Little X: Growing Up in the Nation of Islam

by Sonsyrea Tate

Book Overview

In a riveting portrait of life inside the Nation of Islam, Sonsyrea Tate gives voice to a girl's experience within the Muslim community, most commonly identified with its controversial leaders--Elijah Muhammad, Malcom X, and Louis Farrakhan.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062511343
• ISBN13: 9780062511348
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Why is this book out of print?

I do not understand why *Little X* went out of print. I was assigned it in a university course and loved it. Where else can we read about women's experiences in African-American Islam and Christianity? There are big differences between the various kinds of Islam in this country and we need to know them all. It is human to interpret a religion according to one's own community needs, and that is what the Nation was for in Tate's early days. It is well-written. Why copy edit out the dialogue of family truths and pains and growth. Where is Tate today? Everyone in my class enjoyed reading *Little X* - and when I went to get a copy for a gift, I couldn't believe they stopped printing them.

Beyond what the Nation wants us to know...

Fantastic. I study religion, and this book provided fascinating new insight into a movement that has changed and gone through many hands. I learned a lot, and chnaged my point of view as a result...I guess that the number one thing that I learned was that all people just want an identity...and Elijah Muhammad provided that African American with that. There are a lot of interesting facts that one can glean from this book.

An excellent entry into growing up in a religous system

While many texts in religious studies focus on the conversion moment of significant, historical religious figures, few discuss and deal with the issues of a child growing up within a particular system. This book does an outstanding job of addressing just such a need. The areas of children's life and children's culture within the study of religion has gained a great deal with this text. Tate gives the reader an insightful look into the world of a family torn apart by changes in religious affiliation. She also directly adresses the problems that such changes can cause to the children of such a family. Her account of becoming involved with drugs as a teenager is heartbreaking. To those looking for an insightful and informative look into the Nation of Islam, changes that occured to the Nation and the practice of Orthodox Islam in the inner cities of the United States will also find the text extremely useful. The book is not a practical guide of Islamic praxis, but more importantly, an account of a young person exploring the limitations of herself and her relgious upbringing. Tate's experience with the Nation of Islam as a child, and her first expereinces outside the Nation's schools (going into the public school system) should be a wake up call to those who view their worldview as superior to others. Her eventual triumphs in life and her own maturity in acepting relgious systems should be inspiring to all who claim to be religiously tolerant.

informative and inspiring

Thankyou, Sonsyrea Tate, for this wonderful book. It was very interesting and touching reading - seeing the world of the Nation through the innocent eyes of a little girl. I liked the language in the book, the characters and the way Tate is telling her story. No sentimentality at all but still very strong and touching. Very good! please write some more!..

An excellent introduction to the culture of Nation of Islam

Tate offers her readers intimate travels into the Nation of Islam. Her perspective touches the heart of the reader as she presents the musings of a child who is taught to embrace the Nation of Islam as a life line. Tate held all of my emotions and thoughts as she began to question the authenticity and logic of the religion. I really didn't understand or know much about the Muslim faith. Tate has given me an initiation that, short of joining the faith, can not be rivaled.