What’s on Bobby’s Bookshelf?

While I am so excited that the weather in New York will actually reach (dare I say it) 80 degrees, I am still taking in a good book.  I am reading a fascinating, yet heart-breaking autobiography.  That Bird Has My Wings: the Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row, written by Jarvis Jay Masters is a compelling memoir that talks about all that he went through and what he continues to discover about himself.

That Bird Has My Wings, on sale in September of 2009, chronicles his early life, growing up with his four siblings and being surrounded by drugs at the hands of his mother and stepfather.  He also shares how he survived violence at the hands of his biological father.  They were left home alone days and weeks at a time, with no food or even the proper basic care.  After he and his siblings were taken out of the home by social services, they were put in the foster care system where his life became extremely unstable.  He was sentenced to prison at 19 for armed robbery and was put on death row at age 23 for being named an accessory in the death of a prison guard.  Since being in prison, he has written one book and several articles.  He also won a PEN Award for one of his poems.  What is even more amazing is that he does all of his writing with ball point pen filler, as that is the only writing instrument available to those in maximum security prison.

Currently there is a campaign where the goal is to get his sentence overturned.  There are those that believe he is innocent and the California Supreme Court is investigating new evidence that could lead to his release.  More information can be found on www.freejarvis.org.

I cannot put this book down (work and sleep has gotten in the way).  I was particularly drawn in when he discusses his childhood.  One story he shares is a time when he and his siblings were home alone (something they experienced often), and they would dress up in their parents clothing, but had to remember to put the items in the exact location and position where they found them or face getting whipped.  

That Bird Has My Wings made me think about my own childhood.   It made me remember how truly lucky I was.  I never had to worry about not having family around or not having food to eat.  We meet and learn about people everyday, but we never know what they went through to get where they are.  It also brings awareness to the foster care system in this country.  Based on this book alone, clearly there needs to be a major overhaul.    In my view, the whole mission of foster care is to take children out of a horrible situation and put them in a better one.  However, that is not always the case.  Children all over this country are abused and mistreated in the foster care system and it needs to be addressed and revitalized.

I am also amazed that considering everything he has gone through in his life, Jarvis Jay Masters still remains positive and has accomplished much.  I don’t think many of us who were put in his shoes could have the same demeanor.  That Bird Has My Wings touches your heart, opens your mind and shakes up your consciousness in ways that might surprise you! 

-Bobby

Comments

[Marie]

sounds like a really heart-rending read. wow.