As I continue my journey into philosophy, I had to include some Nietzsche. I've heard his name referenced a lot when discussing philosophy, so I started with Beyond Good and Evil because it was recommended by AI. A little background: Nietzsche was born in 1844 and...
Jail Journal
Explore my journey through incarceration with a unique collection of daily journals and in-depth book reports. Each entry offers a raw, personal perspective, transforming moments of confinement into reflections of growth and resilience.
BR: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
"Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma" is the subtitle of the book, and it accurately describes its contents. When the outgoing yoga instructor left, he gave me a bunch of his belongings, including a few books, mainly dealing with yoga and running. This one...
BR: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 is a book I've heard a lot about and is frequently referenced in popular culture. I heard it was banned in schools for a while, though I'm not sure if that's true. Either way, I was very excited to read it. This book was sent to me by a friend/fellow...
BR: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
Can't Hurt Me is an autobiography by David Goggins. He is known as the "fittest man in America." ChatGPT recommended this book to help me with my discipline. He begins his story by recounting his childhood with an abusive father. His father would regularly beat his...
BR: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri was an Italian poet born in 1265. The Inferno is an epic poem written in 1310. It tells the story of Dante himself being taken on a guided tour of Hell in the year 1300. The Inferno is the first part of a trilogy; the other two are The Purgatorio...
BR: Ghost in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick
Ghost in the Wires has been on my book list for a while, and it was recommended by a fellow inmate. He was right; this book was awesome. It's a sort of autobiography, but told in a narrative form. Kevin Mitnick was once known as the world's most notorious hacker and...
BR: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Man's Search for Meaning provided me with profound meaning. It was written by a German Jew who, through luck, survived the Nazi concentration camps. Soon after the war, it became a bestseller, translated into many languages. While recounting his experiences in the...
BR: History of Sexuality: An Introduction by Michel Foucault
History of Sexuality: An Introduction was recommended to me by ChatGPT. I knew it was an acclaimed book but had little other background. Written in the late 1970s, it examines the development and use of sexuality over the past three centuries. I found the writing...
BR: The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
The Tao of Pooh is a small book that teaches "the principles of Taoism as demonstrated by Winnie-the-Pooh." I'm trying to learn about various philosophies during my time in prison, and a friend recommended this book as an accessible introduction to Taoism (Daoism). It...
BR: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Translated by George Long
I've often heard Meditations recommended in forums and pop culture as a must-read. I borrowed this copy from a more affluent fellow inmate. It was a beautiful edition: hardcover with gold leaf pages and a ribbon bookmark. However, the more I appreciated the book's...