diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a91bbe7..c47b552 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@
 mvn clean verify
 
 # run the interpreter
-java -jar target/transcendental-lisp-*-jar-with-dependencies.jar
+java -jar target/transcendental-lisp-*.jar
 
 ```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 83f6272..0347720 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <kotlin.version>1.2.71</kotlin.version>
-    <junit5.version>5.2.0</junit5.version>
+    <junit5.version>5.3.1</junit5.version>
     <skipTests>false</skipTests>
   </properties>
 
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.0</version>
+        <version>3.1.0</version>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.2</version>
+        <version>3.1.0</version>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.7.0</version>
+        <version>3.8.0</version>
         <executions>
           <!-- Replacing default-compile as it is treated specially by maven -->
           <execution>
@@ -97,13 +97,8 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.19.1</version>
+        <version>2.22.1</version>
         <dependencies>
-          <dependency>
-            <groupId>org.junit.platform</groupId>
-            <artifactId>junit-platform-surefire-provider</artifactId>
-            <version>1.0.1</version>
-          </dependency>
           <dependency>
             <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
             <artifactId>junit-jupiter-engine</artifactId>
@@ -125,7 +120,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.2</version>
+        <version>3.1.0</version>
         <configuration>
           <archive>
             <manifest>
@@ -136,49 +131,22 @@
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
 
-      <!--<plugin>-->
-        <!--<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>-->
-        <!--<artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>-->
-        <!--<version>3.2.0</version>-->
-        <!--<executions>-->
-          <!--<execution>-->
-            <!--<phase>package</phase>-->
-            <!--<goals>-->
-              <!--<goal>shade</goal>-->
-            <!--</goals>-->
-            <!--<configuration>-->
-              <!--<transformers>-->
-                <!--<transformer implementation="org.apache.maven.plugins.shade.resource.ManifestResourceTransformer">-->
-                  <!--<mainClass>application.LispMain</mainClass>-->
-                <!--</transformer>-->
-              <!--</transformers>-->
-            <!--</configuration>-->
-          <!--</execution>-->
-        <!--</executions>-->
-      <!--</plugin>-->
-
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.1.0</version>
+        <artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>3.2.0</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <phase>package</phase>
             <goals>
-              <goal>single</goal>
+              <goal>shade</goal>
             </goals>
             <configuration>
-              <archive>
-                <manifest>
-                  <mainClass>
-                    application.LispMain
-                  </mainClass>
-                  <addDefaultImplementationEntries>true</addDefaultImplementationEntries>
-                </manifest>
-              </archive>
-              <descriptorRefs>
-                <descriptorRef>jar-with-dependencies</descriptorRef>
-              </descriptorRefs>
+              <transformers>
+                <transformer implementation="org.apache.maven.plugins.shade.resource.ManifestResourceTransformer">
+                  <mainClass>application.LispMain</mainClass>
+                </transformer>
+              </transformers>
             </configuration>
           </execution>
         </executions>
@@ -214,7 +182,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.assertj</groupId>
       <artifactId>assertj-core</artifactId>
-      <version>3.9.1</version>
+      <version>3.11.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
 
@@ -232,7 +200,7 @@
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
 
-    <!-- TODO - remove when test cases all converted to junit 5 and assertj-->
+    <!-- TODO - remove when test cases all converted to junit 5 -->
     <dependency>
       <groupId>junit</groupId>
       <artifactId>junit</artifactId>