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A Long Day in a Short Life
As time ticks along with indifference, the inmates of the Washington District Jail drag on their daily routine behind bars. Innocent at their birth, these frail creatures who have lost their way now spend their lives shut out of society, deprived of all freedom, with little prospect of being readmitted into the human fold.
Each prisoner has a some of them are charged with crimes of assault, murder and manslaughter, others of forgery, robbery and larceny – others still are not guilty of anything other than having been born to certain parents at a certain time in a certain country. A Long Day in a Short Life – Maltz's first novel to be published in the UK – is a powerful indictment of the penal system and a strong reminder about the underlying humanity of each individual.
Each prisoner has a some of them are charged with crimes of assault, murder and manslaughter, others of forgery, robbery and larceny – others still are not guilty of anything other than having been born to certain parents at a certain time in a certain country. A Long Day in a Short Life – Maltz's first novel to be published in the UK – is a powerful indictment of the penal system and a strong reminder about the underlying humanity of each individual.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 9, 2025
This novel chronicles a single day in prison, focusing on two inmates, one black and one white, their interactions with other inmates, and some flashbacks to their pre-prison lives. It is a powerful indictment of prisons in the 1940s and 50s.
January 20, 2025
Enjoyed as an audio. Written far in past but aspects still relevant. Characters like what can be found still today.
November 7, 2025
That was a captivating read. You can get sucked in in each character's life and be waiting for what will happen next in their long day.
June 19, 2026
Köszönöm az ajánlását ennek a könyvnek ☺️ Szeretek más érdeklődésébe, világába belelátni ☺️
A vége nekem kicsit lezáratlan maradt, azzal nem vagyok kibékülve, mert voltak karakterek, akiknek a sorsa érdekelt volna, de nem mindenre kaptam választ 🙏
A vége nekem kicsit lezáratlan maradt, azzal nem vagyok kibékülve, mert voltak karakterek, akiknek a sorsa érdekelt volna, de nem mindenre kaptam választ 🙏
September 12, 2023
An amazing novel that was ahead of its time in exposing the racial inequities of the American "injustice" system. This great book was rejected by 18 publishers because Albert Maltz was blacklisted. In 1957 it could be published only by a tiny leftist press, which guaranteed that it would be ignored. So the book was effectively suppressed, and that's very sad because the story Maltz told could have helped change the United States.
But the re-publication of A Long Day in a Short Life comes at a perfect time, when the cooperation of people across barriers of class and race is necessary to save American democracy. That's what Maltz was writing about. You'll sympathize with the characters in this inspiring civil rights novel. It's just as relevant now as when Maltz wrote it in the era of Jim Crow segregation. Actually, it might now be more relevant than ever.
But the re-publication of A Long Day in a Short Life comes at a perfect time, when the cooperation of people across barriers of class and race is necessary to save American democracy. That's what Maltz was writing about. You'll sympathize with the characters in this inspiring civil rights novel. It's just as relevant now as when Maltz wrote it in the era of Jim Crow segregation. Actually, it might now be more relevant than ever.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews