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A review by cnapple
An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created by Santi Elijah Holley
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.