extremely intelligent professor and social commentator Michael Eric Dyson.

Dr. Dyson does an excellent job of objectively presenting Malcolm's ideas and views, both positive and negative. While Dr. Dyson lauds Malcolm's discipline and ability to criticize himself, he scorns Malcolm's early misogynism. There are parts of the book that get a bit heady for the casual reader, such as Dyson's over worded explanation of two psychobiographies written about Malcolm. But overall, Dr. Dyson does an excellent job of explaining Malcolm's role in contemporary society, especially in his plea to rescue young black males.

Dr. Dyson does get off subject at times, such as his overanalysis of early 1990s black films and his semi rant against inconsistencies in the Clinton adminstration. But Dyson does an excellent job of reviewing Spike Lee's biopic on Malcolm, in fact devoting a whole chapter to it.

Overall there were some confusing points in the book that force me to deduct a star, but the book still an informative and enjoyable read about a giant in American history.

This book barrow from other scholarly works of people from every part of the political spectrum, and also comments on modern interpretations of Malcolm X. Michael Eric Dyson does a great job of remaining objective in his views of Malcolm and talks about tough issues like misogyny, sexuality, and his contempoary legacy. He also goes into the need for different people to shape Malcolm into someone who serves their own interest, and how even Malcolm shaped the way people viewed him when creating his autobiography. Great read, I recommend.

Anyone who wants to know an intellectual analysis of Black American culture needs to read the works of Professor Dyson. Making Malcolm is no exception. I'm only 103 pages into it, and will revise this review if the book ends much differently than it started. But I'm impressed with Dr. Dyson's comprehensive description of who Malcolm was. I appreciate the fact that Dr. Dyson has not allowed his own Progressive opinions to transform Malcolm into something he wasn't. Yes, Dyson seems to be what most politically involved Black intellectuals are... leftists, Liberals, Progressives, etcetera. But he has not (in the first 103 pages) made the brazen declaration that Malcolm was a Liberal... because he wasn't!

This book is not for the modestly educated (which I am) unless you have an unabridged dictionary and quick access to Wikipedia (which I do) to help you understand Dr. Dyson's references to Archimedes and Manichaeism (which I don't). If you have a deep understanding or interest in Malcolm X, you'll probably be able to navigate through Dr. Dyson's analysis with few problems besides an annoyance about his pedantic style. (Look at me, using the word "pedantic" and criticizing someone else for being so!)

No one should consider himself a proponent or well-informed critic of Malcolm X's philosophy without being familiar with Dr. Dyson's work on the subject. Leftists may be surprised to learn that Malcolm wasn't so close to what they believe. And "Conservatives" may be reluctantly enlightened by how far Malcolm was from the left-wing extremist demon they love to believe that he was.

After I finish this book I plan to purchase I May Not Get There With You for Dr. Dyson's analysis of Dr. MLK's life.

What!....I cannot! believe! that I'm the first to write a review.....

Brotha Dyson....Brings it allll home! is all I can say....If you loved Brotha Malcom....even if you didn't...this! brotha's insights! on Malcom X! and all concerning him..is Pricless!!!....This book is a Must! have!...period.