One Day When I Was Lost (Mass Market Paperback)

by James A. Baldwin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Sharp.... Precise.... There is no questioning the depth and sincerity of Baldwin's admiration for Malcolm X." —The Times Literary Supplement

"A work energetically and demotically written."
—The New Statesman --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Based on Alex Haley’s bestselling classic The Autobiography of Malcolm X, a rare, lucidly composed screenplay from one of America’s great masters of letters.

Son of a Baptist minister; New York City hustler; honor student; convicted criminal; powerful minister in the Nation of Islam; father and husband: Malcolm X transformed himself, time and again, in order to become one of the most feared, loved, and undeniably charismatic leaders of twentieth-century America. No one better represents the tumultuous times of his generation, and there is no one better to capture him and his milieu than James Baldwin. With spare, elegant, yet forceful dialogue and fresh, precise camera directions, Baldwin breathes cinematic life into this controversial and important figure, offering a new look at a man who changed himself in order to change the country. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Dell Publishing Company (December 1992)
• ISBN-10: 5555434308
• ISBN-13: 978-5555434302
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,785,856 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars interesting, February 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: One Day When I Was Lost (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a decent read, though not too learn anything about Malcolm x. It was written while Elijah Muhammad was still alive, so some of the seedier details of the story of their split are left out, probably out of a fear of villifying the NOI. The script that was eventually used for Spike Lee's film is an improvement, both dramatically and historically. Clearly, though, Baldwin deserved some credit in the film, as there were passages of dialogue and story elements that remain. He actually has credit in the film, but not on the promo work on the tape cover. All things told, I'd only recommend it to Baldwin and Malcolm X completists.

1 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars intellectually stimulating and left 36 footprints in my soul, June 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: One Day When I Was Lost (Mass Market Paperback)

the beginning was powerful when he reveiwed his childhood. his speeches were a bit biased, but they told a good story about life. What is life? Is life, life? Are we life? Does the cookbook give the proper recipe for twice baked potatoes? Loving is Life. Malcolm X had trouble finding this realization, but his message was bold, powerful, and worth reading about. Cheese is good. Beef, it's what's for dinner.