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fkshg8465's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.25
I prefer the Tupac Shakur biography by Staci Robinson, but I also liked the greater depth of family history before and after him. I’m inspired by what this family has achieved despite all that was stacked against them. Their influence will continue for as many generations as it takes to make Black lives matter to every American. Now I immediately want to play his music on Spotify.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Bullying, Child death, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, and Deportation
sahanac's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
bit of repetition in the chapters (i think we got assata shakur's origin story leas up four different times), but it's a history i really valued learning about and considering
cnapple's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
This was a fascinating read for anyone looking for a deeper, more personal look into the black liberation movement following the death of Malcom X. The narrative focuses very closely on the Shakur family, as much a symbolic family as a biological one, bound by the chosen name Shakur, and the commitment that name meant in the struggle for black autonomy and equality.
The story follows these people who took or were born into the name Shakur from their beginnings in the black panther movement, through their disillusionment with the Panthers and further radicalization into the founding of the Black Liberation Army and it's subsequent downfall, all the way through to their hope for the next generation finding it's voice in a young man named Tupac Shakur.
Throughout this journey, the author is keenly aware of the struggle and sacrifices that the Shakurs endured in pursuit of their dream, and how the burden of leadership weighed heavily in different ways on all of them. Perhaps, most tragic was the burden of being the future voice of the movement, in the aftermath of their struggle, which fell heavily on the shoulders of Tupac Shakur. It was this burden and the struggle to reconcile his commitment to the movement with being a young rising star in the record industry that ultimately led to his downfall and death.
This biography tells thesaga of the Shakurs faithfully and thoughtfully. If there is one critique to be made of the biographical style it is that the timeline was a little too meandering and looping. Several events were retold multiple times throughout, presumably to set the context for the concurrent happenings in other branches of the Shakur family. Additionally, the narrative frequently followed the experiences of one family member forward in time, only to loop back in time to pick up the experiences of a different Shakur. With a little effort, the reader can follow the various timelines, but it did have the effect of slowing down the narrative and making it feel somewhat choppy overall. But technical shortcomings, shouldn't detract readers from picking up what is overall, a satisfying and informative read.
The story follows these people who took or were born into the name Shakur from their beginnings in the black panther movement, through their disillusionment with the Panthers and further radicalization into the founding of the Black Liberation Army and it's subsequent downfall, all the way through to their hope for the next generation finding it's voice in a young man named Tupac Shakur.
Throughout this journey, the author is keenly aware of the struggle and sacrifices that the Shakurs endured in pursuit of their dream, and how the burden of leadership weighed heavily in different ways on all of them. Perhaps, most tragic was the burden of being the future voice of the movement, in the aftermath of their struggle, which fell heavily on the shoulders of Tupac Shakur. It was this burden and the struggle to reconcile his commitment to the movement with being a young rising star in the record industry that ultimately led to his downfall and death.
This biography tells thesaga of the Shakurs faithfully and thoughtfully. If there is one critique to be made of the biographical style it is that the timeline was a little too meandering and looping. Several events were retold multiple times throughout, presumably to set the context for the concurrent happenings in other branches of the Shakur family. Additionally, the narrative frequently followed the experiences of one family member forward in time, only to loop back in time to pick up the experiences of a different Shakur. With a little effort, the reader can follow the various timelines, but it did have the effect of slowing down the narrative and making it feel somewhat choppy overall. But technical shortcomings, shouldn't detract readers from picking up what is overall, a satisfying and informative read.
kat_fields's review
informative
medium-paced
3.75
A really interesting examination of The Black Panther Party, The Black Liberation Army, The Black Liberation Movement, and their modern political descendants through the lense of the Shakur family. The choice to focus sections on different members of the family made for a fascinating read, but it did make the timeline, especially in the 60s and 70s, a bit confusing.
unladylike's review
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up
Not what I was expecting. I've been wanting to listen to the writings of Assata Shakur and knew that Mutulu had just been released from prison and then passed away this past year, and there's a new biography of Tupac out, but this one looked more up my alley. It ended up feeling more like a history of the Black Panther Party and their most revolutionary adjacent groups, with Shakurs as the common thread. Regardless, it's a really fascinating, troubling, and important story.
Not what I was expecting. I've been wanting to listen to the writings of Assata Shakur and knew that Mutulu had just been released from prison and then passed away this past year, and there's a new biography of Tupac out, but this one looked more up my alley. It ended up feeling more like a history of the Black Panther Party and their most revolutionary adjacent groups, with Shakurs as the common thread. Regardless, it's a really fascinating, troubling, and important story.
bennysbooks's review
I have a decent background on the history of Black Panthers, so it might be a better book for those looking for an introduction, but I also had an issue with the writing. On a sentence-by-sentence level it was perfectly fine, but the structure was all over the place and needlessly confusing. I wanted it to be more cohesive, and with a stronger storytelling element.
It did spark an interest in reading more about Afeni Shakur, so I look forward to that!
It did spark an interest in reading more about Afeni Shakur, so I look forward to that!