Violence is the basis upon which prison life is built. We all know this. What we sometimes forget is that there is much more to this small but deadly cosmos that surrounds those within. This book takes the reader on a special journey through aspects of prison life we never see. An insiders look and feel for what it is to leave freedom and the dangers and adaptations within. From extreme sensory deprivation in what is called "super-max" where the author was buried an entire year in the beginning, to sexual relations, which are the norm in prison; standing before a judge and receiving a LIFE sentence to the dramatic escape of prisoners and enjoying the first tastes of freedom after so many years to burying a brother. Not only is the bitter side of prison shown here, but also a more soft side of those within. The author has a wonderful ability to transport us directly into the hearts, minds and situations he survived.