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I'm just finishing up The Heated Cage, Nicholas Guyatt regarding the Dartmoor Prison built in SW England to house Prisoners of war from England's war with France. A number of Americans were also housed there in 1810-1815.
This was built in a very desolate area of England, with snow in the winter, cold winds off the Atlantic and no heat in the prison. You were given only one blanket and one set of clothes upon admission.
And there were these inmates, referred to as Romans, who sold their clothes and blanket for alcohol/tobacco and remained naked for the rest of their years in prison. No, I can't imagine it! Or even walking around in the snow bare naked, let alone sleeping at night in that ice cold prison with no blanket. And none of them froze to death!
And here we go into a panic when the power goes out for a few hours in the summer or winter!
On the prison theme, I recently read My Life in Prison by Jiang Qisheng, a memoir written by a political prisoner in China, who spent four years in various facilities in the early 2000s. Being in prison in China probably doesn't need much elaboration...it wasn't pretty. That the memoirs were written in short pieces on bits of paper while he was in prison, and that he was able to smuggle them out is impressive.
ZERO amenities in Chinese detention centers. A bare minimum of food (watery cabbage soup and a bread roll most meals), no entertainment (books, TV, etc), even no talking allowed. When he arrived at one facility he felt relief when he saw bunk beds with fresh, clean bedding in the cell, thinking he would finally sleep comfortably in a bed by himself. But at night all the nice bedding was stripped off and stored under the bed, and 2-3 inmates shared each bed, or slept on the floor with filthy blankets. The beds were just for show for visiting groups, to give the appearance that inmates were treated humanely. Same with the fully stocked library full of books and newspaper - it was shown to visitors, but was otherwise kept locked and off limits to inmates.
Black Wings Has My Angel by Elliott Chaze. Published in 1953, a fast moving noir with a vibe reminiscent of The Postman Always Rings Twice and grittily descriptive writing.
I finished my Book Club read and grabbed City on Fire by Don Winslow off my TBR pile. I have no idea why I bought this one -- not at all my usual genre -- but I finished it and know I won't be buying any more of his books. Full of sex, violence and crude language -- a two star read for me. From the Amazon summary:
Two criminal empires together control all of New England. Until a beautiful woman comes between the Irish and the Italians, launching a war that will see them kill each other, destroy an alliance, and set a city on fire. Danny Ryan yearns for a more “legit” life and a place in the sun. But as the bloody conflict stacks body on body and brother turns against brother, Danny has to rise above himself. To save the friends he loves like family and the family he has sworn to protect, he becomes a leader, a ruthless strategist, and a master of a treacherous game in which the winners live and the losers die. From the gritty streets of Providence to the glittering screens of Hollywood to the golden casinos of Las Vegas, two rival crime families ignite a war that will leave only one standing. The winner will forge a dynasty. Exploring the classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, and honor, City on Fire is a contemporary masterpiece in the tradition of The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas—a thrilling saga from Don Winslow, “America’s greatest living crime writer” (Jon Land, Providence Journal).
Marc Lewis is a former addict of many drugs and is now a Neuroscientist.
Very good explanations with visual aids and studies and layman explanations what happens to the brain when people are addicted and he details 5 personal stories of people.
A collection of primary source writings and speeches from (mostly) Confederate veterans and leaders reflecting on & eulogizing their military service. There are also some speeches from Union vets. Contains occasional photos/portraits of soldiers from the era.
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Or even walking around in the snow bare naked, let alone sleeping at night in that ice cold prison with no blanket. And none of them froze to death!
