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Solitary
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
11 posts | 11 read | 17 to read
Solitary is the unforgettable life story of a man who served more than four decades in solitary confinementin a 6-foot by 9-foot cell, 23 hours a day, in notorious Angola prison in Louisianaall for a crime he did not commit. That Albert Woodfox survived was, in itself, a feat of extraordinary endurance against the violence and deprivation he faced daily. That he was able to emerge whole from his odyssey within Americas prison and judicial systems is a triumph of the human spirit, and makes his book a clarion call to reform the inhumanity of solitary confinement in the U.S. and around the world. Arrested often as a teenager in New Orleans, inspired behind bars in his early twenties to join the Black Panther Party because of its social commitment and code of living, Albert was serving a 50-year sentence in Angola for armed robbery when on April 17, 1972, a white guard was killed. Albert and another member of the Panthers were accused of the crime and immediately put in solitary confinement by the warden. Without a shred of actual evidence against them, their trial was a sham of justice that gave them life sentences in solitary. Decades passed before Albert gained a lawyer of consequence; even so, sixteen more years and multiple appeals were needed before he was finally released in February 2016. Remarkably self-aware that anger or bitterness would have destroyed him in solitary confinement, sustained by the shared solidarity of two fellow Panthers, Albert turned his anger into activism and resistance. The Angola 3, as they became known, resolved never to be broken by the grinding inhumanity and corruption that effectively held them for decades as political prisoners. He survived to give us Solitary, a chronicle of rare power and humanity that proves the better spirits of our nature can thrive against any odds.
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all_4_kb
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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SUPER excited about this one…. I‘m a huge follower of those who have been exonerated from being wrongfully imprisoned and here‘s yet another story told….

Reggie There was this story the other day, I wish I could remember his name. But he was from Idaho. He had been wrongly imprisoned for 20 years for the killing of a female friend. In fact he helps get a law passed in Idaho that for every year your falsley imprisoned you get a certain amount of money. He also helped pass the same law in Oregon. Sadly after so many years of being free he was found dead in a Las Vegas hotel. They said initially it was👇🏼 1mo
Reggie accidental but now they‘re thinking it was intentional. 1mo
all_4_kb @Reggie ohhhh send me his name! And sounds all too familiar 😢 1mo
Reggie Chris Tapp 1mo
53 likes4 comments
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peaKnit
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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#antiracistbookfestival
I really have enjoyed these virtual opportunities, bright spot in the pandemic. Very interesting and heartbreaking to listen to this man who spent 40+ years in prison, in solitary.
*best quote “the mouth will say anything, the ass is the proof”. Yup

20 likes2 stack adds
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keithmalek
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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Bailedbailed

A vile street criminal who was already in prison and probably would've stayed there for the rest of his life anyway is falsely accused of killing a prison guard, and spends forty-four years in solitary confinement. What follows is a 414-page exercise in self-pity. Those gullible enough to fall for this nonsense are also dumb enough to enjoy Robin DiAngelo's "White Fragility." But for those who like to think, you might want to skip this one.

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kspenmoll
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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#12Booksof2920 #Day3
I had to put this book down & take a break so many times. I did not report on it in Litsy; too raw, violent, claustrophobic,stunning, visceral, gut wrenching- even these words are not powerful enough.This extraordinary man, Woodfox, survived 40+ years in Louisiana‘s notorious Angola prison in solitary confinement for the murder a prison guard,which he did not commit.#Angola3. Nominated for National Book Award & Nobel Prize.

kspenmoll This picture was taken by me while watching a interview with the author when his book won the Harriet Beecher Stowe Prize. The HBD museum and house is in Hartford, CT, which I have visited pre Covid. 3y
megnews Wow. Sounds excellent. 3y
Andrew65 Great choice. 3y
47 likes4 stack adds3 comments
review
DieAReader
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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Pickpick

#CrushTheRush #ProgressItDecember

5⭐️

Wow! What an inspiration to what the human spirit can endure, overcome & rise above. This is one that will stay with me forever.

As someone who, once upon a time, had aspirations of becoming a lawyer, the repeated acts of prosecutorial misconduct, heinous acts of compliant racism & hate repeatedly shown to #AlbertWoodfox #TheAngolaThree, as well as countless others, break my ♥️ & boil my 🩸

📸 c/o Google

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I'm so glad you're enjoying this latest batch of books. 🤗 3y
GHABI4ROSES You know it, girl. Fighting the fight. 3y
27 likes2 comments
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DieAReader
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor poverty will be safe. - Frederick Douglas

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kspenmoll
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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#StowePrize2020 #AlbertWoodfox #AngolaThree#HarrietBeecherStoweHouse
Viewed this interview tonight with my family. Timely, powerful, thought provoking. In awe of this man‘s endurance, resilience, activism, & advocacy for himself & others,during his horrific 40+ years in solitary confinement at the notorious Angola prison in Louisiana. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center of Hartford, Connecticut, awarded Woodfox with 2020 Stowe Prize.

Texreader Oh wow 😳 4y
Suet624 Damn! 4y
57 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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NerdyRev
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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Pickpick

Another rough read, but a very important look at the prison system, abuses, and ultimately redemption. There are a few descriptions of men on men rape, so be weary of there are triggers as well as lots of descriptions of violence. He owns his walk though. To be in solitary for almost 4 decades on and off. Wow.

21 likes1 stack add
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Memesydnie
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
Pickpick

Good book but a monotonous read at times. A story that definitely should be told.

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Blaire
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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Here‘s a pic of just of a few of the many law books on our shelves. What can I say, I‘m a lawyer married to a lawyer. The tagged book is on my #tbr. It is written by a man who spent decades in solitary in the infamous Angola prison for a crime he did not commit and managed to retain his humanity and hope. #ifoughtthelaw #anglophileapril

Crazeedi That would be a hard one to read 5y
Mdargusch Good choice! What a tragic situation. 5y
emilyhaldi I went to the Angola Prison Rodeo one year while I was in college nearby. It was really cool to attend the arts/crafts fair... All of the products are made by the prisoners 🙃 5y
See All 11 Comments
emilyhaldi Ps. The book you're referring to sounds BRUTAL 5y
Cinfhen I agree @emilyhaldi book sounds devastating but I want to read it. I‘m truly amazed at the will to live and how one can overcome such incredible obstacles 5y
Reviewsbylola Ugh I hate to hear stories of wrongful convictions. 😢 5y
Blaire @Crazeedi yes. I think it will be difficult but also a real testament to what people can overcome. 5y
Blaire @Mdargusch so much injustice in the justice system. 5y
Blaire @emilyhaldi so did my husband. Still has the t-shirt. He went to Tulane for law school. 5y
Blaire @emilyhaldi @Cinfhen @reviewsbylola yes. I find it incredible how he maintained his humanity and powerful that he wrote his own story. I‘ve read a lot about injustice and wrongful convictions, but seems rare to read a first person account. 5y
emilyhaldi I went to Tulane for undergrad!!! So I‘m a bit biased in saying it‘s the best school (and New Orleans the best city!) ever!!!! Hopefully your husband agrees 😉 5y
67 likes11 comments
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KatieB
Solitary | Albert Woodfox
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My boy took my place when I got up to make tea! Yep, that's how I feel about this book too...