Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography

by Andrew Helfer Narrated by Ezra Knight

Overview

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, lived a short, often violent life. This story frames Malcolm's death with his upbringing and the racial and political struggles that defined his adult life. Malcolm was struck by racial injustice at a young age. His father was murdered-though police ruled it a suicide-for his involvement in civil rights movements. He graduated from junior high at the top of his class, but his dreams were crushed when his teacher told him a black boy could never become a lawyer. Later, he joined the Nation of Islam and preached for civil rights-but this made him a target of the United States government and of ruthless assassins. This audio companion for the graphic novel Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography allows readers to follow along with the book's evocative drawings by Randy DuBurke. Listeners will gain a new perspective on the activist from this dynamic biography. "Far from reverential, the account includes chapters on Malcolm X's life as a hustler and his own disturbing racism ... evokes powerful visual drama and brings the big issues close in a way that is sure to interest YAs for biography assignments as well as discussion of the issues."-Booklist

Editorial Reviews

"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything." Though cut down by an assassin's bullet just months before his 40th birthday, Malcolm X (1925-65), a.k.a. Malcolm Little, had already left a powerful imprint on American history. This "novel graphic" recapitulates the dramatic path of Malcolm's life, from his early experiences with racism through his political and religious conversions. Graphic and unforgettable.

Publishers Weekly

Helfer and DuBurke tell the story of Malcolm X's short life—his meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the two leaders describing the opposite ideological ends of the fight for civil rights; and his eventual assassination by other members of the Nation of Islam (NOI)—in narration and detailed b&white drawings, sharp as photographs in a newspaper. The portrait is frank and at times unflattering, pointing out the inconsistencies in Malcolm X's own autobiography. From his slow slide into the criminal—moving from hustler to dealer to the head of a ring of thieves for which he was finally sent to prison—to his jailhouse conversion to Islam, Helfer and DuBurke don't shy from any part of their subject's life. Unfortunately, as the story gets into the complicated dynamics within the NOI and Malcolm X's eventual break from the group, the narrative becomes tangled. The same drawings that make Malcolm X's youth so vivid can't portray the political in-fighting with the same clarity, giving instead a glance at the last few years of his life. Nevertheless, Helfer and DuBurke have created an evocative and studied look at not only Malcolm X but the racial conflict that defined and shaped him. (Nov.)

Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 10 & Up - This brief novelization opens with a dramatic image of Malcolm posing with a rifle, highlighting the conflict that defined his short life. The story begins shortly before his death, and the sense of tension established by his looming assassination is maintained throughout the book. Those already familiar with Malcolm X's autobiography will find a compelling retelling of his life, and those new to the subject will be introduced to a whirlwind tour of mid-20th-century history through the eyes of an influential figure in the Civil Rights Movement. The defining moments of Malcolm's life are presented here in a condensed format-his upbringing in the Midwest, his rowdy teenage years as a hustler in Boston and Harlem, and his time in prison, leading ultimately to his public life as a member of the Nation of Islam and the Black Muslim movement in the 1960s. The black-and-white illustrations give shape to the figures depicted through the use of shadows and high-contrast silhouettes. Many of the drawings have the quality of photographs that have been repeatedly photocopied until fine details disappear, lending a documentary feel to the imagery.-Heidi Dolamore, San Mateo County Library, CA

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170758913
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	02/15/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	909,896

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