Litsy

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

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What a great read, so much history in this autobiography, and such a powerful story arc that it reads like a fictional narrative, but is based in our turbulent past. I don‘t think I can find all the words I need to describe this, and 451 characters surely won‘t do, but it‘s history we need, and the tragedy of his life being cut short (at 39!) just when he‘d found his place in the struggle is heartbreaking. His voice will be missed, forever. #XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️side note: this new autobiography was fabulous, Fishburne captured all the parts of his personality so well, he deserves every narration award for this performance. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

The final, not included in this audiobook (pictured above), but in most print versions. Alex Haley‘s notes and thoughts from during his interviews with Malcolm, and the aftermath after his untimely death. If you have access to it, I recommend it, and feel free to just stop back to this post whenever you get a chance to finish it.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

tenar I haven‘t finished the epilogue quite yet, but I wanted to share this interesting article from the History Channel on a recently revealed cut chapter from this book. It also includes a little bit of one historian‘s analysis of the book overall.

https://www.history.com/news/malcolm-x-autobiography-lost-chapter 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I haven‘t quite finished the epilogue yet either. Hopefully I‘ll finish it this afternoon and then I‘ll check out the link too. 4y

Butterfinger I just finished the epilogue and I am left angry. I just can't believe the words that Carl T. Rowan said. It reminds me of all the hate-filled Facebook posts about George Floyd. When a man dies in a despicable manner, you don't dredge up his past to validate the violence. Oh, I am so mad. This has been such an evocative read. Thanks @tenar for the link. 4y

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Butterfinger @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa the article made me aware of Malcolm's essays and speeches. I'm going to find The Ballot or Bullet speech. Also, it aligned with one of our previous discussions about how he was so demeaning to successful black business people. I know that bothered me a lot.

X: A Novel

Butterfinger Oh, if hadn't died, his conversion and conversation would have been more inspiring. Such a great loss for America. I also want to learn about his daughters. I know one wrote a children's book about him. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I‘ve read that, it‘s actually very good, but it is a historical fictional narrative about his younger days. But a good read. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I finished up the epilogue today too, and had mixed feeling. I definitely liked seeing some of the scribbles and notes he was making during his interviews. It reminded me of someone I know with ADHD now, they have to be going on all cylinders all the time or they get bored and will have multiple conversations going at the same time. We think of it as a disability often because we can‘t keep up with them & they can‘t slow down... 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...anyway, those side notes made me smile, it was little glimpses into what he was thinking about on the side. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I agree, the press after his passing was disheartening, but I wasn‘t surprised. Even nonviolent King was considered a subversive by the US government, by organizing and causing trouble....so I‘m not surprised that Malcolm was viewed with even less authenticity. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa My version has a small section by Ossie Davis after the Epilogue, about why he gave the eulogy and why he felt Malcolm was important. I found that a bit more uplifting....it seemed to represent the man more like my thoughts of him while reading this. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I finished the article, very good, and some of the quotes they shared, I could see in other parts of the book...so they weren‘t super new info (for me). I liked listening to him talk about the rifle clubs in the article, hearing him in his own voice was nice. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar I think the library may have a collection of his speeches on audio to check out. I think I might follow this up with that, the narration of this new audiobook was very well done...but I find myself wanting to read and listen more too. 4y

Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa me too. I'm watching his speeches on YouTube today. Just finished a 60 minutes interview with Mike Wallace between Louis Farrakhan and his eldest daughter. Heart wrenching. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

The last few chapters contained quite a change. I honestly felt so sad and hurt for him when he learned his faith was put in the wrong person, and even as he tried to help with a crisis his efforts were turned against him. I also felt equally happy for him on his pilgrimage, to both see things outside the US perspective, but through a larger religious lens.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘ll post a separate discussion for the epilogue tomorrow, which is not included in this audiobook, but is in most print and ebook versions, so if yours has it... we can discuss Alex Haley‘s views tomorrow. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa How did you feel about these last few chapters? I was so impressed by what a self educated man he became, and touched that one of his greatest wishes was still that he would, if he could, go back to school and learn more. He was so well spoken, by the end, you‘d never guess he never finished school...and I can‘t help thinking he would have been a bit disappointed in structured classroom learning after his years of self taught, absorbing any ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...thing and everything that caught his interest. And despite his tough views on some things, he seemed honestly open to new ideas, information, thoughts. His shock at being reprimanded overseas over the word negro was so shocking to me and to him. We take it as for granted of that time in history, and it‘s important to know it was also just this place in history, not everywhere. And I felt so glad he got to see that larger world before... (edited) 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...his untimely end. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sadly it‘s the time overseas, that I‘m glad he got to experience, that also made him more famous and probably a bigger target. 4y

tenar Yes! I shared the same feelings. I realized how deeply attached to Mr. Malcolm I had become when I felt deeply glad for him to have the positive experience traveling to Mecca after so much hardship. The last chapter was terribly bittersweet in that he both had reached such a height of learning and self-reflection and that his premonitions about his death and his legacy were spot-on. He lived an incredible life and had an incredible mind. 4y

tenar About his break with the Nation of Islam, I expected Malcolm to turn his back on Mr. Muhammad right away because of his strong personality, but I think that was silly of me. I felt this quote summed up the intensity of the cult atmosphere he was bathed in: “I didn‘t want Allah to ‘burn my brain‘ as I felt the brain of my brother Reginald had been burned for harboring evil thoughts about Mr. Elijah Muhammad.” 4y

tenar I was also shocked that he first defended Elijah Muhammad, and even still the Nation wanted him out! I wonder if we didn‘t get the whole story or if it truly was all about jealousy. And Elijah Muhammad‘s fear. I suppose if I had Mr. Muhammad‘s guilty conscience, I might think that Malcolm X with my secret was my greatest enemy, even if he was telling me he was my greatest friend. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I think because Malcolm was so well spoken, and in better health and could travel more...Elijah Muhammad was very jealous of his following, and that he might usurp him over time. At least based on what he told his secretaries. If he‘d been smart, when Malcolm showed up with a way out, a way to spin the story, he‘d have brought him in closer instead of ostracizing him. For me it almost read like a self fulfilling prophecy, he pushed ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...away, which caused the rift. And then when Malcolm traveled to the fight and then overseas, gaining more press and international clout, Mr Muhammad saw it as him trying to take his place. (edited) 4y

Butterfinger I apologise for being so late. I got caught up on Halloween. I'm glad both of you had similar feelings to my own. By the end, I loved him. I simply loved him. He was betrayed horribly by a father figure he adored who ordered his death. And that event resulted in Malcolm becoming stronger in the true Islam tenets. He owned up to his own racist views. The trip to Mecca changed him and I am so glad he got to experience true Brotherhood. He had craved it all his life. 4y

Butterfinger What a historical figure he has become. I'm so mixed with emotions. I dread reading about his death. King and Malcolm sacrificed so much for America's future, with different ideals and strategies, yet for the same goal. It just makes me realize I have to work too. 4y

tenar @Butterfinger I got emotional reading your comments! I think you summed the last chapters up perfectly. 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I had the same feeling of that self-fulfilling prophecy. Thinking about Mr. Muhammad, Malcolm‘s father figure and supposed hand of god, saying Malcolm would one day leave him and then pushing him out because of his own fear- the whole arc has a hugely mythic quality. I can‘t imagine how devastating it felt to live it. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I know, sorry about that. Holiday weekends are tough, but please know just stop in whenever you get the chance. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar I‘m glad I wasn‘t alone there. My heart broke for him when it all fell apart, and he learned the truth. Worse still when he tried to help his father figure and was basically rebuffed and kicked out. And then I felt so happy for him during his trip to Mecca, to meet real Muslims, of every color and nationality...I think he found the true belonging there that he always craved. He wanted to feel that brotherhood and ... (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ... connectedness his whole life, and everywhere he searched he was let down. By the system, his teachers, his foster parents, on and on he was searching for that connectedness and love, and I loved that he finally found it and was yet heartsick knowing he wouldn‘t be here long after. Yes. @tenar it was like a mythical heroic arc in many ways. I can see why he‘s a tough figure to teach and study, but there is so much resilience here. (edited) 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

This was a bit of a tougher section for me, but very informative to understanding both the pull and influence of The Nation of Islam in the US at that time, and Malcolm‘s personal transformation into a national figure (whether he wanted it or not). Some of his views on the Civil Rights Movement in the south, and the internment camps during the war will stick with me.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa How are you all making out? I‘m interested to see how it changes after his visit to Mecca and since he‘s mentioned it, I know the autobiography goes at least that far. I curious how far it goes too. 4y

Butterfinger Whoa. Was this section hard to read? And I understand why he feels that way, but it is still hard. The way he puts down the black people who became educated and leaders of their communities was just harsh. And I feel that he is twisting the Quran? the same way some whites do to the Bible. Only using the parts that pertains to their hateful purposes. He was so hateful to these leaders. And, I wonder if Alex Haley agreed with him. I'm interested in learning what made Mohammed separate him from the Nation. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I‘m also interested in that and what he learned in Mecca. My understanding of the history, which is limited, is that after he traveled to Mecca he learned what Islam really was and how it was different from what he learned in Elijah Mohammed‘s teachings. So I‘m interested to see how he dealt with that after being so deep in the others belief system. (edited) 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger But yes...so tough to read. Some of it is that we were taught how great sit-in‘s and freedom riders were, and much less about the other side (whether that be Nation of Islam or Black Panthers). And even then the history I was taught in school was more...these horrible struggles, non-violence, all settled and better, it‘s in the past now. Of course as you get older you realize it isn‘t all exactly solved and in the past either. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...so there is that struggle reading it, even if that‘s just confronting the white-washing of our history that we were taught (for me in the 80‘s). And as I read more you find out about the older things, similarly to how he found in the prison library. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Then the other part is the corruption of a religion. And upfront, I should just add that I‘m not a huge fan of organized religion at all....whether it‘s Catholic, Westboro Baptist or any side shute of Christianity (which I‘m more familiar with). But the fact that Elijah had all his ministers come live with him to learn from him before they were sent out to preach was a problem for me right away...because he was already putting himself between ⤵️ (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...them and the holy book (Quran) he supposedly believed in. So he was teaching them his teachings over whatever the religion really was...and Malcolm repeated that and I think said it better...which led to jealousy. I‘m wondering if that‘s why he left/was asked to leave. But the cult-like feel of it at times is just oppressive, and the misogyny really gets to me too. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa And yet...as much as all that was tough to read through, and they were long chapters. I can see his point in some things. Whites went south to help in the marches, because they could see that oppression was wrong, but couldn‘t see the issues in their own communities in the same way. Not that he would have wanted their help, but I can see why that would be very frustrating to him. 4y

tenar I actually was very engaged by this section! I think when he felt engaged, I felt engaged. He was certainly fired up when dictating these chapters. It stuck out to me how much he loved being challenged intellectually when speaking at universities & colleges. I felt like that bolstered his common thought that so many black minds could & should have been put to use in science, medicine, etc. 4y

tenar So many of his comments were obviously beyond the pale, from white money in the intellectual black pocket to ‘Negroes eating snails‘, but like you both, I sometimes understood where he was coming from. I did read a little bit on the internment of German & Italian-Americans in WWII, which definitely took place, but not nearly to the numbers of Japanese Americans. I‘d like to do more research on the government & public‘s attitudes at the time. 4y

tenar @Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It seems like he is hinting that he, too, eventually recognizes the danger of raising Elijah Muhammad to this level, even higher than the Quran. (Though he doesn‘t seem to have changed his hateful and misogynistic views.) My copy also has an 80-page epilogue by Alex Haley after ch 19, so I imagine we‘ll get even further info in there! 4y

Butterfinger @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I also plan to read the epilogue. I'm interested in Haley's POV. I admired the dedication to getting people off drugs as one of the "fishing" strategies. They were very dedicated to their beliefs and they became rescuers of the trodden down addicts. Even though he was spiteful during this section, I enjoyed reading it. I felt sorry for Betty. I may have become a follower when I was young and easily impressed, but I bet being his wife was a chore. 4y

