Joerg reviewed A Taste of Power by Elaine Brown
Review of 'A Taste of Power' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This was a very interesting book on the Panthers, that added a lot of new details. Elaine Brown was the only other person besides Huey Newton to ever lead the Panthers, and the only woman, so she was there for key moments, and fills in a lot of detail to the Panthers' relation to women and the Panthers' demise, but also the significant role the Party during her leadership played in shaping Oakland.
For all the information gained, there is one big problem: Elaine Brown's point of view is very strongly biased, so it is very hard to rely on this information. Bobby Seale comes across mostly as a clown, while Huey even in his worst drug-induced rages - up to just before the very end, when she fled from him after his return from exile and renewed efforts to destroy the party - is the shining hero.