Scan barcode
mcastello13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
I first read an excerpt from this book in one of my nonfiction writing classes as a student at Pitt, and have wanted to return to it ever since - in small part because it’s a Pittsburgh story, but more so because the writing completely captivated me.
I’m so glad I’ve finally read it in full, even though it took me more than a month to finish. I think it took me that long partly because the writing is so good that I just wanted to sit in it and absorb it each time I picked the book up, but mostly because, as one would imagine, it’s a very heavy, painful story.
It’s also different from what I expected - going into it, I thought most of the book would be about Robby’s experience in prison, but a larger chunk of it actually focuses on what led to his time there, a choice which makes a lot of sense to me now. It seems to me that there are many books written about the prison experience, but maybe not quite so many about what forces people there.
I don’t think I could say enough good things about John Edgar Wideman‘s writing, but I think the thing that actually stands out most strongly to me about this book is Robby. He is such a compelling person with such a strong voice and I so appreciate that we get to hear it throughout most of the book. It’s astonishing to think about what he endured in prison, and so deeply fucked up that he had to endure it in the first place. It’s disturbing to me that at the end of the book I felt so happy to hear he had been released, and then it really sunk in that he had been in prison for 44 years. That feels impossible to wrap my head around.
Like I mentioned, one of the things that drew me to this book is that it is largely set in Pittsburgh, and highlights the challenges and inadequacies of the Pittsburgh of the mid-20th century (to put it lightly). Reading about Robby and John‘s experience here in my home city, I wasn’t surprised to learn what they endured as Black men, but it did deepen my sense and understanding of the city during that time. I’m grateful for the nuance and truth shared here, and throughout this book.
I’m so glad I’ve finally read it in full, even though it took me more than a month to finish. I think it took me that long partly because the writing is so good that I just wanted to sit in it and absorb it each time I picked the book up, but mostly because, as one would imagine, it’s a very heavy, painful story.
It’s also different from what I expected - going into it, I thought most of the book would be about Robby’s experience in prison, but a larger chunk of it actually focuses on what led to his time there, a choice which makes a lot of sense to me now. It seems to me that there are many books written about the prison experience, but maybe not quite so many about what forces people there.
I don’t think I could say enough good things about John Edgar Wideman‘s writing, but I think the thing that actually stands out most strongly to me about this book is Robby. He is such a compelling person with such a strong voice and I so appreciate that we get to hear it throughout most of the book. It’s astonishing to think about what he endured in prison, and so deeply fucked up that he had to endure it in the first place. It’s disturbing to me that at the end of the book I felt so happy to hear he had been released, and then it really sunk in that he had been in prison for 44 years. That feels impossible to wrap my head around.
Like I mentioned, one of the things that drew me to this book is that it is largely set in Pittsburgh, and highlights the challenges and inadequacies of the Pittsburgh of the mid-20th century (to put it lightly). Reading about Robby and John‘s experience here in my home city, I wasn’t surprised to learn what they endured as Black men, but it did deepen my sense and understanding of the city during that time. I’m grateful for the nuance and truth shared here, and throughout this book.
kyra_ann_writes's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.25
manoushp109's review against another edition
3.5
rly interesting but i read it for class and it took forever
bethmarie2003's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
galoshes's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
kevinmccarrick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
vtlism's review against another edition
3.0
while knowing that i could not write as well, i am nonetheless not thrilled with Wideman's writing style, all his wee repetitive sentences. the book was first worse than i expected then better than the worsening led me to expect, like an uneven U shape. i wanted more. it did a good job of making prison real and physical beyond the stereotypes, making me neither pity nor respect the brother, though in some parts the lamentations seemed excessive-- he did kill someone, so is he proposing no punishment? also, the blanket proposition that poked out every now and then that "black men have no way out" is painfully illustrated to be incorrect by the very act of Wideman's writing and success.
mozhwa's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
3.75
Very eye-opening look into the prison system in America and how corrupt it is. Wideman’s writing is fantastic, and he interweaves his brother’s writing into the narrative in a very effective way. This not only provides the perspective of the impact the incarceration system has on loved ones, but also the perspective of the incarcerated, something that is not often seen in mainstream media, definitely back when this was published.
Once again, this is a book I had to read for class, and although I definitely did not finish it in time I was supposed to, I still wanted to make sure I finished it. The pacing was not my favorite and it became a little difficult to get through in the second half, but it is a very important book to read.