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Funeral for a Dog
My bag in the back of the truck, the Antarctica bottles open, and we're off. David at the wheel of the red pickup, Felix in an open shirt and… More
Runaway Justice
Just a few miles from the courthouse the two Durham County deputies stopped at a diner and bought me a hamburger and milkshake, and from there the four-hour ride… More
Inmate Jane Doe
If one is to believe all the reports that the media broadcast or prints, one would think that 99% of all offenders were male. With the exception of a… More
As the Creamed Beef Goes…
For those of you unfortunate enough to be unacquainted with this particular culinary delight, creamed beef is simply: browned ground beef, simmered in cream of mushroom soup, and served… More
Shimmers of Light
Where do I go from here? That can be a tough question to answer for the 2.2 million Americans who are currently incarcerated. Nevertheless, there are serious consequences for… More
Boo to a Goose
I saw that phrase again: “He wouldn’t say boo to a goose.” It gets to me every time when I read it in some book, and thank God I… More
The Pursuit of Character
Prologue If looking to the future can cause trepidation, what is this uneasiness I feel in looking back? Memory has a way of playing tricks on the mind, weaving minor… More
Left Behind
“Everybody lock up!” The guard barked over the intercom. “Get in your cells, now!” “Oh God, what now?” one of the girls asked, picking up her plastic bowl and gathering… More
PEN Appeal: Evaristo Pacheco Solís and Jorge Rábago Valdez
April 15, 2010 Lic. Felipe De Jesús Calderón Hinojosa Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850 DISTRITO FEDERAL, México Fax: (+… More
In Michoacán, One Journalist Killed, Another Disappears
International PEN is saddened and angered by the murder of journalist Enrique Villicaña Palomares and the disappearance of correspondent Ramón Ángeles Zalpa in Michoacán state in early April 2010. More