Live from Death Row (Paperback)

by Mumia Abu-jamal (Author), John Edgar Wideman (Introduction) "Recalling the horrors of African-American history, accepting the challenges our history presently places on us, is like acknowledging a difficult, unpleasant duty or debt that's..." (more)
Key Phrases: camp hell, death row prisoners, Supreme Court, United States, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of a police officer, after a trial that has since attracted considerable criticism, African American journalist Abu-Jamal presents a collection of his prison writings.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
After a bizarre shooting of a policeman and an equally bizarre trial, Abu-Jamal was convicted of murder and sentenced to Pennsylvania's death row. Twelve years later, he is still there, although new evidence has been found to support his innocence. This volume is a collection of his writings, which, for the most part, document the atrocities of prison life. The reader may sympathize with Abu-Jamal's plight and even question his guilt in the shooting but will probably find this book fragmented and sketchy. Instead of a continuous narrative, Abu-Jamal offers brief notes drawn together under one theme. Good prose is drowned by ravings and accusations. One can see why Abu-Jamal's commentaries on National Public Radio were abruptly canceled. The book will probably not be of value to public or academic libraries. It might be of use in correctional facility libraries where readers are interested in the case.?Frances Sandiford, Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, N.Y.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380727668
• ISBN-13: 978-0380727667
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well written book about our prison system., February 1, 2000

By A Customer

Growing up in Philadelphia I formed my negative opinions of Mumia and his case without ever having researched his history myself. However, after the most recent Free Mumia march in Philly, I felt obligated to look into the case that riled people into such a frenzy. What I found was a case based on shaky ground at best, making it a jewel for human right activists. However, I still was not convinced either way of Mumia's innocence or his guilt. I picked up Live From Death Row hoping to develop a more informed opinion, one that was supported by my own experience with Mumia's writing. Surprisingly however, I found that the book did not deal with Mumia's case at all and instead focused on the social injustices that are acted out in our prisons every day. Mumia's anecdotes were insightful and intelligent, leading the reader to keep flipping page after page. At the very least, the book was an educational review of life in prison and deep look into the soul of a death row inmate. While I finished the book no more enlightened on the Mumia innocence/guilt question than when I started, I got a well written snap shot of life on death row. Mumia's writing will keep your interest and his intelligence and love for life shine through.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving and Inspirational, February 21, 2000

By	Dustin Miller (Sparta, IL) - See all my reviews

I cant express in words how much this book spoke to me. There isnt a single person who should not read this book. Most people say "it tells of the conditions of our prison system" well it does that, but He says so much more. "Live From Death Row" is a tesament to the flaws of modern society, and as participants of that society we should under stand it. This book invokes understanding, as well as rage. I pity all those who havnt taken the time to take his words whole heartedly.

20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stop the imaturity., May 15, 2000

By A Customer

Having read the book, I'd like to point out to the prior reviewer that the only time Abu-Jamal mentions his ongoing case at all in the book is in the last few pages, and only then does he describe--in a deliberately surreal manner--not who shot who but his abusive treatment by the police immediately afterwards. It was never proven he was beaten (officials say he merely "hit a pole,"), but it seems likely. An old newspaper article even refers to Abu-Jamal's brother--also at the scene of Faulkner's death--and how a newstand he worked at was burnt down. An anonymous police source said it was likely Philadelphia police were the cause of it being destroyed. Think I'm lying? The article is on the Daniel Faulkner website!

Philadelphia's police have had a more troubled past than any of Faulkner's supporters care to admit. Sometimes it seems that Abu-Jamal is the last one to remember that.

Abu-Jamal does go to great lengths in his first book to describe the world around him as he resides in Pennsylvania Death Row. As far as I know, no one has refuted his stories about the treatment of fellow prisoners, which most can easily see as inhumane. If there have been facts that contradict his inside view of the prison system, please let us know.

I would recomend Live From Death Row not for information on Abu-Jamal's case, but for the compelling stories he has to tell. Race For Justice is a book by Abu-Jamal's attorney, Leonard Weinglass. It's far more appropriate, but be warned that it's a lengthy read through several legal documents. Whether or not Daniel Faulner supporters will produce a similar book of their own is another story. In the spirit of free speech, it's one I'd like to see but doubt will ever happen.