Brother One Cell

“Brother One Cell is Mr. Thomas’s affecting account of his prison experience. It’s an offbeat coming of age story, the tale of a wide-eyed, innocent, middle-class American thrust into a world of deprivation and daily trials that speed his passage into adulthood and a deeper understanding of himself and the fallen creatures around him . . . told simply, and with extraordinary good humor…[T]he detail is fascinating.”
-William Grimes, The New York Times

“Compelling.”
–Chicago Tribune

“Scary, funny, [and] honest as hell . . . This is memoir at its highest level.”
-Ray LeMoine, co-author of Babylon by Bus

“In reflective, often highlighter-worthy prose . . . Thomas lyrically describes his Zenlike effort to stay sane through shoe-factory work and prison basketball.”
–Outside

“His account of that journey [to higher understanding] is gripping.”
–Booklist (Starred Review)