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ngreads's review
This is a tough book to review, since it's also a very tough book to read. It's also one I don't feel quite right rating, since I technically didn't finish the book--I got most of the way through, and had read most of the way through the research portion of the book before feeling like I had gotten far enough, as I had gotten what I was looking for from the book in terms of research.
I read this for research for my own writing, as I was working on a character who goes through extended solitary confinement and wanted to be as accurate and respectful as possible when writing his experiences and mental health struggles throughout his character arc after going through that kind of trauma.
This was one of those pieces of research where I knew that it was a horrific thing I would be learning about, only for it to be so much more horrifying than I had realized. It was also incredibly fascinating to learn about, since it was surprisingly hard to find good research and information covering solitary confinement, especially when it comes to first-hand experiences.
The book covers not only medical and psychological research revolving around the affects of solitary confinement on the human brain, but it also has the aforementioned essays from people who either have lived or are still (at the time of the book's publication) in solitary confinement, as well as giving a pretty in-depth history on the practice of solitary confinement, particularly in the American prison system. I found it all incredibly fascinating to learn about, and I'm glad I learned about it, as heavy as it was to read at times.
Anyway, very interesting read, and a really fascinating and heartbreaking look at an incredibly horrific and under-acknowledged practice in modern prisons. Glad I read it.
I read this for research for my own writing, as I was working on a character who goes through extended solitary confinement and wanted to be as accurate and respectful as possible when writing his experiences and mental health struggles throughout his character arc after going through that kind of trauma.
This was one of those pieces of research where I knew that it was a horrific thing I would be learning about, only for it to be so much more horrifying than I had realized. It was also incredibly fascinating to learn about, since it was surprisingly hard to find good research and information covering solitary confinement, especially when it comes to first-hand experiences.
The book covers not only medical and psychological research revolving around the affects of solitary confinement on the human brain, but it also has the aforementioned essays from people who either have lived or are still (at the time of the book's publication) in solitary confinement, as well as giving a pretty in-depth history on the practice of solitary confinement, particularly in the American prison system. I found it all incredibly fascinating to learn about, and I'm glad I learned about it, as heavy as it was to read at times.
Anyway, very interesting read, and a really fascinating and heartbreaking look at an incredibly horrific and under-acknowledged practice in modern prisons. Glad I read it.
11corvus11's review
4.0
Hell is a Very Small Place is partially a collection of essays of people who are or were in solitary confinement telling stories about their experiences. It is also composed of essays from lawyers, professors, psychologists, and journalists about why solitary confinement is unethical and illogical.
The essays telling the stories of peoples experiences are diverse in demographics and eerily similar as far as the abuses and torture suffered in each place. All of the essays tell stories of the descent into madness that occurs when one is deprived of human contact (physically, verbally, and otherwise,) natural light, medical care, food, and other basic necessities. Solitary confinement always causes lasting damage- especially when prisoners are held in it for extended periods of time. The essays by a trans woman and a gay cis man show how being LGBTQ and/or gender nonconforming is a punishable offense in prisons while being couched in the idea of "safety" and "protection" for LGBTQ people in prison. The essays also show how prisons lie to insist there is a need for solitary confinement based on ill-defined parameters such as gang affiliation, mild infarctions such as talking back to guards, or to quell any organized resistance such as hunger striking to improve the conditions in prisons. Once one is placed in solitary, a cyclic nature of getting stuck there for these reasons created by the oppressive institutions that are prisons begins.
I have had prison pen pals who have spent time in solitary, including one for extended amount of time due to an accusation of gang affiliation and the other for perceived homosexual activity (which would also garner you a sex offense and placement on a registry for something like two women consensually hugging.) I can say that the stories in this book are not unique. My friend in solitary for the longer time slowly lost his mind in permanent ways and has had a very difficult time readjusting to general population despite wanting to be out of solitary.
Even if one is heartless enough not to care about prisoners and their torture in solitary, it makes no sense as a punitive or rehabilitative measure. When people leave solitary, they are always worse off whether they are in the prison population or back out in the world. They struggle with relationships, open space, authority, and other things far worse than those never placed in solitary confinement.
The essays in the latter part of the book range from descriptions of the researched psychological effects of solitary by outside clinicians and/or researchers, the laws in place to keep solitary confinement going, or stories of those held there as they are perceived by someone on the outside. These essays are mostly good, but I found one topic to be lacking and that was the discussion of LGBTQ prisoners in solitary confinement. Given that multiple stories told by these people existed in the first part of the book, I would have liked to see at least one essay in the latter part focused on homophobia and transphobia in prisons and why such large percentages of LGBTQ people in prisons end up in solitary without even disobeying any written rules. LGBTQ prisoners are some of the most ill treated in prisons, especially when their identities intersect with other oppression such as racism and misogyny. That is why this book gets 4 stars instead of 5.
Overall this book does a good job showing how solitary confinement is literal torture that some prisoners describe as a sentence worse than death and one essay describes as "a living death sentence." It is an important read for anyone interested in prisons and could be handed to any person who is ignorant of how prisons are hellish places that do not rehabilitate or stop future crime.
Another review here claims the book is full of sociopathic murderers trying to influence the reader as to their innocence and the nonexistent abuse by guards. This reviewer did not read this book, or if they did, they did not read more than one essay. The review is irresponsible and is more about the reviewers personal feelings than it is about the book or the reality of prisons and solitary confinement.
The essays telling the stories of peoples experiences are diverse in demographics and eerily similar as far as the abuses and torture suffered in each place. All of the essays tell stories of the descent into madness that occurs when one is deprived of human contact (physically, verbally, and otherwise,) natural light, medical care, food, and other basic necessities. Solitary confinement always causes lasting damage- especially when prisoners are held in it for extended periods of time. The essays by a trans woman and a gay cis man show how being LGBTQ and/or gender nonconforming is a punishable offense in prisons while being couched in the idea of "safety" and "protection" for LGBTQ people in prison. The essays also show how prisons lie to insist there is a need for solitary confinement based on ill-defined parameters such as gang affiliation, mild infarctions such as talking back to guards, or to quell any organized resistance such as hunger striking to improve the conditions in prisons. Once one is placed in solitary, a cyclic nature of getting stuck there for these reasons created by the oppressive institutions that are prisons begins.
I have had prison pen pals who have spent time in solitary, including one for extended amount of time due to an accusation of gang affiliation and the other for perceived homosexual activity (which would also garner you a sex offense and placement on a registry for something like two women consensually hugging.) I can say that the stories in this book are not unique. My friend in solitary for the longer time slowly lost his mind in permanent ways and has had a very difficult time readjusting to general population despite wanting to be out of solitary.
Even if one is heartless enough not to care about prisoners and their torture in solitary, it makes no sense as a punitive or rehabilitative measure. When people leave solitary, they are always worse off whether they are in the prison population or back out in the world. They struggle with relationships, open space, authority, and other things far worse than those never placed in solitary confinement.
The essays in the latter part of the book range from descriptions of the researched psychological effects of solitary by outside clinicians and/or researchers, the laws in place to keep solitary confinement going, or stories of those held there as they are perceived by someone on the outside. These essays are mostly good, but I found one topic to be lacking and that was the discussion of LGBTQ prisoners in solitary confinement. Given that multiple stories told by these people existed in the first part of the book, I would have liked to see at least one essay in the latter part focused on homophobia and transphobia in prisons and why such large percentages of LGBTQ people in prisons end up in solitary without even disobeying any written rules. LGBTQ prisoners are some of the most ill treated in prisons, especially when their identities intersect with other oppression such as racism and misogyny. That is why this book gets 4 stars instead of 5.
