A direct, caring, and insightful read that covers a wealth of prison-related issues.
A collection of letters that aims to provide encouragement and advice to the incarcerated.
Debut author Valdes draws on his 10 years of experience as a psychiatrist in the California state correctional system to provide prisoners with insights into what led to their crimes; how to deal with prison life; and what skills, attitudes, and habits they can develop in order to achieve a stronger sense of self and greater success going forward. Using a direct, and sometimes quite blunt, second-person voice, he offers his thoughts on multiple topics in a series of 28 letters, covering childhood troubles; advocating for oneself; prison politics; the judicial system; the victims of crimes; drugs; mental health; and the transition to everyday life after prison, among others. Some scenarios may not apply to all prisoners—for example, a letter subtitled “Speak!” starts with the judgment, “You wouldn’t be in prison if you had learned to speak your mind.” In another letter about mental health, Valdes asserts that the prisoner didn’t get love and understanding from a parent or other adult earlier in life. Although these generalizations are almost certainly true in many circumstances, and undoubtedly reflect the author’s experience working in the prison system, they won’t resonate with all readers. Also, because all the examples allude to a male prison population, this book won’t be as relevant for female inmates. However, the book’s overall tone is one of encouragement and compassion, and the wisdom that Valdes offers reflects close observation and caring. Much of the advice is usefully pragmatic; for example, one letter discusses the need for positive interactions with guards whenever feasible, and another talks about “friends” who exert a negative influence after the prisoner is released. The book also provides suggestions for non-prisoners, such as forming a “Prison Corps” of college students to help inmates socialize by telling their stories.
A direct, caring, and insightful read that covers a wealth of prison-related issues.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Dog Ear Publisher
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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