A review by moonyreadsbystarlight
Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

 In this book, Assata goes between two times in her life. One, beginning with her time in the hospital after being shot and framed for murder up and another, starting from her early childhood. You see the time she spent in a myriad of prisons in inhumane conditions and going through multiple trials for crimes she did not commit as well as her experience growing up and eventually being in leftist spaces, including the Black Panthers as it is being infiltrated .

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 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings