BEGINNING WITH A DESCRIPTION OF DONALD DEFREEZE'S ESCAPE FROM PRISON AND A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DEFREEZE, THE TEXT EXAMINES THE ORIGINS AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE MOVEMENT THAT CAME TO BE CALLED THE SLA. THE TEXT EXPLORES IN TURN THE BIOGRAPHIES AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EACH OF THE SLA MEMBERS, AND DESCRIBES THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE FORMATION OF THE SLA. THE ACTIVITIES OF THAT GROUP, INCLUDING THE ASSASSINATION OF THE OAKLAND SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, THE KIDNAPPING OF PATRICIA HEARST, AND THE SHOOTOUT IN LOS ANGELES ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. THE FINAL CHAPTERS OUTLINE THE FLIGHT AND CAPTURE OF PATRICIA HEARST AND WILLIAM AND EMILY HARRIS. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN SELECTED DOCUMENTS AND COMMUNIQUES OF THE SYMBIONESE LIBERATION ARMY.