Customer Reviews

White Man's Justice

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief," by Donald Goines, is a compelling novel about men in prison. The text's copyright date is 1973. This book tells the story of Chester Hines, an African-American man who is arrested during a police traffic stop at the beginning of the novel. The bulk of the book details his experiences in prison.

Goines creates a vivid portrait of the lives of incarcerated men. He describes overcrowding, filthy conditions, violence, and other aspects of life behind bars. A major theme is the racially charged nature of prison life, with whites as an abused minority within the inmate population. Goines writes at graphic length about homosexual acts in prison; prison sex is always described in the most vile context.

Goines' writing is crisp, and the story moves along effectively. His characters are memorable and disturbing. Some of the social protest (starting with the hit-you-over-the-head title) seems a little forced. But this is definitely not a white-bashing book; there are a couple of sympathetic white characters, and in fact the most abusive and twisted characters are black! Overall, a fascinating look at a "community" (i.e. the inmate population) that most people will probably never experience directly. For another literary work that offers a gripping view of life in a racially mixed prison, try Miguel Pinero's great play "Short Eyes."

In this story, like his others, Donald Goines succeeded in painting a clear, vivid, and lively picture of life behind bars from the black man's point of view during that time. If you really take in the message Goines gets across, you'll see it's much more than a man complaining about this, that, the man not giving him a break, etc. Chester (the main character) was fully aware of his crimes and knew he would be punished. The severity, however, is what got to him, and really set the story in motion. The supporting cast Goines brings is terrific; later on in the story Chester and a friend of his befriend a white inmate, and while everything is cool between the three of them, you can see the tension mount when it's time for two of them to go to the parole board and see about their releases. A story this authentic and true can only be told by someone who's either lived it, or has been around it, and Goines more than qualified to do the job.

This is the 5th book I have read by Mr. Goines. While this is not my favorite(Whoreson), this is still an excellent read. I was able to complete the book in 1 day! So often televsion shows and books sugar-coat prison life, this book is so real it makes you believe you are actually serving time with the others. Donald Goines has a way of dragging the reader into each book. It's sad that his collection only has 14 books. I must say he and Zane are neck and neck in the race of becmoing my favorite author!

Along with Roscoe Beck and Clarence Cooper, Donald Goines wrote books from the perspective of the mean streets in which poverty, racism, and drug addiction, were facts of life. He didn't belong to any literary "schools," he didn't move to Paris where he might have been more appreciated, and most books on African American literature ignore him. But there is a raw truth in what he writes, especially in this, what I consider his finest book. Give the man his due.

This is a novel about life in county lock up by one of the better underground black authors of the 70's. Goines was a junkie and prisoner himself and cranked out about a dozen hard boiled novels about black street life before being gunned down in '73. In the last several years a new audience has discovered him as an author who provides a nihilistic view of inner city life. Anything by Goines is worth reading.

I found this book hard to put down. Goines writes in a way to where you can relate with his characters. The book actually revolves around a relation between chester and a guy he meets in the county and against his better judgement builds a close relationship with him that ends up being a fatal decision. Definetly one for the collection

This book may have started the famous PR bonds. For thoes that are not aware. The bond allows a person to be freed from jail with out having to pay bail if it is their first offense. The court is not obligated to give you this bond, but in many cases it is offered to allow poor folk an opportunity to be freed until their court date. In this novel Donald attacked the penal system. Took it apart and exposed all of it's dark, evil component. A must read no questions asked.

I just finished reading the book and WOW is all I have to say. This is not OZ this is some real sounding stuff here. There was nothing going on outside to these men, this book took place within the walls of the county jail for the most part and finally in a penitentary. it validates what most men say after their visits there. it was interesting how he spolighted some of the characters and told their story. everybody has a story there. it sounds weird to say that this is a masterpiece of prison life but it is. donald clearly knew his topic very well and brought some very interesting issues to light, particularly the bail bond issue. There were characters in there that I felt for and some unbearable characters which all added a sense of realism to this story. i often found myslef wondering which of the characters reflected the most of donald goines because he told this story with such grittiness it seemed like a memory. funny thing is most of the conditions at the time of this book remain the same. i couldnt see it having a happy ending, our main character was righteous at times but also very deeply affected by the way he had already led his life which undoubtedly would come back to haunt him.

I must start off by saying the book was really grapic at times but over all it was a good book i am not going to tell the story but it's one for the collection.
bye it

This book was down and dirty all the way to the end! This book told the truth about the prison system and what goes on behind prison walls. If you wanted to know anything about jail, read this book and you would know. Once again Goines holds nothing back and goes into detail. THIS IS ANOTHER MUST READ BY THE BEST AUTHOR!