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Hotel Graybar
En este debut, Curtis Dawkins, condenado a cadena perpetua por el asesinato de un hombre, retrata la vida de la prisión y sus habitantes. A través de diferentes relatos y narradores, Dawkins revela las idiosincrasias, el tedio y la desesperación de sus compañeros de celda y la lucha de éstos por mantener vivas sus almas a pesar de su situación. También se describen los entresijos de la cárcel: cómo funciona el sistema de trueque, basado en los tatuajes; los juegos de cartas o el tráfico de cigarrillos.
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2017
93 people are currently reading
2323 people want to read
About the author
Curtis Dawkins
4 books20 followersCurtis Dawkins grew up in rural Illinois and earned an MFA in fiction writing at Western Michigan University. He has struggled with alcohol and substance abuse through most of his life and, during a botched home robbery, killed a man on Halloween 2004. Since late 2005, he’s served a life sentence with no possibility of parole in various prisons throughout Michigan. He has three children with his partner, Kim, who is a writing professor living in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
May 1, 2017
The Graybar Hotel is a collection of brilliant short stories that draw you into the harsh and demanding world of prison without resorting to the well known tropes of brutality and violence. Curtis Dawkins, the author, is a prison inmate serving life without parole, convicted of murder. He makes no bones about his guilt and holds his hands up to the crime. His experiences and knowledge inform the stories and the characters rendering them authentic.
A wide array of characters and experiences are covered, such as a man who shuns social contacts finds himself so trapped by the mindless monotony of prison life that it triggers a change in his personality. He finds himself phoning random numbers, he has no-one else, with the hope of conversations with complete strangers and hearing the everyday noises of the outside world. There are the awkward relationships with family members. We are given insights into the experience of processing, the bartar system and the relationships between prisoners. Then there is the difficulties of adjusting to the world outside and its complexities upon being released.
The author writes with intelligence on a subject that most of us have little experience of, an invisible world, and makes prison come alive effortlessly. I found the well written narrative, the challenging environment, and the characters, both gripping and compelling. Dawkins has a real gift for language and dialogue and left me wanting more. A moving collection of stories that I recommend highly. Hope to read more from the author in the future. Thanks to Scribner for an ARC.
A wide array of characters and experiences are covered, such as a man who shuns social contacts finds himself so trapped by the mindless monotony of prison life that it triggers a change in his personality. He finds himself phoning random numbers, he has no-one else, with the hope of conversations with complete strangers and hearing the everyday noises of the outside world. There are the awkward relationships with family members. We are given insights into the experience of processing, the bartar system and the relationships between prisoners. Then there is the difficulties of adjusting to the world outside and its complexities upon being released.
The author writes with intelligence on a subject that most of us have little experience of, an invisible world, and makes prison come alive effortlessly. I found the well written narrative, the challenging environment, and the characters, both gripping and compelling. Dawkins has a real gift for language and dialogue and left me wanting more. A moving collection of stories that I recommend highly. Hope to read more from the author in the future. Thanks to Scribner for an ARC.
June 28, 2017
This collection of short stories reads more like non fiction - and I mean that in the best possible way.
Curtis Dawkins tells stories of prison life - something he is intimately acquainted with as he is serving a life sentence for a robbery gone wrong (that is such a weird phrase by the way, as if a robbery can ever go right). As such he tells stories that feel true and believable while at the same time being well written and polished. Save a few stories that have elements of magical realism, the majority of this book gives snapshots of people, situations, moments of life totally different from life outside of prison. There is an underlying sadness here that is always tempered with acceptance that this will be the rest of the protagonists' lives. The characters are all guilty of their crimes and they know it. They have to adapt to the rules of prison life and find whatever solace they can; or even something to do. What struck me most was the sense of total and utter boredom, of days that are much like the days before and the days coming afterwards. Still there is always small change - new bunkmates, new rules, new stories to be listened to.
The stories made me so sad. This sense of the inevitablity of live in prison, of wasted opportunities and of stupid decisions, made the collection a very melancholy read for me. I could not divorce the author from his work - his stories were so believable that I could not help but wonder how much of the stories' sadness is his sadness, his regret. A very impressive collection.
_____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Scribner in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
Curtis Dawkins tells stories of prison life - something he is intimately acquainted with as he is serving a life sentence for a robbery gone wrong (that is such a weird phrase by the way, as if a robbery can ever go right). As such he tells stories that feel true and believable while at the same time being well written and polished. Save a few stories that have elements of magical realism, the majority of this book gives snapshots of people, situations, moments of life totally different from life outside of prison. There is an underlying sadness here that is always tempered with acceptance that this will be the rest of the protagonists' lives. The characters are all guilty of their crimes and they know it. They have to adapt to the rules of prison life and find whatever solace they can; or even something to do. What struck me most was the sense of total and utter boredom, of days that are much like the days before and the days coming afterwards. Still there is always small change - new bunkmates, new rules, new stories to be listened to.
The stories made me so sad. This sense of the inevitablity of live in prison, of wasted opportunities and of stupid decisions, made the collection a very melancholy read for me. I could not divorce the author from his work - his stories were so believable that I could not help but wonder how much of the stories' sadness is his sadness, his regret. A very impressive collection.
