Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #806115 in Books
• Published on: 1970
• Format: Import
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 480 pages

Customer Reviews

A Primary Source
Booby Seale's "Seize the Time," though not well written, is essentially a primary source of the Black Panther Party--written by the Party's courageous co-founder. Much of the book focuses on the work and vision of Huey P. Newton. I was very much struck by Seale's unquestioning devotion to Newton. Having read other books by or about Party members, I realize from reading this classic book that Seale was blind to many of Newton's contradictions. At the same time, however, Seale seemed devoted equally to the freedom and self-determination of African people.

Both of these leaders took the African struggle in America to another level. They put into practice what the great Malcolm X said about "making it plain" and to defend one's self. As hard as it was, they worked to simplify the struggle rather than intellectualize it. Unfortuneatly, however, they spent more time having to overcome relentess pressures and attacks by Oakland police, the FBI, the racist judicial system, and the entire White racist society.

Seale's book is not a critical analysis of the Party, like for instance Elaine Brown's book "A Taste of Power," but it does bear witness to one of the most radical organizations ever developed in America.

Excellent
This book was very, very good. Easy to read, lots of information, flows well. Covers the history of the Black Panthers from their formation in 1966 to 1969, Seale dictated the book while locked up in jail on bogus charges. This book got me interested in the Panthers, I knew almost nothing about them until I read this book, and I stayed up all night reading it, because I couldn't put it down.

Should be in a history books
In schools you are taught to think of the Black Panthers as rebels with communist intentions. The true nature of the black panthers is revealed in Bobby Seale's book. The amount of struggle that blacks had to go through in the "free" nation of America was depressing. The problem with history books is that they are sugar coated with so-much utopian ideas that you wonder if America's political system is flawless. Having a backgound of Jamaican and Indian, this book is a must for any person who's been confronted with prejudices of any sort. A must-read is the chapter "Gagged and Shackled", I honestly couldn't believe how Bobby Seale was treated.
The problem today is that blacks in America still believe that they have rights and freedoms. In essence corperate America puts rich blacks in the media instead of the educated ones. This systematic brain washing system allows for the youth of today to look up to these so-called blacks and always wanting to attain this rich lifestyle. Suggestive readings should be of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, WEB Dubois, Fidel Castro, Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis.