A special collection of the best fiction, essays, poetry, and plays from annual PEN Prison Writing contest offers unique insights into the emotions and thoughts engendered by the prison experience, ranging from humor and empathy to rage, fear, and despair. 15,000 first printing.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Bell Gale Chevigny is professor emeritus of literature at Purchase College, SUNY, and a Soros Senior Justice Fellow. She has written for The Nation, DoubleTake, and other journals. Her books include The Woman and the Myth: Margaret Fuller’s Life and Writings and Chloe and Olivia, a novel. She lives in Manhattan.
This anthology of material by winners of PEN Americas annual prison writing contests provides a polyphonic chorus of rejoinder to our policies of maximum incarceration. The collections prose is honed and direct, with many contributors striking a hypnotic balance between the urgency inherent in writing as survival and the punishingly absurd nature of their circumstances: though their literary imaginations range widely, bodily, theyre going no place. Most at issue is the individual readers openness toward otherwise shunned figures. Several pieces are from longtime death-row inmates, presenting lucid, provocative narratives that dont excuse their youthful brutality. A thick sheaf of entries represent the hapless POWs of the Drug War (often disadvantaged women), serving long sentences for semantic and violence-free crimes. The distribution of fiction, poetry, and essays into 11 topical sections (e.g. Players, Games) allows a textured diversity of excellent pieces, such as Paul Mulryans scorching account of the 11-day Lucasville, Ohio, riot; Jimmy Santiago Bacas poetic reach toward lost family; Dax Xenoss O. Henry-winning fiction, Death of a Duke; and Robert Moriartys droll, harrowing memoir, Pilots in the War on Drugs. Introductory essays by Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean and SUNY Purchase professor emeritus Chevigny provide a moral chassis; the latters piece charts the prison writing movement as a response to the fluctuations of penal theory between reform and retribution, offering a chilling vision of our current maximum-time, hard-labor model as a machine of social control, devouring ever more persons of color and of the underclass even as the crime rate declines. Essential reading for those concerned by this imbalanceand it should be more than essential for lawmakers and citizens who support the hard bargain of liberty for order without considering the darkness created. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
US$ 4.00
Within U.S.A.
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.65. Seller Inventory # G1559704780I3N10
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Missing dust jacket; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.65. Seller Inventory # G1559704780I5N01
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Goodwill, Brooklyn Park, MN, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. The dust jacket is torn. Cover/Case has some rubbing and edgewear. Access codes, CDs, slipcovers and other accessories may not be included. Seller Inventory # 2Y6RVP003F8I_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Irish Booksellers, Portland, ME, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 21-1559704780-G
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 4252282-75
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 1425772-6
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_402429980
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Housing Works Online Bookstore, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Minimal wear to cover. Pages clean and binding tight. Shelfwear. Bumped edges. Minor Exterior Wear. Pages clean. Binding tight. May contain pen markings and highlights. Hardcover. Seller Inventory # KJ6-00787
Quantity: 2 available
Seller: Book People, Henrico, VA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First Edition/ First Printing, complete number line. Some shelf wear with slightly bumped corners and light edgewear, but binding is tight and the pages are all clean with no markings. Seller Inventory # 49522
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: The Book Cellar, LLC, Nashua, NH, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Great used condition. A portion of your purchase of this book will be donated to non-profit organizations.Over 1,000,000 satisfied customers since 1997! Choose expedited shipping (if available) for much faster delivery. Delivery confirmation on all US orders. Seller Inventory # 10855098
Quantity: 1 available