Still Surviving

by Nanon M. Williams

"Still Surviving" by Nanon M. Williams is a shocking account of a teenager growing up on Texas’ death row in one of the most brutal of prisons in the United States. Readers learn of a boy growing into manhood on his own terms while in prison and his capacity for surviving violence and racism through many devastating experiences. Having been falsely convicted of murder, Williams’ strength is both inspirational and motivational. He shows the human face of people whom society has defined as monsters and reveals shocking examples of sadistic, inhumane behavior of prison guards. Nanon Williams gives us the chance to retune our mindset when it comes to the death penalty, not as an abstract term, but as a reality for many human beings in the United States.

Genres: Social Justice

257 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2003

About the author

Nanon M. Williams, writer & human rights activist, was born August 2, 1974. Nanon grew up in Los Angeles amidst the violence and poverty that plagued the city. As a teenager, Nanon stood out for his academic and sporting achievements and dreamt of a career as a football player. He was an All-American and the recipient of over seventeen athletic and academic scholarships. In 1992, when Nanon was only seventeen years old, he was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death by the state of Texas.

As a young boy on death row, Nanon discovered a passion for writing and committed his life to being a voice for those who have been silenced. He began with poems, which he published in 2000 under the title The Ties That Bind Us, and continued on to write numerous essays as well as several books, providing a poignant look at life on death row. In 1997, Nanon began publishing The Williams Report as a contribution to the debate against the death sentence and to provide an international voice for incarcerated individuals around the world. Readers interested in subscribing to The Williams Report may do so on Nanon’s website, www.NanonWilliams.com.

As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Roper vs. Simmons, Nanon’s death sentence was converted to a life sentence in 2005. With his transition to general population, Nanon was able to study for and complete his GED in 2007. He then began college courses offered through Trinity Valley Community College. He earned an associates degree in Liberal Arts and Science and also took trade courses in Horticulture and Cognitive Intervention. He is currently working towards his Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences through University of Houston-Clear Lake. Upon completion of his Bachelor degree, Nanon will begin working towards his Masters in Literature.

Through writing, Nanon has found a way in which to endure daily life in prison, connect with and enrich the world beyond prison walls. Nanon’s message is a message of peace and nonviolence. He actively works to bring attention to the atrocities that routinely occur behind bars and seeks to be a voice for those who have been silenced while offering a platform of education for those who may learn compassion and kindness for a population of people who are all too easy to shun and turn our backs on.

Nanon is currently writing his autobiography, which will be published by goodmedia press in 2013. While Nanon continues to live a life of service to others, it is the hope of his publisher and loving community of family, friends, fans and followers that his work be a force of change that will bring him justice and freedom so that he may continue to be a force for peace in this world.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an easy book to read, but it's a must-read nonetheless.