'The Dead Are Arising' Sheds Light On Malcolm X — And Those That Influenced Him
Definitive is a word we must use carefully when talking about biographies because it implies a degree of finality that research and new information may prove wrong.
That said, Les and Tamara Payne's The Dead are Arising is, for now, the definitive biography of Malcolm X.
The first question that arises when calling a biography definitive in the presence of an outstanding autobiography (Malcolm's own , co-written with Alex Haley) and several other great biographies is how a new book can surpassisn't only a biography of Malcom X, it is a book that contextualizes race in America prior to Malcolm's birth, takes an in-depth, nuanced, unflinching look at Malcolm's life, and then explores his death and its aftermath, all backed by 28 years of research.
