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lauresno's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
jwinchell's review
4.0
Marlon Peterson writes compellingly about his formative years in Crown Heights,, New York, the third child of Trinidadian immigrants. He writes about the tough exterior that is required of Black boys to survive the streets and the effed up situations he found himself in. He pulls back the curtain of his mistakes and worst moment to give insight into the US’s insistence on toxic masculinity and patriarchy and white supremacy. He survived 10 years in prison, from age 19 to age 30, by relying on himself, reading, journaling, and organizing outreach seminars and other learning experiences that empowered prisoners to take charge of their lives and minds. At times the narrative skipped around in time, but that’s a small price to pay for this strong voice of prison abolition. Recommended for anyone who wants to pay attention to the problem of mass incarceration and to be inspired by a man who isn’t defined by his worst moment, even by himself.
lknickerson's review
4.0
Beautiful story with incredibly important messaging. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because of the organization of it which I found a little confusing at times. Other than that, I found the book inspiring, enlightening, and tremendous.
mollybyrne's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
tracithomas's review
4.0
I love what Marlon says about the humanity of the millions of incarcerated peoples. I loved thinking about abolition in this deeply personal (vs policy) way. The writing was hit or miss abd some things were unclear. I sharper editing process might have helped. Though major shouts to Peterson for staying true to his voice.
ladellereads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
alyssanewsom's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Marlon, thank you. This book left me feeling a way I cannot describe. It made me cry, laugh, rejoice, and think. It educated me and challenged me. The idea of us acting on our best and worst possibilities really stuck with me.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We were a medley of people who were usually insecure and rarely certain. We were a community of healers, warriors, jesters, and teachers. We were people broken by experiences, surviving the best way we knew how. We were you.”
“Incarceration doesn’t rehabilitate; people do.”
“America, I decided, could keep its dishonest dream. In that way I vowed to be un-American.”
“My awareness is the utility to not act out my worst possibilities.”
“I wish someone told me that simply moving on was not freedom from the harm felt and seen.”
“Justice is what love looks like in public.”
“All of the fear suffocated space for love. Love for others makes you want to undo behaviors that hurt.”
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We were a medley of people who were usually insecure and rarely certain. We were a community of healers, warriors, jesters, and teachers. We were people broken by experiences, surviving the best way we knew how. We were you.”
“Incarceration doesn’t rehabilitate; people do.”
“America, I decided, could keep its dishonest dream. In that way I vowed to be un-American.”
“My awareness is the utility to not act out my worst possibilities.”
“I wish someone told me that simply moving on was not freedom from the harm felt and seen.”
“Justice is what love looks like in public.”
“All of the fear suffocated space for love. Love for others makes you want to undo behaviors that hurt.”