The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X

I liked Marable's <i>Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention</i>, and I like this one too. It's funny: two major biographies of Malcolm X in just ten years (2011-2020), Marable's winning the 2012 Pulitzer for history, the Paynes's winning the 2021 Pulitzer for biography. This one is significant for a few reasons. First, most importantly, Les Payne started gathering material for this in 1990 and interviewed numerous people still then alive who remembered Malcolm and other characters going back to the 1920s. Interviews with Malcolm's family, particularly his brothers, were very important here. Second, about half of the book covers Malcolm's life up till his release from prison. His family background, their travails, life in the early twentieth century for black Americans, the rise of the Nation of Islam, Garveyism, the Klan, etc., are all discussed in detail. Add to that the childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood of Malcolm are examined at length. For those, like me, who like more early biography in their biographies, this was excellent. Last, this means that Malcolm's public career is rushed through rather quickly, and somewhat out of order. This is a demerit for the Paynes's work. Marable went through Malcolm's career in chronological order and great detail. The Paynes bounced back and forth and spent much time on things like Malcolm's meeting with the Klan, a whole chapter nearly, and a lot of time on Malcolm's last days and the day of his assassination. Perhaps this is because of the reliance on interviews by the elder Payne. It adds great insights, and is well-written, but leaves many gaps. For sheer usefulness, I'd recommend Marable's biography. For a complete picture, I'd recommend you read this one as well. As somebody who is quite interested in W. D. Fard and the creation of the N.O.I., Payne's work is a new piece of the puzzle. Les Payne interviewed an elderly Christopher Alston of early Detroit who apparently knew Fard and his connections to the Moorish Science Temple and the rise of the early N.O.I. This interview is gold for people interested in Fard and hopefully can be deposited in a accessible library and/or a transcript released to an accessible repository. More information on Fard is needed. Still, for some reason, the Payne's buy the weird F.B.I. conclusion that Fard was a "white man" from New Zealand, when he probably wasn't of European descent and probably from South or Central Asia (maybe via New Zealand). The Paynes's don't reference important works on Fard by Arian, Morrow, or Evanzz (they have Evanzz's <i>Judas Factor</i>, but not his <i>Messenger</i>). But, these are personal quibbles. It is a good biography, but I would read Marable's first.

This one of the best books on Malcolm I’ve ever read.

Excellent book A lot details I didn't know . This book should be talk nationally by all scholars . Mr Payne and his daughter did a masterful job .

I first read “The Autobiography Of Malcolm X” 38 years ago, in 1982. I have read the book more than 5 additional times, each time offering new insights. The book was so inspiring that I have been obsessed with knowing more about him. I have reviewed a wide scope of works in reference to Malcolm, so it is easy for me to become complacent and to think that there is very little that is ever going to be presented that is new. This new book by Les Payne proves me wrong. I purchased Payne's book on the day of its release (October 20, 2020), and spent the next two weeks patiently going through it, going back and forth re-reading passages, careful to go over things in microscopic detail, all while taking notes. It would be fair to say that I read this book with more care and patience than any other book that I have ever read in my life.One of the reasons I love this book comes from the fact that so many people that Malcolm mentioned in his autobiography were interviewed, years after the fact, to get both their at-the-time thoughts about him and how they feel about him contemporarily. For anyone who truly knows The Autobiography, this is a treat.By choosing his investigative method, Les Payne is able to lay out a lot of new information. There are simply things here that one cannot find anywhere else in print, details that add to the richness that is the Malcolm X phenomenon. This is true of every phase of Malcolm's life, and as a staunch Malcolm supporter, I must say that there are some details here that made me wince and to feel quite sad in contemplating them. There is just so much here that no one else has ever covered in print, including extensive information that comes directly from Malcolm's siblings, who the author spent a great deal of time interviewing. I might also add that this book may well be the first or second best book ever, (along with Baba Zak A. Kondo's book) in terms of the details it uncovers about the behind the scenes planning and execution of the assassination, mainly because Payne actually interviewed people who were very much aware of the assassination's inner workings. There are at least two instances of those giving information in the last two or three days of their lives, as deathbed confessions. To this end, many of the questions I have always asked about Malcolm's assassination are answered. This is simply amazing, so amazing that when read in combination with Kondo's book, one gets a really clear picture of all of the parties who were responsible. Without giving anything away, the book will also make any reader pause and reevaluate Minister Louis Farrakhan's long-term position that he “had nothing to do” with Malcolm's assassination. A careful reader will walk away with his/her own opinion in regards to this, but there is some essential information here, and much to think about. All in all, I am thankful to Mr. Les Payne (and his daughter Tamara!) for doing the homework to put this book out, as I now believe, that after The Autobiography, it is the best book ever to cover Malcolm's life, in all of its complexity. This is a wonderful book. I said, “A wonderful book,” not a “perfect book.”

I enjoy reading factional books about not only the distant past, but also about the recent past. I can easily understand why this book was rewarded The Booker Prize. Based upon the book, it seems that the autobiography, (which admittedly I have not read,) is lacking. As an Irish-American I find it interesting that my descendants were also a “minority.”) Far be it for me to compare the hardships my ancestors faced to what African-Americans have and continue to suffer from. But based upon not only this book, other similar books I’ve read recently, in America’s history you were less than human if you weren’t a WASP. I won’t descend into “the mud” as they say, yet I feel an amount of kinship with all the “others” who’s ancestors have been the targets of bigotry. Thankfully I had parents who taught me better.

I previously believed that The Autobiography was the ‘go-to’ work to understand the life of Malcolm X. This book by Mr. Payne, gives a broader historical analysis, of not only the life of ‘X’, but the racial landscape of the early and mid 20th century & the NOI. Definitely one of the BEST books I’ve ever read!

I thought I knew a lot about Malcolm X. And I did. But I learned so much more in this well written book. Hearing first person accounts from relatives, colleagues and others provided info, texture and nuance previously unavailable.

Thicker than I thought it would be, pictures can be misleading, A great read so far as it is in so much detail about his life, the lives of his family and what was happening in America at particular times.

If you think you knew Malcolm X be prepared to have your evaluations shaken to the core. The author 's grasp of the facts surrounding this tumultuous era are revelatory. A brilliant and informative read. Highly recommended.

This book is a wonderful read. Lots of information I never knew about the life of Malcolm X. This book had taken a long time to write and it was worth the wait. Want to know about black history this book will help!

A good book full of information concerning the brave and controversial activist

Excellent totally amazing book. A must have for all admirers of Malcolm X