Doing Time

25 Years of Prison Writing

De: Bell Gale Chevigny - editor

Narrado por: Bernard Setaro Clark, Shay Moore

Doing Time: For the prison writers whose work is included in this anthology, it means more than "serving a sentence"; it means staying alive and sane, preserving dignity, reinventing oneself, and somehow retaining one's humanity. For the last quarter century the prestigious writers' organization PEN has sponsored a contest for writers behind bars to help prisoners face these challenges. The contest honors the best short stories, plays, essays, and poems among hundreds submitted annually by men and women nationwide. Bell Chevigny, a writer herself and a former prison teacher, has selected the best of these to create Doing Time - a timely, beautiful, sometimes devastating, but vital work, which demonstrates resoundingly that prison writing is a vibrant branch of American literature.

©1999, 2011 PEN American Center. Foreword 1999, 2011 by Sister Helen Prejean. Introduction and afterword copyright 2011 by Bell Gale Chevigny. Section introductions copyright 1999, 2011 by Bell Gale Chevigny (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Transfixed

What an honor to hear these voices silenced by our penal system. What an education to hear their perspective on life. The narration was superb. The writing was off-the-hook good. I highly recommend not only to anyone interested in prison writing, but to anyone interested in great prose and poetry.

Such amazing talent is languishing behind bars.

The stories and poems come to life with each narrator. The only problem I had was occasionally losing where one story ended and another began.

Great writing expertly narrated.

Honestly I've only listened to a few hours but they have been so great that I'd pay for only what I've heard so far.

A peek instead another world

The stories in this book are real, raw and unfiltered. it is an excellent portrayal of what life is like in a prison. although I have never been in one, I feel like it gives me the kind of understanding that I wanted to get from the book. I would not recommend this for children but I would definitely recommend it for adults. it is an excellent book.

Excellent!

Any additional comments?

I recently have found myself writing to someone incarcerated and thought I would listen to this collection of poems and stories written by the incarcerated. I knew there would be some interesting and compelling stories but I was absolutely floored by some of the writing. Really excellent. And the way it was strung together and narrated only added to the experience. I was so sad when it came to an end!

Really gets inside this mind and life of a prisoner

There's not an aspect of life between bars not covered. Some of it is brutal and hard to hear. Some is sort of heartwarming, some funny, some very sad. It should educate us all about the injustices of the criminal justice system.