Butterfinger I'm at a corn maze with my family and I just had a thought. Malcolm probably studied how the indigenous people tried to integrate by emulating the customs of the white settlements and we know how that turned out. Maybe, that is why he was so strict when white and black were working together. He knew, from past history that it wouldn't work. And he was right. There is still deep-seated racism in 2020. I just had an epiphany and had to share. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I thought that about his examples with the Jews in Germany too, who tried to assimilate too, but were never really considered part of. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger Have fun out at the corn maze! 4y

Butterfinger Thank you @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I understand that... it was tougher subject material to absorb, but not tougher get through...if that makes sense. I found his views sometimes hard, raw, but I still had no trouble listening to the narration. I‘d say it was just the excellent narration, but we know Malcolm was known for his persuasive speeches too. So I was drawn in by his arguments and world view, even though I recoiled a bit about some things like his views on women.... 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..and the southern civil rights movement. But I will still say this is a must read, the arguments are so clear, I understand both sides of the arguments so much better know. Although we learn some about Martian in school, Malcolm and that arm is rarely mentioned. And I can definitely understand the push pull there, between the two and how they both pushed in their own way for more equality. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar. I don‘t know if the audiobook has the epilogue, but I have an ebook copy too, so I‘ll be reading that as well. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger & @tenar Would you prefer to discuss the epilogue with this last section of chapters this weekend, or the chapters this weekend and put the epilogue on its own discussion the week after? 4y

Butterfinger I plan to read it all Friday. It really doesn't matter to me. 4y

tenar I might not be totally finished, but I‘ll probably be pretty close, so either is fine for me as well! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar ok, I‘ll post the chapters on Sat. as usual and the Epilogue on Sun., so 2 separate posts and discussions this weekend. Should be close enough to remember if you read it all, but give an extra day in there for any catching up. 4y

Butterfinger Thanks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Trial of the Chicago 7: Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin

Watched it this morning. So good! And very timely! There are protesters here, police brutality, a very slanted justice system leaning heavily in Nixon‘s favor...it seems a little too familiar in some ways to me (maybe that‘s just me). As always though, Sorkin does a great job with anything political, making it both accessible and enthralling to watch.

Highly recommend!

I‘m sure it would be interesting to both the #XRead and
#SheSaid groups

CoffeeK8 We watched this last night, it was really intensely good 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

I am loving this narration, if he decides to stop acting, he has my vote for more narrating! As far as the autobiography, so enthralling! His young life, all before 21, was a wild ride of neglect, crime, Jazz, & in this section we get his conversion. He lays it all out there so well you can see how easy it was to believe, to promote, and how easily both religions and cults can gain traction when we disenfranchise whole sections of the people.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa #XRead
@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us 4y

tenar Yes, it‘s been a roller coaster! To be honest, I did struggle to keep my sympathies with him as he expressed his sexism & violence against women and as he entangled one of his oldest friends in burglary, even though I understand exactly how he reached that point. I hope to learn from that. I am equally in awe of his years-long dedication to educating himself. 4y

tenar And I agree, Elijah Muhammad‘s radical teachings spreading through prisons and seeing those in charge fear it as an organizing influence was food for thought. I read this brief article on black Muslims as a major force in increasing prisoners‘ rights:
https://daily.jstor.org/what-the-prisoners-rights-movement-owes-to-the-black-mus...
From these chapters, I think what Malcom wrote about prison bars stuck with me the most. (edited) 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I agree, from a kid you felt sorry for, to someone you have little sympathy for as he spirals downwards with the help of drugs and crime. These first chapters read like some crazy soap opera, how could all of that have happened to 1 individual, and he wasn‘t even 21 yet....which to me is also sad and reminds me why we, as a society, owe more to the children we collectively raise. From a bright child to a menace to society. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I have such a hard time reading his misogyny and racial hatred too, but I can also see how he came by it, which in this case I think helps me understand his story more instead of just going...ugh...pass...and close the book. I also like that he‘s honest about it after he grew past that instead of just glazing over it. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa It‘s so hard to read at times, but yet, I can‘t stop listening. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar and the Elijah Muhammad parts are so interesting...he‘s bending Islam to his cause, and that helps empower a bunch of people who need it, and yet it‘s also what causes a lot of Islamophobia to this day, that we are still dealing with in many ways. Again, tough to read, but important to understand. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar That was a great article! And it‘s a shame, but a lot of prisons have just gotten rid of their libraries all together. Which is extra sad considering how much that wonderful library did prisoners on this book. 4y

