Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Berkman, Alexander

Softcover

ISBN 10: 144005424X ISBN 13: 9781440054242

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2012

Synopsis

And my reasons are not due to any desire on my part that people should join any group of social philosophers or revolutionists. I desire that the book be widely read because the general and careful reading of it would definitely add to true civilization. It is a contribution to the writings which promote civilization; for the following reasons: It is a human document. It is a difficult thing to be sincere. More than that, it is a valuable thing. To be so, means unusual qualities of the heart and of the head; unusual qualities of character. The books that possess this quality are unusual books. There are not many deliberately autobiographical writings that are markedly sincere; there are not many direct human documents. This is one of these few books. Not only has this book the interest of the human document, but it is also a striking proof of the power of the human soul. Alexander Berkman spent fourteen years in prison; under perhaps more than commonly harsh and severe conditions. Prison life tends to destroy the body, weaken the mind and pervert the character. Berkman consciously struggled with these adverse, destructive conditions. He took care of his body. He took care of his mind. He did so strenuously. It was a moral effort. He felt insane ideas trying to take possession of him. Insanity is a natural result of prison life. It always tends to come. This man felt it, consciously struggled against it, and overcame it.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.

Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst dig

About this title

Review:

Alexander Berkman's book is vivid, candid, honest. --New York Times

No other book discusses so frankly the criminal ways of the closed prison society. --Kenneth Rexroth

About the Author:

Alexander Berkman was a leading writer and participant in the twentieth-century anarchist movement. Deported from New York City to his native Russia in 1919, he saw first hand the failure of the Bolshevik revolution, and wrote The Russian Tragedy and What Is Anarchism?

About this edition

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 144005424X
• ISBN 13: 9781440054242
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 542