Reviews

A Soldier's Story: Writings by a Revolutionary New Afrikan Anarchist by Kuwasi Balagoon

outcolder's review against another edition

5.0

This is some hardcore, harrowing stuff. I had read an older edition of “Whirlwind” in the 1990s and I even went to a Q and A with Afeni Shakur back then, but I feel like I am only now beginning to form a real picture of the NY Panthers and their clandestine activity. Balagoon is especially interesting, because of his commitment, his range of thinking and diversity of tactics. That he was also queer adds another layer, quite literally in the sense of keeping various identities and social / activist circles compartmentalized. This is a collection of writing by him and about him and the thrilling narrative of a revolutionary who keeps escaping from prison and breaking other comrades out is one that has to form in the reader’s own head. That’s the harrowing stuff, especially after reading the bit towards the end about traitors. It’s like, what’s a guy who’s thinking about revolutionary collectively run day care and children’s clothing exchange doing with a gang of bank robbers ... excuse me... a cadre dedicated to expropriations? And then he has this whole other life, with his transwoman partner, hanging out at the mud club with the punk rockers? I barely have the strength to keep my plain vanilla, white skinned, armchair activism life together and this guy is a queer anarchist underground armed struggle warrior in a basement full of coked up 5 Percenters? Rough!

There was a lot of terrible things that happened in the 1980s, a truly miserable decade. Losing our best fighters to AIDS is an especially low point. Rest in Power, Balagoon and thank you for your work.

maximamoralia's review against another edition

5.0

Excellent as the previous edition, includes invaluable insights from Balagoon on organization, how to deal with "traitors" and exercise. If you can get your hands on this edition it is very much worth it. Also includes a nice poem from Marilyn Buck that wasn't in the first edition.

anxiouscowboy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

viralmysteries's review against another edition

5.0

An excellent collection of stories, works, and writings from and about Kuwasi Balagoon, a Black anarchist who resisted white supremacy and died in prison for it. It's a very unique book, including interviews with his friends and comrades, poetry he wrote, his notes, writings and speeches before he was arrested, the letters he wrote from prison, and reflections on him after he died from his contemparies. A really valuable look into what queer, Black anti-colonial anarchist struggle looks like. I only wish it could have had more details, but a great place to start. In a time when most anti-colonial struggle is co-opted and dominated by Marxist-Leninists, Balagoon presents a powerful alternative vision of anti-racist and anti-colonial struggle.