Butterfinger Some of the things I noticed - like both of you I was amazed by his new found love for learning and reading from prison. He was actually thankful for prison. And if it hadn't been for Muhammed's cult, he wouldn't have started learning for his own ben 4y

Butterfinger Benefit. That is what most won't do today. They just follow someone else's translation of the Bible without studying and forming their own opinion. I find this admirable of Malcolm. It bothered me with the liberally described sex and drug life. And forgive me for saying it, old,rich, white men are still the ones who control trafficking in this nation. The research shows Nascar, furniture shows in the 80s - Charlotte is one of the top cities currently for trafficking. 4y

Butterfinger I apologise. I got way off topic, but it's a topic very close to my heart and I couldn't help but agree with Malcolm where he was talking about the sex houses. 4y

Butterfinger @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I understand, some is really hard to read, he definitely did not live a soft life. Some parts are super...gritty?, I guess, that‘s the closest word I can come up with at the moment. They aren‘t really graphic, but they don‘t sugar coat it either. I do appreciate the honesty though, at this point in his life he didn‘t have to share much of that, but I liked what he said about telling his whole life so you can ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ understand the parts that formed his later thoughts. And yes.... I agree, trafficking is such a problem. I still can‘t believe how little details we‘ve learned about Epstein for instance since his “death”...it‘s like he‘s gone, it‘s over and done. And all those separated children at the boarder, that were “lost”, forgive me, but that is unacceptable, and a crime against humanity. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger You are welcome to go off topic whenever you want! We all need to have places to talk about serious matters with other thoughtful people. Our current affairs in this country (and many others) with its division often doesn‘t lend itself to serious informed discussions or airing of opinions AND we need that for our sanity and to move forward at all. I think more people agree then disagree about topics like child separation or ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ trafficking, but we‘ve made things so decisive we can‘t even talk about the topics honestly. 4y

Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I get so passionate about things that my words don't make sense sometimes. Thank you for understanding. I guess I am trying to say is I understand how Malcolm's hatred of the white devil came to be. It does seem that as a collective, we are still keeping non-white suppressed and exploited just as you mentioned with the separation of children at the border. Thank you for leading this discussion. I'm learning so much from the articles and discussion as I am from the book. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger oh yes! When he was listening off all the conversation things about “the white devil” doing XYZ, I honestly was thinking....he‘s not wrong. But I‘ve also been reading Sarah Vowell‘s history books these 2 weeks as the Pilgrims came and quickly the Native tribes diminished & last night I just finished her book on Hawaii, which also didn‘t end well for the natives as the islands were basically stolen out from under them by the end. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ so my frame of mind has been a little down on explores, slavers, and missionaries lately. 🙄. But I will say, I can‘t blame just the “white devils” pretty much it‘s the upper class in any society who thinks they deserve more because they are “special” and entitled to more, and that‘s a human problem, not a white problem, it‘s just that throughout history the entitled monied elites were often white Europeans, again in any history we learned. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Oh, the books were Wordy Shipmates, and Unfamiliar Fishes if you are interested. And on that note I watched the Chicago 7 trial on Netflix by Aaron Sorkin this morning too, which was excellent, but equally infuriating.

Unfamiliar Fishes

(edited) 4y

tenar @Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa This was a great discussion, I really enjoyed reading your comments. I agree with so much of what you both wrote, especially about the hidden complexity but real believability of the “white devil” ideology. I felt the same way. And thanks for sharing books and films! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar You are welcome. And thank Litsy for a place where people can still discuss complex things. For him, it made perfect sense, and sadly we still teach a very white washed history. You read the last book with me, where things that are for “voter safety” were really voter suppression, mostly copied from Jim Crow rules and just dusted off...so the more I read the more I can put pieces together that I might ... 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...not otherwise. And for him learning all that hidden history for the first time must have been shocking, and then to have an extensive library where he could check it and learn more, plus the new findings that were being made by archeologists at the time about man‘s origins. I can see how convincing an argument it would have been. Even the crazy eugenics story they used to back it up would have meshed with the WWII eugenics propaganda ... 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..coming out of Germany at the time. It was like a perfect storm of information that all seemed to verify it all. It makes me realize how easy cults can be started. Scary stuff at this time when we seem to be building a population with some interesting beliefs. 🤷‍♀️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I just can‘t even imagine learning all that history of slavery and oppression, at the same time Lewis Leakey is discovering the oldest human remains in Africa, and Hitler is going on about an elite white race, and killing off anyone he thinks is less than. Just like the Jazz age he described, it‘s almost surreal when I think of that time. (edited) 4y

Butterfinger So right you are. I really admire him for his thirst of education to combat the discrimination that made some non-white people complacent. At this moment, I am asking myself, whom would I follow - King's peaceful demonstrations or Malcolm's fiery debate to not be anglicized? 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger Yes... such divergent sermons, both so powerful. There was a line early in the Trial if the Chicago 7 that I watched...the Black Panthers were sending 1 guy to give a speech. His friend said, don‘t go, it‘s too dangerous, what would Martian do? He said (paraphrasing here) Martin‘s dead, Malcolm‘s Dead, Bobby‘s (Kennedy) dead, even Jesus is dead...I‘m just flying in giving a speech and flying back out 4 hours later, what could ... 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...happen. Spoiler: lots 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I can‘t help thinking about his trip to Mecca later, that he‘s just mentioned briefly at this point, and thinking how he met Muslims there that taught him about real Islam...and how much that might have shifted if he went today. The Islamic world was shifted and reordered so much after WWII... they might have been more likely to agree with the version he learned depending on the group he met if he went today. Crazy world 😕 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

This is the specific quote I mentioned on our group discussion. I‘m still struck by the fact that his father was 1 of seven brothers....only 1 died in bed of natural causes, the other 6 by violence. And out of the six that died by violence, 5 of those were killed by white men. If that isn‘t a statistic to set up the times before a movement, I‘m not sure what is!

#XRead

GingerAntics Wow, it certainly is. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

You grow up and learn about historical figures, maybe just the name, if you‘re lucky only that relatively short period they are on the visible social stage. So far this hasn‘t even touched that, but I honestly had a hard time stopping myself after our section for this week.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us.

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m listening to the new audio version, narrated by Fishburne, and he really does a great job. And so much detail about the depression, the racial strife he grew up in, the struggle to be independent and not just go along to get along, and surprising I‘ve learned a lot about the music of the era and the Lindy, how the war effected the people at home, and early Harlem. So much in just a few chapters, lots of fascinating history, and all before⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ he becomes “historical” himself. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m still struck by the fact that his father was 1 of seven brothers....only 1 died in bed of natural causes, the other 6 by violence. And out of the six that died by violence, 5 of those were killed by white men. If that isn‘t a statistic to set up the times before a movement, I‘m not sure what is! 4y

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tenar I had a hard time putting it down, too! Right away I was engaged in the way he‘s recounting his story. His breaks to, “and this is how I learned that....” or, “so that‘s why I believe....” helped me get into his head.

I had to keep reminding myself in chapters 3-5 that firstly, this is not a fiction book, despite how vividly and excitingly the setting and time is brought to life, and secondly, he is only 16 & 17 during these experiences! 4y

tenar I don‘t read a lot of autobiography, and I‘m realizing what I have read is heavily sanitized. I‘m finding the frankness of his thought bracing, even as I struggle with his excessive generalizations of many groups.

