Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

40 reviews

catsteaandabook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, Racism, and Racial slurs

erezbalvanonyiske's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Pedophilia, Racism, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Torture, and Sexual assault

joezapps's review

adventurous hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

My neighbor gave me their copy of the book when I said that I only found out about the Attica uprisings when watching Dog Day Afternoon. Attica itself comes up only once in the book to my knowledge, but Assata Shakur links it and the countless other racist, imperialist, & violent actions of America to her own tragic history, and then weaves that into to the lived experiences of black americans in the past, present and future, and to the taught narratives and history of the state that are remnants from our slave owning past.

Assata Shakur does this with pinpoint precision, does not mince her words once, but brings simultaneously such empathy and humor. It's a rare text that illuminates the love and care in revolutionary movements. Specifically shedding the preconceived notions from the state & media about the Black Panthers & Black Liberation Movement, but also notes criticism to how the movements fell apart (though the blame is mainly rested on COINTELPRO as it should be).

This is an essential text I believe, and one I will be returning to often. What may bring me back the most, is the incredible poetry scattered throughout, the opening poem in particular. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault

jessmbark's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is by far one of the best memoirs I have ever read. It mixes poetry with history and has an instantly recognizable voice. A true must-read if you want to understand Black history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, and Sexism

peachblossomreads's review

informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Hate crime, and Sexual assault

hannahmartian's review against another edition

challenging informative tense slow-paced

4.0

I knew nothing about Assata Shakur until I heard Angela Davis mention her several times to recommend this book. I am glad I read it. This book tells the story of how Assata grew up from a kid in Queens to an political refugee in exile in Cuba. It covers her involvement with student movements, the Black Panthers, and her years of imprisonment while on trial. It’s terrifying to read what the state will do when they perceive you as a threat and thr lengths they have gone to in order to demean Assata and break her spirit while framing her for violent crimes.

Sometimes I wished the writing style was tighter.my favorite parts are when she talks about her close relationships. She clearly has such love for the people close to her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Police brutality

Moderate: Confinement

rubbercitykitten's review

challenging informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Slavery and Torture

Minor: Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Ableism, and Classism

cadybooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Rape, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Grief, Kidnapping, Body horror, Colonisation, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion

studydniowka's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

Bardzo dosadne świadectwo politycznej uchodźczynie, której udało się zbiec z amerykańskiego systemu penitencjarnego. Historia przemocy ze względu na płeć i rasę, systemowego rasizmu i ucisku kobiety z klasy robotniczej. Bardzo polecam przeczytać, ale jest to mrożąca lektura.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Racism, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Colonisation, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Torture

firepawreads's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Violence, and Police brutality