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sumactots99's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
“But to become free, you have to be acutely aware of being a slave,” (p. 262).
“I guess i hummed the Blues too early, and spent too many midnights wailing to the rain,” (p.159)
“I want to be real,” (‘culture,’ p. 154).
“I mean, after the chains that get entangled in the grey of one’s matter, after the bars get stuck in the hearts of men and women, what’ is left?” (‘Leftovers— What Is Left,’ p. 146).
“Nobody in the world. Nobody in history has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them,” (p. 139).
“White people’s fear of Black people with guns will never cease to amaze me. Probably because they think about what they would do were they in our place. Especially the police, who have done so much dirt to Black people. When Black people seriously organize and take up arms to fight for our liberation, there will be a lot of white people who will drop dead from no other reason than their own guilt and fear,” (p. 65).
“They can see in your eyes a thousand nightmares that they have made come true,” (‘Rhinoceros Woman,’ p. 63)
“The schools we go to are reflections of the society that created them. Nobody is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them. Nobody is going to teach you true history, teach you your true heroes, if they know that that knowledge will set you free,” (p. 181).
“My roots run deep. I have been nourished well,” (‘momma,’ p. 194).
“It crosses my mind: i want to win. I don’t want to rebel, i want to win,” (p.195).
“I guess i hummed the Blues too early, and spent too many midnights wailing to the rain,” (p.159)
“I want to be real,” (‘culture,’ p. 154).
“I mean, after the chains that get entangled in the grey of one’s matter, after the bars get stuck in the hearts of men and women, what’ is left?” (‘Leftovers— What Is Left,’ p. 146).
“Nobody in the world. Nobody in history has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them,” (p. 139).
“White people’s fear of Black people with guns will never cease to amaze me. Probably because they think about what they would do were they in our place. Especially the police, who have done so much dirt to Black people. When Black people seriously organize and take up arms to fight for our liberation, there will be a lot of white people who will drop dead from no other reason than their own guilt and fear,” (p. 65).
“They can see in your eyes a thousand nightmares that they have made come true,” (‘Rhinoceros Woman,’ p. 63)
“The schools we go to are reflections of the society that created them. Nobody is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them. Nobody is going to teach you true history, teach you your true heroes, if they know that that knowledge will set you free,” (p. 181).
“My roots run deep. I have been nourished well,” (‘momma,’ p. 194).
“It crosses my mind: i want to win. I don’t want to rebel, i want to win,” (p.195).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
tmiller99's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Police brutality
eimearz's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Shakur weaves words deftly in a way that kept me enthralled the entire time. I found nothing to complain about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Sexual assault, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Cursing
grei's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Before I start, please note that I am white, nonbinary, mentally ill, & neurodivergent and that informs how I read this book written by a Black revolutionary woman on her experience with racism.
This book is absolutely beautifully written. It is an autobiography that alternates between a chronological biography of her life and her experience with the u.s. prison & "justice" system. Shakur not only discusses her life & activism but also includes important history that the u.s. school system either lied about or left out to serve their own narrative.
An incredibly important book, perfect for anyone interested in u.s. history, the u.s. prison and/or judicial system, activism and learning to become an activist, and the u.s. Civil Rights Movement of the '60s and '70s.
This book is absolutely beautifully written. It is an autobiography that alternates between a chronological biography of her life and her experience with the u.s. prison & "justice" system. Shakur not only discusses her life & activism but also includes important history that the u.s. school system either lied about or left out to serve their own narrative.
An incredibly important book, perfect for anyone interested in u.s. history, the u.s. prison and/or judicial system, activism and learning to become an activist, and the u.s. Civil Rights Movement of the '60s and '70s.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Trafficking
Before I start, please note that I am white, nonbinary, mentally ill, & neurodivergent and that informs how I read this book written by a Black revolutionary woman on her experience with racism. Though I've tagged a myriad of different content warnings, Shakur always describes and discusses them within context of why it's important, and I found that because of that her focus is not on the trauma or pain. She chooses to write about all her experiences as lessons learned along the way, and framing it in that context makes her writing much less emotionally triggering. She never goes into explicit or gory detail, but I put many topics in the "graphic" category because they are discussed thoroughly in ways that if someone is particularly sensitive it could potentially put them in a bad place if they are caught off guard.peachmoni's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gun violence and Sexual assault
tenten's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Assata was an incredible, moving autobiography that detailed the corruption of the u.s. government and "justice" system. After reading this, i'm baffled by the fact that Assata Shakur is on the FBI's Most Wanted list with a 2million dollar bounty on her head over a shoddy conviction that would have never happened in the modern era. Assata inspires those of us who are tired of dealing with and witnessing injustice, and provides an account of how one of the most famous Black activists of the 20th-century became who she was. reading that Assata has never actually committed any crimes, despite what propaganda has told us, made me sick–when she was forced into hiding, she was doing things to better her community. and she was punished for it!
content aside, this was simply-written and easily digestible, which i enjoyed. it took me a while to read this, longer than most books of this length, because i had to keep giving myself breaks. there wasn't anything particularly explicit, but it was just hard reading about someone going through all this. it was hard being reminded that Black people were–and still are– targeted because they wanted to end their oppression and better their communities. despite that, actually reading the book was easy, which was Assata's intention. in a brief line on page 203, there is an implied criticism of some people's tendency to over-intellectualise in organizing/activism movements. it's clear that Assata seeks to educate and inspire, and she does so with simple, yet striking, language that moves.
and it certainly was inspiring. i have been feeling lately like i want to do more for my community, and reading this made me think about what my first steps to do that might be. i will continue reading and learning, getting knowledge and giving support to other revolutionaries like Assata. great book.
content aside, this was simply-written and easily digestible, which i enjoyed. it took me a while to read this, longer than most books of this length, because i had to keep giving myself breaks. there wasn't anything particularly explicit, but it was just hard reading about someone going through all this. it was hard being reminded that Black people were–and still are– targeted because they wanted to end their oppression and better their communities. despite that, actually reading the book was easy, which was Assata's intention. in a brief line on page 203, there is an implied criticism of some people's tendency to over-intellectualise in organizing/activism movements. it's clear that Assata seeks to educate and inspire, and she does so with simple, yet striking, language that moves.
and it certainly was inspiring. i have been feeling lately like i want to do more for my community, and reading this made me think about what my first steps to do that might be. i will continue reading and learning, getting knowledge and giving support to other revolutionaries like Assata. great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Minor: Sexual assault and Torture