I, too, was struck by the trauma of both the racist violence against his father‘s side and his belief that, more insidiously, the government‘s (white) welfare system was used to destroy his family. The arms of a racist state are many. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Yes! I agree, his frankness definitely helps you see why he thought the things he did. And yes, so much so young...through this whole part he‘s really just a child yet. Lying to be old enough to work, and by the end he‘s just turned old enough for the draft. So a lot of life at a very young age. Yes, the generalizations about women, etc pull you out of the narrative at times....but I can‘t say he‘s wrong about women in the 40‘s ⤵️ (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..during a war, or about how he‘s interpreting the women he‘s encountered. And the honesty about what he knows at that age based on his experiences is so interesting. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I‘m also loving the first hand account, as opposed to a sterilized history, it‘s gritty but real. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar sadly during the Depression years, and for awhile afterwards, many children were taken and separated from single mothers after fathers died or left. Women still didn‘t have many rights then, they still couldn‘t sign for any credit or housing or many jobs without a man‘s approval (husband or father). So it was very hard for them to financially support their kids alone, unless they had extended family nearby. Those rights didn‘t come ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️until the 60‘s or 70‘s. And the number of women institutionalization for “insanity” in asylums was high too. Sadly just believing you could be independent might be a sign of being crazy. 🙄 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ^ I probably should have said, whatever was going on was probably worse for any group in a minority group. 4y

Butterfinger What stays with me is how his teacher treated him. Malcolm was such a bright, popular student and he had his dreams dashed by a thoughtless, uncompassionate teacher. I think I relate to it because I am a teacher and I wonder have I been so cruel. 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger His experiences with his teacher and the family housing him brought home for me again a theme a lot of the modern books about racism I‘m reading have touched upon- kindness and racism are not mutually exclusive. I believe his teacher thought he was being kind. We can treat things we see as less than us with kindness. Kindness isn‘t antiracism. 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Wow. His and his mother‘s experiences with child welfare and the asylum made me want to learn more. I so felt for his mom, I think dealing with worry of losing my kids literally showing up at the doorstep over and over would be truly devastating to my mental health. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar @Butterfinger Yes, his teacher and his temporary “foster” family who thought he was great and treated him with kindness... but couldn‘t accept him if he deviated at all from the perfect child. So sad, but there was only 1 mold for a model black child, and any deviation was considered unacceptable. Sadly I recently read Pushout, and that problem still exists with schools and kids being pushed into the criminal justice system for basic issues

Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I agree, I can‘t imagine. You are already struggling to keep a job and feed your kids....it was the depression so that was true for everyone....but the extra stressor couldn‘t have helped at all. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I know in the 20‘s women were institutionalized for anything out of their mold too...too outspoken/mouthy/obviously crazy. There was a meme going around for awhile... and here‘s what snopes had to say about it. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/reasons-admission-insane-asylum-1800s/ (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa This article is interesting too: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/520324/11-things-women-couldnt-do-1920s 4y

Butterfinger I enjoyed reading this discussion @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 4y

tenar @Butterfinger Thank you for posting! You reminded me of a really important moment in the book that I had forgotten in the excitement of the chapters on Boston and Harlem. And @Riveted_Reader_Melissa thank you for sharing your knowledge and those two articles! I always love to learn more. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X

Just reposting the schedule for the #XRead, our first discussion will be this Saturday, so if you haven‘t started it yet, it might be time to think about it.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us... just let me know if you want added to or removed from the tagging group.😉

AnneFindsJoy I‘m 3 chapters in! So good!!!!! Really brings the time period/location alive! 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan | Gary Sick

Lots of fiction and nonfiction this month...a little less contemporary political though, I‘m thinking real life politics will be more than enough this month and as we get later in the month I‘m planning on needing more escapism fiction.🤔

#PratchettPosse
#OokBOokClub
#SheSaid
#StarWarsBuddyRead
#XRead
#ShakespeareReadAlong
#NonfictionNerds
#AuthorAMonth

#October2020
#OctoberTBR

LitStephanie Oh yeah, all about escapism this month, LOL! I can barely listen to NPR. 4y

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