B.O.A.S Rating – 3/5

Google Assata and you will probably find tantalizing news articles like “from civil rights activist to FBI’s most-wanted’. Truth be told, I didn’t know her until I read the book. Party because American civil movement isn’t something we are taught in school in Kenya, and partly because the Black Panther movement never really perked my interest.

The book was a June 2020 book club selection. And since Wangari Maathai’s memoir was snubbed in its favour, I approached it with reservations. The book’s theme was timely, no doubt. And you would have to be inhuman to not be roused by Assata’s recollections of the 1970-1980s police brutality and the courts’ bias against black people. Some parts were hard to read, and others even harder to believe. Like how one black woman could stir such unrest with the ‘powers that be’. A 10 car convey to transport her to hospital. Open court assaults by marshalls. Willful neglect by the prison medical system to forestall a miscarriage. Personally though, after what we have witnessed after the murder of George Floyd, it isn’t had to imagine the brutality that the American system can wage against its own citizens.

My average rating is partly due to how much was left out of the story by Assata. This includes the biggest twist – her escape. It’s easy enough to find out about the daring jailbreak on the internet, but I do wonder why she would have left such an integral element out. The details of the numerous criminal charges were also blurry. Her life was a back to back series of court cases; some that were dismissed and others that she rushed through. In addition, (and I’m not a grammar fiend) but the poor spelling and disregard for rules of grammar and punctuation grated me a little. Perhaps that’s because this was an #autobiography and a work of passion.

All in all, an educative read. Highly recommend it to anyone on the journey of educating themselves in order to make impactful contributions to the black lives matter conversation.