13 Women

by Karlene Faith

This print-on-demand title is available by request from most booksellers. --- A remarkable and compelling collection of true stories from women in prison, told in their own words. 13 Women conveys the personal accounts of women in prison, spanning three decades and taking place in Canada, the United States and Brazil. Most of the women in these pages, as is true for the majority of imprisoned women, were incarcerated for offences related to drugs and theft. Several were involved in violent incidents. Three of the contributors--Betty Krawczyk, Ann Hansen and Christine Lamont--did time for political activities that received international media attention. Karlene Faith's work as a long-time prisoners' rights activist has given her deep insight into the politics of punishment. The commentary and reflections she and co-editor Anne Near contribute to the book raise provocative questions about personal accountability, the state's uses and abuses of power, and the broad social challenges women face.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1771001054
• ISBN13: 9781771001052
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd.
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Unique and well-written

I wasn't sure what to expect from this anthology, so I was happy to see it was so well-written. The various women tell their stories with eloquence. Many of the authors come from different backgrounds from what I've read in other prison anthologies; several of them are educated and come from intact families but have been imprisoned because of non-violent political protest. Other turned to crime because of drugs. The selection includes women from the US as well as Canada, and the editor spends a chapter on the status of Canadian Aboriginal women in prisons, who are clearly discriminated against in the system. Provides a sometimes shocking glimpse into women's prisons, which differ in many ways from men's prisons but are nevertheless often brutal. The editor follows each woman's story with insight into how it relates to the condition of women prisoners at large, but avoids sounding stiff or academic.