The first major study of Malcolm X’s influence in the sixty years since his assassination, exploring his enduring impact on culture, politics, and civil rights.
Luminous, nuanced ... Whitaker’s book kicks off with a spellbinding account of the lead-up to Malcolm’s assassination ... A sumptuous, essential book that draws us to the real man while acknowledging him as somehow unknowable, an American sphinx.
Whitaker makes good use of archival collections...exacting detail ... The author produces a gripping tale, picking apart the investigation, slowly revealing the true nature of the crime and telling the story of both the wrongfully convicted and the murderers with sensitivity and precision ... Though beautifully written and engaging, the book largely sidesteps an obvious question: Why did different groups of Americans, at specific points in time in the years following Malcolm’s death, come to idolize or emulate him? ... Whitaker’s book is a fascinating exploration of the many ways that three generations of Americans have embraced the image, if not always the substance, of Malcolm X. Readers will have to consult other sources to fully understand why they did so.
