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kirsten0929's review against another edition
5.0
[2019. National Book Award Finalist.] Albert Woodfox’s memoir tells of the forty years he spent in solitary confinement for a crime he didn’t commit. How could something so unbearable to read, be bearable. Just when I thought he (or I) couldn’t possibly take any more it got worse. But it never, ever breaks him. A real immersion experience. Star rating to come.
milliebot_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I don't really know what can be said about a person's firsthand account of being not only wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, but kept in solitary confinement for almost all of his 40+ year sentence. Thinking about a person spending all his teen and adult life behind bars, in the absolutely disgusting, degrading, and inhumane conditions of a Louisiana prison is just gut wrenching. Especially when you consider he should have had a relatively short sentence for the crime he did commit, but then he was so blatantly wrongly accused of murder - the state stole his life, if you ask me.
Yet, Woodfox remained hopeful during his stay and it comes through in his writing. He's truly an inspiration, once you start reading all he went through and the outlook he maintained and the true friendships he formed both in and outside prison.
This is one of those things I just can't write eloquently about. If you think our prison system "ain't so bad" - you should really read this book. Woodfox's stay covers the 70s right into 2016 - conditions haven't improved all that much. If you're already disgusted with the American Prison Industrial System, you should still read this book because it's wild, and because Woodfox really put himself into it and I think it's important to read first hand accounts of these experiences.
Yet, Woodfox remained hopeful during his stay and it comes through in his writing. He's truly an inspiration, once you start reading all he went through and the outlook he maintained and the true friendships he formed both in and outside prison.
This is one of those things I just can't write eloquently about. If you think our prison system "ain't so bad" - you should really read this book. Woodfox's stay covers the 70s right into 2016 - conditions haven't improved all that much. If you're already disgusted with the American Prison Industrial System, you should still read this book because it's wild, and because Woodfox really put himself into it and I think it's important to read first hand accounts of these experiences.
lhenric22's review against another edition
5.0
This book is...so many things. A memoir. An exposé on the pitfalls of our (and Louisiana's especially) criminal justice system, not only before but AFTER conviction. A story of friendship and loyalty persisting under terrible circumstances. A testament to the endurance of the human spirit and dignity despite decades of daily dehumanization. It deserves a much larger readership. I will remember Albert Woodfox and his struggle forever.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
5.0
TW: prison abuse, medical neglect, police brutality, male on male rape (discussed but no graphic descriptions and Woodfox is never raped)
If you were looking for a sign to support prison reform: this is it. Solitary is an eye-opening glimpse at the lengths the system will go to, to exact retribution from you over imagined slights.
It's not just the fact that Albert Woodfox was punished for a crime he didn't commit that makes this so harrowing a tale; it's the fact that even after society, became 'enlightened' as to the deep disservice being done to Black people in America, those in power took pains to penalize him to the nth degree. Even when it was abundantly clear the prison system was in the wrong, when it was clear that a deep injustice was being inflicted every day, when it was clear human rights were being violated at every turn, they still chose their pride over doing what was morally right. A decades long grudge against a man for daring to ask for fair treatment was more important than doing the right thing.
It goes to show that we have not come nearly as far as they want us to think we have.
If you were looking for a sign to support prison reform: this is it. Solitary is an eye-opening glimpse at the lengths the system will go to, to exact retribution from you over imagined slights.
It's not just the fact that Albert Woodfox was punished for a crime he didn't commit that makes this so harrowing a tale; it's the fact that even after society, became 'enlightened' as to the deep disservice being done to Black people in America, those in power took pains to penalize him to the nth degree. Even when it was abundantly clear the prison system was in the wrong, when it was clear that a deep injustice was being inflicted every day, when it was clear human rights were being violated at every turn, they still chose their pride over doing what was morally right. A decades long grudge against a man for daring to ask for fair treatment was more important than doing the right thing.
It goes to show that we have not come nearly as far as they want us to think we have.
kendallreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
guperez's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, and Police brutality
nderiley's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. I have so much respect for Woodfox's strength of spirit and his ability to self educate and self improve despite *years* of isolation, beatings and humiliations.