The life of Malcolm "Shorty" Jarvis, Malcolm X's best friend before his conversion to Islam, is the subject of this memoir. Jarvis (who died in September 1998) and Paul D. Nichols tell Jarvis' story to set the record straight about his personality and character, which they felt had been falsely portrayed in other books and films about Malcolm X. The relationship between Jarvis and Malcolm X began in a Roxbury pool hall in 1942.

A main purpose of this book is to bring to light information about the life, spirituality, and philosophy of Malcolm "Shorty" Jarvis, an accomplished jazz musician. Numerous photographs. Index.