Scan barcode
cdhotwing's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
jgwc54e5's review
5.0
Chris Hedges has been teaching in prisons in New Jersey since 2013. This book is mostly about a drama class where he gets his students to write a play about their experience in the prison system. It’s not an easy book to read, the dehumanisation and degradations that these men suffer is appalling. Prison conditions, the individual stories of his various students, the plays they study and discuss, made this an emotional read for me (yes, I cried quite a few times). Hedges is always worth reading.
graciejames121's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Classism
anniehall's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
pivic's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
megansnextread's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Chris Hedges, an acclaimed journalist, went into a New Jersey prison to teach drama and English Literature through a Rutgers University program. He did not know he would walk out with a play written by his students. This book details one class in which the prisoners write a play in reflection of their lived experiences, and it eventually ends up on the stage in New Jersey.
As with any social justice book this one was incredibly eye-opening. I have read from several prisoner perspectives and heard their stories but not all are the same. Not all have the same outcome. And in this book we got to see prisoners feel important, heard, understood, and taught. It was a side of prison most don't get to see.
Reading this book felt like I was attending the class. Hedges had many excerpts and asked questions through out the book provoking thoughts for his students but also for the reader. My only complaint was that it was too many excerpts, especially in the beginning, it was hard to connect with this classes story when we kept getting into the plays subject matter.
However what I truly loved about this book was hearing from the students and how they used real life experiences to create scenes in their play. It was beautiful, heart wrenching, and very vulnerable.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
More...