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capps's review against another edition
5.0
This is an engaging, enraging, empowering, and endearing book (note: the book does not use cheesy alliterations like I just did). So many lives from those in Black liberation struggle have either been taken (Fred Hampton, Malcolm X) or locked up (Ruchell Magee, Mumia Abu-Jamal), and it’s a miracle and a gift that Assata was able to escape with her life and share her story.
The chapters switch between her childhood and coming of age, and her experience with prison, cops, and courts (“kourts,” as she would say). She is a poet, and her poems are interwoven throughout the book. I find myself wanting to say a lot more about the book, which I found very affecting, but I think so many details and particularities and nuggets of truth are more meaningful when they’re in their proper context, so I’ll just end this by saying: very good, loved it, recommended!
The chapters switch between her childhood and coming of age, and her experience with prison, cops, and courts (“kourts,” as she would say). She is a poet, and her poems are interwoven throughout the book. I find myself wanting to say a lot more about the book, which I found very affecting, but I think so many details and particularities and nuggets of truth are more meaningful when they’re in their proper context, so I’ll just end this by saying: very good, loved it, recommended!
emosheeran's review against another edition
3.0
The last 80% of the book was what I was hoping the whole thing was going to be like. I really wish Assata provided us with more insight into her life. It definitely felt like she wasn’t really letting the reader in on her feelings, which meant this book was a lot of ‘telling’ with not much critical analysis. Not my favourite. And even with all the telling, her story still seemed skimmed and like a lot of information was missing.
It did teach me quite a bit though, and it was definitely very frustrating and maddening to read about all the diabolical nonsense she was put through. It’s also ridiculous to think how little has changed since this book was written.
A side note, though. One thing that really bothered me was how easily she was persuaded to have a child while IMPRISONED. She had to fight tooth and nail to receive treatment for her paralyzed arm (and got barely adequate care even then), yet brought pregnancy into this whole situation? Knowing all she does about how much of a struggle it was for her growing up and even ruminating about how maybe not so good idea it is to get pregnant and still deciding to have a child, and one that would not be raised by their actual parents is just… It bothered me a lot that she never confronted her decision-making and being an absent parent, even in the very tiny chapter where she talked about her daughter, who was 4 at the time, visiting her in prison and being very justifiably mad and upset.
Regardless, I’d probably still recommend this for someone who is interested in Assata, her trial, and why she fell out with the Black Panther Party.
It did teach me quite a bit though, and it was definitely very frustrating and maddening to read about all the diabolical nonsense she was put through. It’s also ridiculous to think how little has changed since this book was written.
A side note, though. One thing that really bothered me was how easily she was persuaded to have a child while IMPRISONED. She had to fight tooth and nail to receive treatment for her paralyzed arm (and got barely adequate care even then), yet brought pregnancy into this whole situation? Knowing all she does about how much of a struggle it was for her growing up and even ruminating about how maybe not so good idea it is to get pregnant and still deciding to have a child, and one that would not be raised by their actual parents is just… It bothered me a lot that she never confronted her decision-making and being an absent parent, even in the very tiny chapter where she talked about her daughter, who was 4 at the time, visiting her in prison and being very justifiably mad and upset.
Regardless, I’d probably still recommend this for someone who is interested in Assata, her trial, and why she fell out with the Black Panther Party.
readwreyn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
joehardy's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible book that highlights the discrepancies in the imperialist histories of those who attempt to cause direct change. While acknowledging that Shakur doesn't go into explicit detail about some of the more controversial points in her personal history, I would consider this book to be an absolutely essential and inspirational read.
whiskers's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I don't know how I feel about giving memoirs and autobiography a rating, so I won't, but this is an astounding book! I need a physical copy of this book to trace the words with my fingertips and truly be able to absorb them.