Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X: The Fatal Friendship (A Young Readers Adaptation of Blood Brothers) by Margeaux Weston (review)

Reviewed by: Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X: The Fatal Friendship (A Young Readers Adaptation of Blood Brothers) by Margeaux Weston April Spisak Weston, Margeaux, ad. Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X: The Fatal Friendship (A Young Readers Adaptation of Blood Brothers); written by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith. Ottaviano/Little, 2023 [240p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780316478854 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780316479080 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 In this effective adaptation of the adult title Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, the authors describe the powerful but ultimately short-lived friendship between the two charismatic titular icons. Much of the text is devoted to describing the two parallel paths of young men who were garnering significant public and political attention, both defiantly confident in a racist society that defaulted to devaluing Black people. The connecting point, and the same thing that ultimately led to the dissolution of their friendship, was the Nation of Islam under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad. After Malcolm X is forced out by Elijah, his life is in danger both from the religion that shunned him and from political organizations and racist groups that could not accept a Black man with swagger, sharp intelligence, and a willingness to speak his mind. Shortly after Malcolm's expulsion, Muhammad Ali, already bruised from how quickly the American public turned on him after he openly admitted his connection with the Nation of Islam, decides that their friendship is too dangerous and distances himself. The authors capture both the remarkable public presence of each man and their vulnerability in a country where the framework of segregation was a barrier to their safety and success. Although the book briefly describes the life of Muhammad Ali after the assassination of Malcolm X, the primary focus is an admiring, respectful presentation of their time as young stars who briefly found each other and shared a deep bond built on trust and mutual respect, before external forces drove them apart. An extensive bibliography offers readers a wide net of research formats. Index not seen. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois