This is a fascinating collection, well worth taking time to read and study. It's the first in a 14-volume collection of writings by Leon Trotsky, one of the central leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution. This one has over 75 articles, letters and interviews written between February and December 1929.

This volume opens just as Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Union by the bureaucratic misleaders headed by Joseph Stalin, who were increasingly fearful of any political debate in the country. Trotsky had been leading a political fight to reorient the Soviet Communist Party back to the revolutionary course it had followed in the early years of the revolution, before the death of V.I. Lenin. His writings here take up new developments in the Soviet Union, the challenges facing revolutionists -- especially clarifying their political perspectives and tasks under unexpected and difficult conditions, as well as major developments in world politics. Trotsky's dogged, realistic optimism in the possibility and necessity of working class victories and his determination to do all in his power to advance this struggle is really inspiring!

This volume in the series of Trotsky's writings actually doesn't deal with a number of the major developments in 1930 and 1931. Since they are so extensive, his writings on events in Spain and Germany are to be found in separate compilations. This book is one to buy and browse thru' simply because it helps complete the picture of Trotsky's work in that period of history, the incredible scope of his collaboration and attention -- everything from patient letters to Chinese revolutionists encouraging them to abandon flights of scholarly abstraction and get a grip, to good concrete explanations of why workers in the USSR cannot be simply cheerled to socialism. A single scathing page chastises Stalin's apparatus for the imminent death of an old Bochevik leader hemorraging from tuberculosis and denied a transfer to better climes. The lack of respect for a lifelong fighter and cynical disregard for someone who has never bowed his head could only be practised by those who had no interest in fighting themselves. Trotsky makes you think about the big picture even when he writes about smaller things.

In 1930-31 the last Great Depression (as opposed to the one we just
entered) gripped the capitalist world. Fascism was becoming a real and
recognizable threat in Germany. Spain was in the throes of a
pre-Revolutionary situation. In the Soviet Union the Stalinist (not socialist,
not communist) bureaucracy was squandering the prestige of the world's
first workers state (at the bottom of the Depression, the USSR was
virtually free of unemployment) in one disastrous lurch in economic
policy after another - the years of forced "collectivization." Leon Trotsky,
co-leader with V.I. Lenin of the Russian Revolution, exiled by Stalin to
Turkey, strove with might and main to build a worldwide revolutionary
leadership of worker cadres organized in revolutionary parties. The record
of his efforts is here in part. The rest of his efforts in 1930-31 are
recorded "... The relevance of this work should be
clear: in a world gripped by the beginning of the Second Great world
Depression marked by the collapse of Stalinism-- the opposite of
communism -- a seemingly unending series of imperialist wars, and the
survival of the beacon of light for the world's toilers that is the Cuban
Revolution-if you are a young rebel of any age who wants to fight for a
truly human world, then this book belongs on your shelf to be STUDIED.

The Trotsky Writings books are addicting. The short pithy, wise articles, interviews, polemics, the illuminating and interesting notes, and the drama of Trotsky's struggle in exile are available on a week to week, month to month, year to year basis across from 1929 until 1940. You end up reading the next article, and the next article, and you have to discipline yourself to put it down if you can. A constant feature is the continued interviews by newspapers, magazines, international press services from the US, Britain, and around the world, because even in exile, even these bourgeois forces knew that Trotsky was one man who could put together the trends in the world. As much as they teach us about history,these books teach us revolutionary answers to questions we need to answer today: how to go from small revolutionary movements to a revolution like Trotsky and Lenin led in 1917, how to fight the middle class bureaucrats in the former Soviet Union and China, how to win workers, farmers, women and oppressed women.

One cannot help but wonder why people who call themselves socialist distribute this book. Malcolm X is no radical, he is rather a third world nationalist. As some on the left may not yet realize, simply being anti-imperialist is not the touchstone of all that is progressive. Malcolm X is a fascinating figure and one eminently worth reading, but I have to register my objection to the tone of the other reviews and to the fact that this book continues to be distributed by supposedly radical socialist bookstores and socialist booksales on the street. One cannot help but believe that there is something disingenuous in the predominantly white socialist attempt to recruit Malcolm X to there cause so as to facilitate interest within "the black community." One cannot address race meaningfully in this country while failing to address the disastruous effects that black nationalist politics, inspired in large measure by Malcolm X, have had in fracturing and dispersing radical energies.

In re-reading Malcolm X Speaks, I'm struck by how well he understood the viciousness of the U.S. system of oppression and how clearly he expressed the need for all-out, uncompromising struggle against it. The capitalist class lashed out at Malcolm X for these speeches, not just because he criticized their system, but because he dared to awaken the oppressed to their unconquerable human potential. Fighters from all over the world have studied this book, members of Sinn Fein in Ireland, farmers fighting foreclosure, opponents of police brutality, and supporters of the embattled Palestinians. Sharing the lessons of this book will advance our struggle!

This book of Malcolm X's Speeches was begun while Malcolm was alive with the publisher and the editor that Malcolm selected, and speeches he wanted in the book. This begins the series of books by Malcolm X published by Pathfinder Press in collaboration with his family as more speeches, interviews, and talks by Malcolm X have been discovered. The aim here is to put Malcolm X's words first. Read them for yourself. Find out why Malcolm was a reasoned, passionate, but uncompromising opponent of US imperialism's wars against oppressed peoples, in Africa, in Vietnam, in the Mid-East. Malcolm can really inspire you about the fights we need.

