African Americans - Politics and Government - History, 20th Century American History - Civil Rights, Political Activists & Social Reformers - U.S. Political Biography, Civil Rights - African American History, Muslims - Biography, African American General

Looking for Farrakhan

Name: Looking for Farrakhan
Author: Florence H. Levinsohn
ISBN: 9781566631570

by Florence H. Levinsohn

Write a review

Overview

While the racial polarity over the O. J. Simpson trial was powerful and dramatic, there are far deeper and wider differences over Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. It is no exaggeration to say that since the Million Man March, Farrakhan has become perhaps the most respected and admired American black man among his fellow blacks—and the most feared and despised black man by whites in America. In her new book, Looking for Farrakhan, Florence Levinsohn offers a searching biographical portrait of the man behind the myth. Here is a man far more complex, far more dangerous than the one seen in ten-second sound bites on the evening news. While Ms. Levinsohn is unsparing in her descriptions of Farrakhan’s bigotry, she shows that he is a religious zealot who sees himself in a long tradition of black saviors, who sense white hostility everywhere—and is often right. She explores Farrakhan’s impact as an agent of anti-Semitism, and suggests that the root beliefs of Farrakhan and the Nation may illuminate some of the tensions now buried in white and black mutual anger. Looking for Farrakhan is a thoughtful, revealing appraisal of perhaps the most enigmatic figure on the American political scene.

About the Author, Florence H. Levinsohn

Florence H. Levinsohn was an independent journalist who wrote widely on politics and urban affairs. Her books include Harold Washington: A Political Biography; School Desegregation: Shadow and Substance; and, most recently, Belgrade: Among the Serbs.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Orange County Register

Levinsohn presents a figure more complex, more understandable, and ultimately more dangerous than the sound-bite caricature.

Bookwatch

A history of the changing black experience in America which traces Farrakhan's rise to leadership and his underlying roots...essential.

Bookwatch

A history of the changing black experience in America which traces Farrakhan's rise to leadership and his underlying roots...essential.

Publishers Weekly

Refused access to Farrakhan and those close to him, Levinsohn (Harold Washington: A Political Biography) has writtenwith mixed resultsa meditation on him and his role within the Nation of Islam. She starts with Marcus Garvey, Nation of Islam (NOI) founder Wallace Fard and his successor, Elijah Muhammed, whose teachings gave rise to the term "black power." The middle section of the book tediously recounts Levinsohn's unsuccessful efforts to interview Farrakhan. She goes on to tough-mindedly recount some of his history, observing that he presents a different side to writers for the white media than to his young followers, to whom he reveals his vision. She considers Farrakhan's hours-long speeches demagogic and reminiscent of Hitler and Castro and suggests that his West Indian background, which "had little use for American blacks," fuels "contempt of the light-skinned black for his dark-skinned brother." She observes that Farrakhan offers no plan to solve "the massive economic and social problems of the Third World... let alone his own poor blacks." Still, Levinsohn considers him the most influential person in black America, and she argues that he is only exploiting already strained race relations and connects with his constituency only after great resistance and grievance. (Aug.)

Library Journal

Recently, two accomplished Jewish authors, Levinsohn and Arthur Magida, have attempted to write the definitive biography of Louis Farrakhan. Unfortunately, both books have fallen short of the mark. While Magida's Prophet of Rage (LJ 7/96) provided a thorough background on Farrakhan, it lacked insight into the motivation that was his driving force. Levinsohn's unorthodox biography, which reflects on the black experience and how it changed young Eugene Walcott into Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, attempts to make sense of this prominent figure in American politics. Levinsohn's training in political journalism helps her delve into these issues, extricating myriad motivating factors in her subject's life. The author paints a portrait of Farrakhan as a complex person whom she believes to be more insidious than the media depict. Many questions remain, some of which may be answered only through interviews with Farrakhan. Still, Levinsohn's book is recommended for African American studies collections.Michael A. Lutes, Univ. of Notre Dame Lib., Ind.

Booknews

This biography of Louis Farrakhan begins with a meditation on the Black experience in America that helped transform the young Eugene Walcott into Louis Farrakhan, followed by a description of his upbringing and the circumstances that brought him to power as a leader of the Nation of Islam. The author examines Farrakhan's devotion to his religion, his virulent attacks on whites and Jews, and his long term goals. She argues that Farrakhan is a religious zealot who sees himself in a long tradition of black saviors, and who often correctly senses pervasive white hostility in the US. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.