Staff Pick
An unflinchingly difficult look at one man's life of crime, imprisonment, and finally, solitary confinement. Solitary is a deeply disturbing and complex exploration of the intersections between crime and punishment, and asks timely questions about the ethics and consequences of isolating human beings from each other. A challenging and rewarding read. Recommended By Darla M., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
We learn more every year about the damaging effects of solitary confinement. This unquestionably cruel and unusual punishment leaves prisoners with no human contact, sometimes for years at a time, and it nearly always leads to lasting trauma. In Solitary, Maurizio Torchio takes on the daunting task of narrating this most isolating experience, one in which the captive is not only cut off from society in the walls of a prison, but from human contact itself. Within this closed world seemingly out of time, the prisoner still yearns for human contact. Ultimately, this desire is a form of hope, reminding us that ineluctable human qualities survive even in the most inhumane spaces.