Prison memoirs of an anarchist - Alexander Berkman

Alexander Berkman following his arrest
Alexander Berkman following his arrest

Autobiographical prison account of Russian émigré anarchist Alexander Berkman who was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for the attempted assassination of an industrialist who massacred striking workers.

Submitted by working class … on January 8, 2012

In 1892, Alexander Berkman, Russian émigré, anarchist, and lover of Emma Goldman, attempted to assassinate industrialist Henry Clay Frick. The act was intended both as retribution for the massacre of workers in the Homestead strike and as an incitement to revolution. Captured and sentenced to serve a prison term of twenty-two years, Berkman struggled to make sense of the shadowy and brutalized world of the prison—one that hardly conformed to revolutionary expectation.

Comments

Steven.

12 years 2 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on January 8, 2012

Just to say that I think this is a really great book and I would definitely recommend it.

Among other things, it contains his interesting account of homosexuality in prison, which was apparently one of the earliest times it was reported.

I would also recommend reading Emma Goldman's Living my life, as it contains a different person's perspective on many of the same events, including interestingly various attempts to break Berkman out of prison.

Auld-bod

12 years 2 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Auld-bod on January 8, 2012

I think this is by far the best thing Berkman wrote, a truly classic and moving autobiographic chapter from his life. He takes the reader through the maturing of his political ideas, as he endures years of cruel imprisonment. In parts I found it very harrowing, so steel your self.

Neon_Black

12 years ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Neon_Black on March 2, 2012

Not to blow my own trumpet, but my review's a bit more in depth, like!

Agree on Living My Life.

Steven.

12 years ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on March 2, 2012

Neon_Black

Not to blow my own trumpet, but my review's a bit more in depth, like!

Agree on Living My Life.

hey, I really like that review! Basically that's how I describe it to people, he is a cock at the beginning, but you can slowly see him becoming decent. Feel free to post your review to the library here as well if you like.