Bio
Ryan is a writer, editor, and web strategist, living and working in Ottawa, Canada, who graduated with a BA in English and Politics from Trent University in 2002. He enjoys writing fiction, writing poetry, running, working out and going on long nature walks. Ryan previously published, Events Quarterly, an online magazine which showcased short stories, poetry, articles, interviews, and digital art work from writers and artists around the world. Some of the more notable interviews included Tiffany Thiessen (Saved by the Bell), Steve Alten (NY Times Best Selling Author), and Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies). He has worked on social media campaigns, email marketing, and many web sites and online campaigns.
Trigger Warning
In a society that is absolutely saturated with cop shows, true crime podcasts, legal dramas, and prison documentaries, I almost thought to myself, for one moment, why read a book about prison life? Then, I quickly thought to myself, nope, I’m up for it, for the same reason I’m up for the deluge of crime and punishment material that floods our day to day lives – curiosity.
I’ve never been inside of any sort of prison institution where people are currently imprisoned. I’ve never had anyone who I know well that had to go to prison while I’ve known them. I don’t know that life, so learning about it can be very interesting. Unit 29: Writing from Parchman Prison is a collection of work from over 30 inmates locked up at this Mississippi institution. Other material that I’ve read, watched, or listened to had a more consistent narrative. Either, these are dangerous people, these are troubled people, these are good people who did something bad, these are people who society has let down, or some other version that seems to lack the true grit of human nuance. Unit 29 had no such singular story. It told stories of mental illness, bad intentions, good intentions, people who were let down, people who let everyone else down, and every other type of person. Whether or not your curiosity drives you to read this book, I would recommend it because of the over 30 stories that are told from perspectives that you’ve never heard before.
The hidden gems of this book, although too many to name, are when you hear a similar but slightly different account of what prison life is like in that institution. This really illustrates the honesty, openness, and vulnerability behind the writing of the men who were brave enough to contribute their work and put their accounts and feelings in writing.
At some point while reading this, you will likely ask yourself if Parchman is the worst prison in the US. You have inmates who jerk off in front of female guards, men who collect shit to throw it at people, and tons and tons of gang violence. Keep in mind when reading about the drugs in prison though that they mostly come in because of the staff. Knowing the bad things that the guards are doing in there makes you think that the difference between a guard uniform and a prison uniform might just be bad luck.
The men who wrote their stories poured themselves on to the pages, and many of them are very relatable. These are human stories.
Here is a small snippet from Unit 29: Writing from Parchman Prison, which you can find on Amazon and Vox Press.
Parchman, Mississippi is a constant up and down emotional and physical rollercoaster. Sounds, smells, negativity presents challenges every day. A hostile environment filled with as many broken and lonely, lost people just trying to maintain a purpose … imagine urine, fan motors, random fires, floods, arguments, childish behavior, and sometimes aggressive behavior from people who you don’t even know.