A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story [Paperback]

Elaine Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1993

Brown's account of her life at the highest levels of the Black Panther party's hierarchy. More than a journey through a turbulent time in American history, this is the story of a black woman's battle to define herself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brown here relates the dramatic story of her youth, her political awakening and her role in the Black Panther Party when she succeeded her lover Huey Newton to become the group's first female leader. Though smoothly written, the book contains much reconstructed dialogue that may daunt readers. Brown's memoir takes her from a Philadelphia ghetto to California, from college to cocktail waitressing, from wanting to be white to joining the black power movement. She meets Eldridge Cleaver, George Jackson and Bobby Seale, goes to jail, visits North Korea and North Vietnam, debates Marxism and gets involved in Oakland, Calif., politics. When other Black Panthers seemed to lose sight of the revolution and seek power for its own sake, Brown, with a growing feminist consciousness, left the group. She now lives in France and expresses ambivalent feelings about the party she once loved. Having made her acquaintance, the reader wonders about her present life.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Brown, who became involved in and eventually led the Black Panther party until 1977, here offers her autobiography. She traces both the growth and evolving philosophies of the party and her own attempts to help black women. She also describes the drug and domestic abuse within the party, as well as vividly depicting the violence committed against society at large. While Brown includes an objective and lengthy description of Panther founder Huey Newton, who brilliantly rallied black people in America, she also depicts a man whose drug and alcohol dependencies hindered the growth of the party. Brown's autobiography ends inconclusively: she does not seem to have grasped how her past actions presently affect her life. Does she experience feelings of guilt or regret? We don't find out, but her story is still interesting. A Taste of Power is recommended for large public and academic libraries and those with women's studies collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/11/92, and "Malcom X: By Any Book Necessary," LJ 10/15/92 . -- Jeanine McAdam, Mt. Sinai Medical Ctr. Lib., New York
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; 1st Anchor Books ed edition (December 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385471076
• ISBN-13: 978-0385471077
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, September 12, 2002

By 

Tania (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story (Paperback)

I am a 20 year old college student and only accidentally came across "A Taste of Power" while looking for the autobiography of the much more recognized Angela Davis. The book was incredible to say the least. Though only a small segment of the book discussed sexism in the party, the message was overwhelming. Male chauvinistic attitudes, to a large extent, destroyed the party. Elaine, though seemingly strong-minded, also struggles with the self-worth issues that are so common amongst black women. She tried hard to fit into the schema of black womanhood that others (whites, her mother, black men) had created for her. She moves quickly through the ranks of the party, experiencing a taste of power, but in the end she wonders if she lost herself. READ IT!

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The best damn autobiography ever", August 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story (Paperback)

Having a love of black history and women, this book blew me away in the five days I read it. My history project in college this past year, was based on the black panthers. Having to find my information for the project, I read many books, based on the revolutionaty panthers. "A Taste of Power, blew me away, and made me feel proud to be black and a WOMAN!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN INCREDIBLE READ, February 23, 2005

By 

Elisha Peterson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story (Paperback)

I read Huey P. Newton's autobiography- Revolutionary Suicide- and Elaine's autobiography really completes the picture of what the Black Panthers were all about. It's pros and pitfalls and most importantly a well- encompassing picture of her struggle as well as the struggle of the Black Panthers. I recommend this book to any and every one. It is really amazing.