Overall this book does a good job showing how solitary confinement is literal torture that some prisoners describe as a sentence worse than death and one essay describes as "a living death sentence." It is an important read for anyone interested in prisons and could be handed to any person who is ignorant of how prisons are hellish places that do not rehabilitate or stop future crime.
Another review here claims the book is full of sociopathic murderers trying to influence the reader as to their innocence and the nonexistent abuse by guards. This reviewer did not read this book, or if they did, they did not read more than one essay. The review is irresponsible and is more about the reviewers personal feelings than it is about the book or the reality of prisons and solitary confinement.
texcajunlibrarian's review
5.0
This collection of essays is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about solitary confinement. The US places an unusually large amount of people in solitary and more Americans should educate themselves on the effects of this practice as the vast majority of these prisoners or detainees will rejoin our communities. Furthermore, this practice may one day affect you or someone you love personally. The essays included are informative, shocking, and moving. I highly recommend some one read at least a handful of the essays included.
holly_117's review
5.0
This should be required reading, not just for people who work in and around the criminal justice system, but for everyone before they vote for yet another "tough on crime" politician. Our system is broken, and this book really shows what steps we need to take to lower crime levels and recidivism.
angelofthe0dd's review against another edition
4.0
It's an eye-opening book for sure. The stories reflect how solitude can really mess with your mind after a very short while. Some of the common themes in the book: temporary insanity, self-harm, lashing out, insomnia, hallucinating, mental breakdowns, etc. After reading this book, I can see where solitary confinement should not be used as a standard form of incarceration.
mrskinnunen's review
4.0
From the outside, you may think, “Why in the hell would you want to read something like that?” Ever since reading Just Mercy & The Sun Does Shine, I’ve been fascinated by the workings of the US prison system & the effects of its corruption.
These are the words written by death row prisoners, yes - murderers & the worst of the worst. But that’s not the point. They are also the words of human beings. The mere existence of “SED” (aka solitary confinement) is what’s being questioned here, as well as the arguably minor offenses that land you there in the first place.
What I did not know before reading this book is not just the large population currently “living” in SEDs, but the horrifying fact that so many of them have been there for YEARS. It’s absolutely disgusting. I wish there was incentive for someone smart & rich & compassionate to clean up our prison system.
These are the words written by death row prisoners, yes - murderers & the worst of the worst. But that’s not the point. They are also the words of human beings. The mere existence of “SED” (aka solitary confinement) is what’s being questioned here, as well as the arguably minor offenses that land you there in the first place.
What I did not know before reading this book is not just the large population currently “living” in SEDs, but the horrifying fact that so many of them have been there for YEARS. It’s absolutely disgusting. I wish there was incentive for someone smart & rich & compassionate to clean up our prison system.
twistingsnake's review
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
5.0
One of the most important books you can read. It radicalized me to something I only passively thought I understood. After reading this book and starting conversations with friends and family’s about when solitary confinement is “necessary” I’ve been horrified to find that the views of the public reflects our terrible reality.
The idea that there is any crime that justifies a half-life, a perpetual dying until the body gives out is cruel beyond belief. We need to put an end to all forms of solitary regardless of crime. The public lives in a blissful ignorance that only those who “deserve” it are put in a box 23 hours a day. No one deserves it, and the ones that are arrive from various paths that inarguably should not lead them to the worst form of torture still utilized in our justice system today.
Read this. Take what you’ve learned and share it with others. It’s only through education, empathy, and awareness that we can begin dismantling our cruel justice system.
The idea that there is any crime that justifies a half-life, a perpetual dying until the body gives out is cruel beyond belief. We need to put an end to all forms of solitary regardless of crime. The public lives in a blissful ignorance that only those who “deserve” it are put in a box 23 hours a day. No one deserves it, and the ones that are arrive from various paths that inarguably should not lead them to the worst form of torture still utilized in our justice system today.
Read this. Take what you’ve learned and share it with others. It’s only through education, empathy, and awareness that we can begin dismantling our cruel justice system.