"Concieved as the most modern, humane incarceration facility the world had ever seen, New York's Blackwell's Island, site of a lunatic asylum, two prisons, an almshouse, and a number of hospitals, quickly became, in the words of a visiting Charles Dickens, 'a lounging, listless madhouse.' Digging through city records, newspaper articles, and archival reports, Stacy Horn tells a gripping narrative through the voices of the island's inhabitants. We also hear from the era's officials, reformers, and journalists, including the celebrated undercover reporter Nellie Bly. And we follow the extraordinary Reverend William Glenney French as he ministers to Blackwell's reisdents, battles the bureaucratic mazes of the Department of Correction and a corrupt City Hall, testifies at salacious trials, and in his diary wonders about man's inhumanity to his fellow man. Damnation Island shows how far we've come in caring for the least fortunate among us--and reminds us how much works still remains."--Back cover
Stacy Horn Livres
Cet auteur explore les coins oubliés de l'histoire, déterrant les histoires humaines qui s'y trouvent. Son travail examine des problèmes sociaux complexes, explorant comment les individus et les institutions ont été confrontés à des circonstances difficiles. Avec un œil vif pour le détail et un talent narratif, il donne vie au passé, posant des questions profondes sur la société. Ses livres témoignent à la fois de la résilience humaine et de l'échec humain.