This is what I thought of the book. I thought it was a good book, it was interesting to read. Basically, the book was about Malcolm's plans and his murder. He went to jail when he was young then became a Muslim. He eventually broke away from the Muslims and started his own movement. The police didn't like Malcolm or his organization of Negroes. He thought blacks and whites should be seperated. Unlike Martin Luther King, he believed in the violent approach. He was killed in a ballroom. The author wants to know the reason the police didn't look further into the investigation. That's what the book is written about.

This book combines on the spot reporting of the murder of Malcolm X that exposes the flaws in the NYPD's claims about the murder with a look back at the murder taken after COINTELPRO, the FBI's campaign against the civil rights, antiwar, and other progressive movements which included following and disrupting the life of Malcolm X. This is combined with political defense of Malcolm's ideas and his course of struggle in the time after he broke with the Muslims. For those who think the NYPD and the FBI are heroes, and who think that the US government should not be feared in regard to protecting the civil liberties of people in struggle, this is the book to read!

This book does not deserve any stars, not due to its technical profficiency as the book is well written.
However this work does nothing to condemn the racist, anti-white attitude taken by the subject, or the subjects links with international black supremacist regimes and terrorist organisations.
Those who fail to condemn racism, including black racism, are condoning it - the author has therefore taken the moral low ground.

The novel Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary is a well written description of Malcolm's entire life including his troubles and his triumphs. The book is basically broken down into four stages of Malcolm's life. The first part of the book tells about Malcolm as a child, and all of his problems that his family encountered. The second part of the books talks about Malcolm as a teenager when he learned the streets and was often getting himself into trouble. The third part of the book describes Malcolm's interest in the Nation of Islam and his ability to influence other people. The final part of the book tells about Malcolm becoming a true Muslim and his split from the Nation of Islam. In the book Malcolm X proves to be a convincing hero because he has the will to lead others, his courage to spread his word and he searches for the best life could offer.
Malcolm had an amazing power to lead people and have influence over people. Malcolm's leadership is evident throughout a large chunk of the novel. When Malcolm became a member of the Nation of Islam he was made a minister. As a minister Malcolm was able to preach in all of the temples involved in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm spread the message of the Nation of Islam to everyone he preached to. All of Malcolm's preaching was influencing many people and more and more African-Americans started to join the Nation of Islam. Malcolm had a "genius for reaching places in the African-American soul." (pg.88) His keen sense of leadership and influence made him a very powerful person in the United States. Later in the biography Malcolm has a split from the Nation of Islam and decides to become a true Muslim. Malcolm now had a new message to preach and a new reason to lead people. Malcolm then formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Because of Malcolm's split from the Nation of Islam and his uncanny ability to lead people, Malcolm was a powerful man.
Throughout the book Malcolm shows signs of his courage which leads him to become a hero for everyone and a powerful leader. During Malcolm's time in jail after his ruff teenage years, Malcolm realized that he wanted to be a part of the Nation of Islam. He not only wanted to be a part of it he wanted to devote his whole heart to the Nation of Islam. Most African-Americans during this time were poor and led lives that weren't going anywhere. Malcolm saw this and he wanted to change it. Malcolm went above and beyond most blacks and started to teach blacks the message of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was able to get many African-Americans to join the Nation of Islam and helped them realize that there was something in life to live for. Because of Malcolm's willingness to help the African-American race and his courageousness to be a minister in the Nation of Islam, Malcolm would be a hero to all African-Americans. Malcolm also shows courage when he splits from the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was living a fine life and was doing what he wanted to do when he split from the Nation of Islam. Malcolm decided that he wanted something more, and that he wanted to be a true Muslim. After he became a true Muslim he continued to preach to the African-American community and led his people with the same dignity as he did within the Nation of Islam. Malcolm had enough courage to leave the Nation of Islam because he wanted to find something more in his life. His courageousness in this example leads him to finding the truth and explaining what is right.
Malcolm's search for what was best in his life was another example in the novel, which makes Malcolm a clear hero. There are two main examples of this. First, Malcolm wants to change his criminal ways as a teenager and become involved religiously in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm becomes the main minister and he builds many temples throughout the eastern part of the U.S. to spread the message of the Nation of Islam. Because of Malcolm's strong leadership he is able to recruit many African-Americans to join the Nation of Islam. Malcolm's search for a better life makes Malcolm a powerful and strong individual. Another example of why Malcolm's search for a better life makes him a hero is when he splits from the Nation of Islam. As Malcolm preached within the Nation of Islam, his ideas were becoming different than that of its founder, Elijah Muhammad. Because Malcolm's ideas are much different than the original ideas of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm decides to become a true Muslim. Malcolm makes the trip to Africa and takes the pilgrimage to Mecca. Malcolm becomes a real Muslim and is able to find a better life. Malcolm begins to preach his new message and gains respect from many African-Americans. Malcolm's becoming of a true Muslim shows that Malcolm wants to find the truth in life and that he wants the best for all African-American people.
Malcolm X was indeed a great person and a hero to everyone he influenced. Malcolm was a powerful leader. He preached with the Nation of Islam and later with his own organization the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm was a courageous person because he was able to help blacks when they thought that nothing was left for them. Lastly Malcolm was someone who was always looking for a better life. He received a new life after his years in prison and also received a new life when he split from the Nation of Islam. All of Malcolm's characteristics are well depicted in this biography and show how great and heroic of a person Malcolm X really was.

By Any Means Necessary consists of lectures (including responses to audience questions) as well as interviews by reporters both hostile and friendly.

Malcom's revolutionary strategy for confronting and overcoming the oppression of African-Americans in the 1960s is applicable today for the working class and oppressed people everywhere.