izmikell's review
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Violence, and Police brutality
kshertz's review
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Medical content, Abandonment, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Racism
rhinoceroswoman's review
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Torture, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Car accident
henrygravesprince's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Torture, Confinement, Police brutality, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Medical content, Violence, and Antisemitism
moonyreadsbystarlight's review
5.0
So many parts of this nearly read like she was describing the world today -- the police, but also the missteps in organizing for social justice. This is difficult to read, particularly the beginning descriptions of her time in the hospital monitored by white supremacists cops and being in solitary after, but it is absolutely essential reading.
There were a lot of details in the writing that takes this story to another level literarily. She ends some of the chapters with poems that are relevant to the events in the chapter. And the very intentional choices with spelling and grammar, I have a lot of feelings about as well. Many people take language and its rules at face value without questioning it -- Assata uses the language to question and reveal aspects of toxic system and assumption about self and others
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
ivassavi's review against another edition
4.0
4 ⭐️
Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
suzyreadsbooks's review
5.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Violence, Physical abuse, and Torture
lela's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Police brutality, and Physical abuse
mscalls's review
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
grei's review
5.0
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.
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Medical trauma, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Hate crime, and Bullying
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Medical content, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Addiction
Minor: Ableism, Violence, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Gun violence, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, and Body shaming
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.