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africreole's review against another edition
5.0
Indeed, he was unbroken and also unbowed
Albert Woodfox endured man's inhumanity to man in one of the worst ways. He, Herman, and King were denied justice under the law. The state of Louisiana by the way of people who had no humanity or empathy were determined to keep them in prison and solitary confinement under any means necessary, including by lying and false testimony. How many others have suffered the same injustice and did not have the determination the Angola Three had and have already died falsely imprisoned? This story was a very eye-opening story of the plight of those falsely incarcerated. Forty-four years, forty-four years, forty-four years. Let that sink in.
I had a hard time reading this book. It was very long and detailed and I wanted to stop several times because it was too heartbreaking but I just had to know what the outcome of Mr. Woodfox's fight was.
NOTE This book was read and listened to with Audible.com for a book club.
Albert Woodfox endured man's inhumanity to man in one of the worst ways. He, Herman, and King were denied justice under the law. The state of Louisiana by the way of people who had no humanity or empathy were determined to keep them in prison and solitary confinement under any means necessary, including by lying and false testimony. How many others have suffered the same injustice and did not have the determination the Angola Three had and have already died falsely imprisoned? This story was a very eye-opening story of the plight of those falsely incarcerated. Forty-four years, forty-four years, forty-four years. Let that sink in.
I had a hard time reading this book. It was very long and detailed and I wanted to stop several times because it was too heartbreaking but I just had to know what the outcome of Mr. Woodfox's fight was.
NOTE This book was read and listened to with Audible.com for a book club.
slider9499's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I have read .. This is a seminal achievement in the genre of autobiographies. I put this right up there with The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I also believe it has the cultural wallop of The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.
This is an important book. A book that must be read by every American who believes in justice and our Constitution.
This is an important book. A book that must be read by every American who believes in justice and our Constitution.
glowe2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize Finalist depicting the brutality of the notorious Angola prison in Louisiana. A combination story of the strength of one man to endure 40 years of abuse plus the abject failure of our judicial system to work in a non-prejudicial method where truth and fairness are the primary objectives. A difficult book to read since it highlights the ability of people in power to commit cruelties without punishment.
mateaaah's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.25
losco's review against another edition
5.0
Every American needs to read this book. My perspective and understanding is now deeper and broader. Iâm still processing what I read so will have to edit this review later.
njw13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
bobbieshiann's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
5.0
âI turned my attention to the street. There, I quickly learned everyone had one choice: to be a rabbit or a wolf. I chose to be a wolfâ.
Itâs not always common for me to finish a book and cry. To reread a book and sit with how relevant it is because injustice has not dwindled. In Solitary, by Albert Woodfox, we learn of one manâs journey to prison but there, his fight was never singular as a brotherhood was developed that could never be broken.
From a young age, Albert was surrounded by poverty and slowly started understanding how his skin tone was a crime. Young and restless, he would not abide by his motherâs rules and began dabbling in crime at a young age to survive the streets of New Orleansâs Treme neighborhood. Albert became no stranger to the system even though he escaped on numerous occasions. By the age of 24, he had been in and out of prison and had a yearlong addiction to heroin until he kicked the habit with the help of a girlfriend.Â
In the need to survive, his mother could not read or write which resulted in prostitution to make sure her children had a roof of their head and food in their bellies. With his need to survive, Albert discloses how he stole from people who almost had nothing. His own people. Things finally got out of hand in 1969 when Albert was sentenced to 50 years in prison for armed robbery mixed with added false chargers so police can clean their books.Â
In Angola prison, the largest maximum-security prison that was a plantation, Woodfox is introduced and joins the Black Panther Party. Fighting injustices in the prison system, Woodfox became a target. He was charged with killing a guard by the name of Brent Miller. With a lack of evidence and numerous tellings of the incident that did and did not put Woodfox and other inmates at the scene of the crime, there would be a long fight not only to prove their innocence but to succumb to four decades in solitary confinement faced with harsh and brutal treatment daily. Hot cells, numerous strip searches, brutally attacked, deteriorating health, and being behind bars while you start to lose friends and family members that believe in your innocence.Â
The false charge of murder introduced us to true friendship as the âAngola 3â (Herman, Albert, and King) stood firm in their beliefs and their duty to protect other inmates as they stood up to the prison rape culture, helped educate inmates through reading and writing, and joined in hungry strikes to get fair and appropriate treatment. Herman died three days after his release from prison in 2013, Woodfox finally tasted freedom in 2016 but passed away in 2022, and the last remaining member of the three, King, never stopped his fight to speak on the harsh conditions of the prison and justice system.Â
This is not an easy story to read as much of it still stands in the injustices and the harsh treatment of Black men in America. Albert Woodfox introduces us to true friendship as he shows the strength and comradery he had with Herman Wallace and Robert King. He shows us what endless love and strength look like and how the fight must go on even when the odds are stacked against you. He shares so much of the legal process as he starts to learn the law and has an army behind him that would not give up in the fight to prove his freedom. This is a book everyone should read as I have only touched on minimal as there is so much more detail and understanding to be had
Itâs not always common for me to finish a book and cry. To reread a book and sit with how relevant it is because injustice has not dwindled. In Solitary, by Albert Woodfox, we learn of one manâs journey to prison but there, his fight was never singular as a brotherhood was developed that could never be broken.
From a young age, Albert was surrounded by poverty and slowly started understanding how his skin tone was a crime. Young and restless, he would not abide by his motherâs rules and began dabbling in crime at a young age to survive the streets of New Orleansâs Treme neighborhood. Albert became no stranger to the system even though he escaped on numerous occasions. By the age of 24, he had been in and out of prison and had a yearlong addiction to heroin until he kicked the habit with the help of a girlfriend.Â
In the need to survive, his mother could not read or write which resulted in prostitution to make sure her children had a roof of their head and food in their bellies. With his need to survive, Albert discloses how he stole from people who almost had nothing. His own people. Things finally got out of hand in 1969 when Albert was sentenced to 50 years in prison for armed robbery mixed with added false chargers so police can clean their books.Â
In Angola prison, the largest maximum-security prison that was a plantation, Woodfox is introduced and joins the Black Panther Party. Fighting injustices in the prison system, Woodfox became a target. He was charged with killing a guard by the name of Brent Miller. With a lack of evidence and numerous tellings of the incident that did and did not put Woodfox and other inmates at the scene of the crime, there would be a long fight not only to prove their innocence but to succumb to four decades in solitary confinement faced with harsh and brutal treatment daily. Hot cells, numerous strip searches, brutally attacked, deteriorating health, and being behind bars while you start to lose friends and family members that believe in your innocence.Â
The false charge of murder introduced us to true friendship as the âAngola 3â (Herman, Albert, and King) stood firm in their beliefs and their duty to protect other inmates as they stood up to the prison rape culture, helped educate inmates through reading and writing, and joined in hungry strikes to get fair and appropriate treatment. Herman died three days after his release from prison in 2013, Woodfox finally tasted freedom in 2016 but passed away in 2022, and the last remaining member of the three, King, never stopped his fight to speak on the harsh conditions of the prison and justice system.Â
This is not an easy story to read as much of it still stands in the injustices and the harsh treatment of Black men in America. Albert Woodfox introduces us to true friendship as he shows the strength and comradery he had with Herman Wallace and Robert King. He shows us what endless love and strength look like and how the fight must go on even when the odds are stacked against you. He shares so much of the legal process as he starts to learn the law and has an army behind him that would not give up in the fight to prove his freedom. This is a book everyone should read as I have only touched on minimal as there is so much more detail and understanding to be had
mol_reads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0