Iron house : stories from the yard /

Iron House is a collection of stories, anecdotes, character sketches, and simple one-line observations concerning the 16 years author Washington spent in Attica Correctional Facility. Nearly all the pieces are brief, so abridgment damages them very little. The sound of a cell door slamming shut separates the pieces, punctuating and emphasizing with a power not available to the print version. Washington reads his own material, and his narration is as rough and hoarse as his prose is polished, which only adds to the authenticity of his work. He introduces us to an amazing collection of colorfully named convicts. The chilling callousness of the early segments gives way to the author's rediscovery of his own humanity, especially in the longest piece wherein Jomo, another prisoner, teaches Washington how to free his mind by standing in one spot where he can see no prison, only sky, and letting his imagination soar. This is good stuff. Recommended for most collections.‘John Hiett, Iowa City P.L. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.