THE DEAD ARE ARISING The Life of Malcolm X

Narrator Dion Graham performs this well-researched biography of activist Malcolm X with dignified expression, matching the journalistic style of the authors. Decades in the making, this audiobook, based on personal interviews and firsthand accounts, puts Malcolm X’s life and work in context, especially as they intersected with the KKK, Martin Luther King, Jr., the FBI, the Black Muslim religion, and the budding Civil Rights Movement in general. Graham matches his tone to the narrative text, avoiding dramatization yet clearly signaling direct quotes and changes in speakers. His careful pace allows listeners time to absorb the facts and broader implications of Malcolm X’s story. At the end, Graham’s understated performance of the assassination is chilling, subtly building the tension and horror of Malcolm X’s last moments. C.B.L. 2021 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]