Highest 2 Lowest with Spike Lee and Jim Jarmusch (Ep. 558)

'On the Waterfront' is a 1954 American crime drama film about union violence and corruption amongst longshoremen, starring Marlon Brando.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is a spiritual conversion narrative that outlines Malcolm X's philosophy of black pride, black nationalism, and pan-Africanism. The book, based on over 50 in-depth interviews conducted by Alex Haley between 1963 and Malcolm X's assassination in 1965, covers Malcolm's childhood, his young adulthood in Boston and New York City, his involvement in organized crime, his prison sentence, and his subsequent involvement with the Nation of Islam. It also details his disillusionment with the Nation of Islam, his pilgrimage to Mecca, and his travels in Africa. The book is known for its candid and introspective narrative, offering a personal and historical perspective on the civil rights era and the life of one of its most influential figures.

Published in 1941, 'What Makes Sammy Run?' is a satirical novel that chronicles the meteoric rise of Sammy Glick, a Jewish boy from New York's Lower East Side who becomes a Hollywood mogul through sheer ambition and ruthlessness. The story is narrated by Al Manheim, a newspaper columnist and screenwriter who is both repulsed and fascinated by Sammy's relentless pursuit of success. The novel explores themes of ambition, the cost of success, and the moral compromises one makes to achieve it. It is known for its candid portrayal of the Hollywood industry and the darker aspects of the American Dream.