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Bobby Sands: Writings from Prison

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Bobby Sands, equipped with only a contraband ballpoint pen refill cartridge and toilet paper, wrote some of the most affecting and powerful poetry of this century. His prison diaries give poignant insight into the soul of a man who was willing to die for his beliefs. In this case, the right to be treated as a human being. Regardless of your political perspective, this is a book that should be experienced to gain a greater understanding of the complex politics that led to 10 men dying on hunger strike.

There is a good reason that Nobel Peace Laureate Sean MacBride wrote the introduction to this book. It deserves to be read by anyone who cares about the Troubles in the North of Ireland. Indeed, it deserves to be read by anyone with a love of the indomitable human spirit, of which Bobby Sands was one.

Rest in Peace, Bobby.

I was in bits after reading this book, and I will never again take for granted the mighty luxuries of a dry bed, a warm blanket, a good meal or the freedom to walk out my door and gaze at the night sky unfettered. This book should be compulsory reading for all humanity. I feel as though I've spent time in Long Kesh after reading Bobby's book, and the courage he showed us all in writing it with such eloquence in the most impossible of conditions is a testament to his courage. Gerry Adams summed it up brilliantly when he said Bobby Sands lives in these pages. They may have killed his body but they never broke his spirit nor swayed him from his goal. i urge you to buy this book and keep it in your family so that future generations will know him.

After I finished this book I found myself crying and It took a long time to recover. It's incredible that in the heart of old Europe an entire and divided people suffer and so much people are ignorant about it (or pretend to be). You, in your confortable home, try to spend a few hours and read these pages.

..how many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry, Yes n how many deaths will it take till he know that too many people have died, Yes n how many times can a man turn his head pretending he just didnt see..

Bobby, you'll never be forgotten.

This book is a collection of writings from one of irelands best known heros. It is composed of bobbys writeings inside Long kesh prison ( A.K.A H.M.P Maze) written on scraps of toilet paper and a biro insert it is a testement to the human beings ability to overcome torture and degradation .This young I.R.A volunteer endured daily beatings and body searches at the hands of the bigoted ,sectarian prison officers . tough Bobby died on hunger strike in 1981 after several years on the blanket and dirty protests his ideals and visions live on in these pages his poems and essays contain many references to the oppresed and unfree everywhere e.g the jews under hitler the blacks under aparthaid and countless others. If you have an intrest an irish hitory, the struggle or love freedom you must buy this book. BOBBY SANDS M.P IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY VOLUTEER R.I.P

Although this will not go down as a classic it is nevertheless fascinating, compelling and informative. My favorite poem is "I Wish I Was Back in Derry", which was put to music by Gordon Lightfoot. Some may call him a thug, but most people would be hardpressed to find many thugs who are willing to die for their beliefs.This book shows in detail the horrible treatment these political prisoners received at the hands of their captors and reminds one of the general mistreatment of Catholics and Nationalists which is an everyday occurence in Northern Ireland. It also makes one wonder if terrorist organizations such as the Ulster Defense Association would have the same courage if the British army wasn't there to back them up. If you're not sure what opinion to draw then add to your reading list, The Committee: Political Assassination in Northern Ireland. Enjoy the read, it's a good one for both books.

For anyone who has any interest in Republican politics this is a must read. It is because of Bobby Sands and his other nine comrades that Republican politics is able to be as vibrant as it is today. At the start of the book there is a Preface by both Sean MacBride and Gerry Adams, from then on it is all Bobby Sands. In the section "A Day in my life", Bobby tells us about the routine harrassment that the Republican prisoners would have to endure, the sheer brutality and naked harshness of their oppressors who in their cruelty and naivety could not possibly understand what it was that the prisoners were going through. For a man who is imprisoned, his poetry betrays the mind of a man who is free. Refusing to live in a country that sees him as a second class citizen, Bobby decided to fight and it was because of this taht he ended up in prison. Bobby often touched on this in his poetry. His Trilogy about life in jail is a work of art, a poem that deserves much more recognition than it actually got. Two of his poems have been turned into songs by Christy Moore, these are McIlhatton and The Voyage (I wish i was back home in Derry). The book concludes wuth a section that he wrote in the first 16 days of hunger strike before lack of strength robbed him from writing anymore. All in all a superb read, buy it and understand. Tiocfaidh ar la.

This is an incredible book. Although I lived in Ireland during the Hunger Strike, I still have a hard time remembering that this book is not a work of fiction. I have to continually remind myself that Bobby and so many others died, and lived tormented lives, for the sake of my freedom. Bobby was a beautiful thinker and writer. This book should be read by every person in Ireland and Britain. RIP Bobby.

Bobby Sands: Writings from Prison is the most important book that I have ever read. In my opinion it is the most inspiring testament of courage ever to be put onto paper. Sands vividly describes what it was like to be on the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. His description of the conditions in which these brave men lived and died in would strike a nerve in any person that calls himself human. Humorous and sad at the same time this book changed my whole entire thought process on certain social issues.

if you are irish this book will bring home to you the hart that thees man had for there rights as irish p.o.w."s god bless them all . the H.BLOCK ten . m.mc.dade belfast ireland

Enough said