Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary [Paperback]

Walter Dean Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1999 | Age Level: 10 and up

In this provocative biography, Newbery author Walter Dean Myers reveals Malcolm X as orator, convict, revolutionary, Muslim, and martyr. "If one can choose only one book about Malcolm X, this is the book of choice".--"VOYA".

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"[Myers] seamlessly fuse[s] historical notes on the era with the activist's story... [a] carefully researched portrait of a deeply devoted individual," said PW in a starred review. Age 10-up.-- seamlessly fuse[s] historical notes on the era with the activist's story... [a] carefully researched portrait of a deeply devoted individual," said PW in a starred review. Age 10-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-- Myers organizes Malcolm X's life into four stages: his childhood; his adolescence; his period of working under Elijah Mohammad; and his life after breaking with the Nation of Islam. Throughout, his experiences and actions are presented in a broader social context, from the beliefs of Marcus Garvey, who exerted such an influence upon Malcolm's parents, to the culture of adolescent black males in the 1930s and 1940s, to the contrasts between the Nation of Islam's views and those of Martin Luther King, Jr, with all the shadings in between. The author discusses the evolution in Malcolm's character, as his belief in Islam gradually taught him that not all whites were the enemies of African-Americans. He strikes a good balance between his subject's personal life and broader social issues and movements. Myers does not judge whether or not Malcolm X's views were better than those of King, but rather shows how both appealed to specific audiences and contributed to the struggles of the 1960s. Surprisingly, though, there is very little discussion of current controversies that have emerged from the two points of view. Black-and-white photographs and a reproduction of a page from Malcolm's extensive FBI file help readers to visualize the key personages and events in America's past. Myers's evenhanded approach will provoke thought and discussion among reluctant readers, who may find Jack Rummel's fact-laden Malcolm X (Chelsea, 1989) slow going. --Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Siena College Library, Loudonville, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590987593
• ISBN-13: 978-0590987592
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,144,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Walter Dean Myers is a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author who has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. Winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, he is considered one of the preeminent writers for children. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rolemodel for the world, May 2, 2002

By 

Mustafe Mohamed (California, SD (619)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (Paperback)

Book Review
Malcolm X "by any means neccesary"
By: Walter Dean Myers
Reviewed by Mustafe Mohamed.

Malcolm X was one of the most devoted men who ever walked on earth. From street wise thug to a civil rights leader he had changed hatred into love. The book Malcolm X `by any means neccesary" written by Walter Dean Myers pushes you to your main objective in life. Malcolm X as known by many was a role model for all mankind.

Growing up wasn't a teenagers typical day for Malcolm.Day to day as he went outside to the world he would see hatred in the eyes of his brothers. As a child Malcolm experienced the life of violence, racism, and segregation. Everything that surrounded him was hate and struggle and that's way he became a street wise hustler.

As time traveled so would he. Getting wiser was part of growing up.Malcolm at age fourteen realize that he wanted to be someone successful in life. During his life Malcolm also realized that knowledge created hate and truth created violence. The author attempts and successfully shows how one person can change and impact a world just in a matter of time.

by the time of his tragic murder in 1965, Malcolm was world famous as the "angriest black man in America," why, because he strived to end racism and segregation amongst the human race. Malcolm unlike many other men brought new hope and self-respect.

Unlike other Authors, Walter dean Myers introduces a strong character who's life will impact you all throughout your life. This book opened up my mind to many questions, taught me not to always swallow what is dished( in terms of KNOWLEDGE). This is one book that you won't put down once you've started, this book also attempts to answer any questions about the struggle of life just by looking at the life and work of Malcolm X.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Walter Dean Myers Succeeds Again!, July 21, 2005

By 

Mary K. Entsminger "teacher" (Orland Park, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (Paperback)

Evaluation: This is a wonderfully written biography of an influential African American, Malcolm X. Beginning with his birth in 1925 and ending with his assassination in 1965, Walter Dean Myers describes the trials and tribulations of one of America's radical African American leaders. The book details the many differences between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. Though both men aimed to lift the African American people from their second class citizenship, Martin Luther King believed in a nonviolent approach. On the other hand, Malcolm X believed that the African American community needed to revolt. "Revolution is bloody, revolution is hostile, revolution knows no compromise, revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way" (p. 107). These were Malcolm X's words as he described his belief that no African American solution could possibly involve fitting into a white society. Students will enjoy reading this biography. They will come to learn about a controversial figure in America. Several photographs and illustrations will help to entice even the most reluctant of readers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Malcolm X, May 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (Paperback)

This is a book about Malcolm X and what he has accomplished in his life. This book tells how he inherited the name Malcolm X. It tells about all his encounters with other famous leaders including Martin Luther King JR., Elijah Muhammad, and others. This book tells about his family, how he became an Islam ruler, and what he did to try to make the world a better place. I recommend this book to any readers interested in the life of Malcolm X or readers that are just interested in a good biography.