An Autobiography

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

A powerful and commanding account of the life of trailblazing political activist Angela Davis


Edited by Toni Morrison and first published in 1974, An Autobiography is a classic of the Black Liberation era which resonates just as powerfully today. Long hard to find, it is reissued now with a new introduction by Davis, for a new audience inspired and galvanised by her ongoing activism and her extraordinary example.

In the book, she describes her journey from a childhood on Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, Alabama, to one of the most significant political trials of the century: from her political activity in a New York high school to her work with the U.S. Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Soledad Brothers; and from the faculty of the Philosophy Department at UCLA to the FBI's list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.

Told with warmth, brilliance, humour, and conviction, it is an unforgettable account of a life committed to radical change.

© Angela Y. Davis 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Critics Review

  • There are books you should read, books that you will enjoy reading, and books that will educate you. Rarely does one book do all three. The Autobiography of Angela Y. Davis is one of those books

    Marcus Ryder
  • [A] rare book that even almost 50 years later feels timely and relevant. Maybe too relevant, considering how little has changed in the interim

    Los Angeles Times
  • She has eyes in the back of our head. With her we can survive and resist

    John Berger
  • Davis’s arguments for justice are formidable. . . The power of her historical insights and the sweetness of her dream cannot be denied

    The New York Times
  • Angela Davis has stood her ground on every issue important to the health of our people and the planet. It is impossible to read her words or hear her voice and not be moved to comprehension and gratitude for our incredible luck in having her with us

    Alice Walker

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