An epic figure like Malcolm X deserves an epic biography. While there have been other excellent biographies, this masterful book—which Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne worked on for three decades before his 2018 death and his daughter and primary researcher, Tamara Payne, finished—is the first to situate Malcolm X into the currents of American history with such precise detail, vivid research and captivating narrative storytelling. The reader comes to understand not only the man behind the myth but also how his times shaped him (from early experiences of racism and deprivation to his time in prison)—and ultimately how he shaped America. It is a thought-provoking, authoritative biography with new insights on almost every page.