First, let me start off by sharing that this is one of my favorite revolutionary literature books to date. Assata is an amazing look into the life of Assata Shakur and the writing style and honesty make you feel like you as the reader are sitting in a room with her listening to her give a recount of her life story. The flashbacks in every other chapter are amazing and it really gives the reader insight into how she became a black revolutionary from her life and the personal process of decolonizing her thinking. Which many stories about leaders overlook.

The story brought a more personal connection to her struggle for black liberation and also took many of the leaders and organizations that we see as revolutionary off their high horse and fairly criticized those that we see as perfect. I really enjoyed her analysis of the Black Panther Party, where she laid out valid criticism of the party.

Overall this book deconstructed revolutionary cosplay and without even mentioning it, established the true meaning of black liberation. Her story sent a message that the performative aspects of liberation won't set black people free and people must not only admire those who came before us but also know who or what they stood for. This book made me find a new appreciation for digging deeper into the ideology of black liberation and has made me more aware of being less reactionary to much of what I have seen in society today.