_____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Scribner in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
November 21, 2020
The Graybar Hotel is a collection of short stories by an inmate who is serving time for murder. While this is a work of fiction, the myriad feelings are portrayed quite vividly and you feel these feelings right along with the characters. While some are bleak and depressing, not all of them are. There are no real duds in this collection either. Some even seem like they could be true stories witnessed by or told to the author with some creative tweaks to make them fiction. Overall, a very impressive collection I'm happy I got the chance to read!
May 27, 2017
If you like Orange is the New Black or are interested in the topics of addiction and our damaged prison system or if you just like well-written short stories, you will enjoy this collection authored by a man who is serving a life sentence for murdering a man during a home invasion.
As with any short story collection, I liked some stories more than others, but the writing is consistently good. The stories convey the boredom of incarceration, but what I felt most acutely was not being able to get away from the endless mindless chatter of other inmates (such as one character who consistently bored his other inmates with explicit descriptions of his dreams). One of my favorites of the book was titled “Engulfed,” in which the narrator describes the liars in prison as well as the way those of us on the outside lie—to others and to ourselves.
I would have expected stories about the fear of being raped, but there wasn’t any of that. There are some stories about the fear of being beaten up over not being able to pay back debts to other prisoners.
Some stories are about what becoming an addict is like—what leads someone to begin to steal to support a habit. Others are about the first days of incarceration, others about what it’s like to be inside for many years, another about the challenge of getting out into the world.
I read this in two big chunks, which is not the way to read a short story collection. However, taken in smaller reads, these stories show the lives of damaged people inside and outside prison walls.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://theresaalan.net/blog
As with any short story collection, I liked some stories more than others, but the writing is consistently good. The stories convey the boredom of incarceration, but what I felt most acutely was not being able to get away from the endless mindless chatter of other inmates (such as one character who consistently bored his other inmates with explicit descriptions of his dreams). One of my favorites of the book was titled “Engulfed,” in which the narrator describes the liars in prison as well as the way those of us on the outside lie—to others and to ourselves.
I would have expected stories about the fear of being raped, but there wasn’t any of that. There are some stories about the fear of being beaten up over not being able to pay back debts to other prisoners.
Some stories are about what becoming an addict is like—what leads someone to begin to steal to support a habit. Others are about the first days of incarceration, others about what it’s like to be inside for many years, another about the challenge of getting out into the world.
I read this in two big chunks, which is not the way to read a short story collection. However, taken in smaller reads, these stories show the lives of damaged people inside and outside prison walls.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://theresaalan.net/blog
May 7, 2017
THE GRAYBAR HOTEL BY CURTIS DAWKINS
This collection of short stories are as well written as any I have ever read. Curtis Dawkins is a talented writer and I was thoroughly transported into the scary world of losing all of my freedom. For when you are incarcerated you do not have any rights that I take for granted. If a fellow inmate does something erratic or violent the whole prison population gets punished. You are a number. That is it. Reading this collection of stories makes me value my freedom and leaves me grateful for the simplest pleasures.
Curtis Dawkin's proceeds from the sale of his book all go towards an education fund for his children. He admits that he is guilty of committing murder and says he lives with sorrow and despair for the victim and family of the victim but also for his own family. I do not know the details of his crime and I am not a proponent for breaking any laws ever. I do have to give this author credit for excellence in creative writing. Some stories are very short. Some are longer. They all give glimpses behind the curtain of prison where time is all one really has. The author states that there are a lot of liars in prison. He makes reference to a fellow prisoner named Catfish who is serving time for killing his wife. The author states that he doesn't believe that Catfish really committed murder but is covering for his sister.
Don't get me wrong---You couldn't pay me enough money in all the world to visit a jail or a prison. I am left shaking just thinking about what it must be like to be any of the characters he writes about. It did open my eyes to all of the massive amount of people who use hard core drugs and make bad decisions to ruin not only one's life but the family they leave behind. The author says that lying or calling somebody a liar in prison could earn you a beating before a guard could intervene opening the cell with a key. That lying is one step up on the ladder from being a snitch.
In the acknowledgements Mr. Dawkin's thanks many people for helping to bring his fictional short stories to a published accomplishment. Two writer's that I have read for many years have helped with bringing this book to fruition. My last words are reiterating what I already said that I will be grateful for the smallest hardship that I have to face for freedom and being able to make my own choices. While the subject matter of this book is very unpleasant the stories and the writing is excellent. It is not graphically violent or gratuitous but humane.
Thank you to Net Galley, Curtis Dawkin's and Scribner's Publishing for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Publication Date: July 4, 2017
This collection of short stories are as well written as any I have ever read. Curtis Dawkins is a talented writer and I was thoroughly transported into the scary world of losing all of my freedom. For when you are incarcerated you do not have any rights that I take for granted. If a fellow inmate does something erratic or violent the whole prison population gets punished. You are a number. That is it. Reading this collection of stories makes me value my freedom and leaves me grateful for the simplest pleasures.
Curtis Dawkin's proceeds from the sale of his book all go towards an education fund for his children. He admits that he is guilty of committing murder and says he lives with sorrow and despair for the victim and family of the victim but also for his own family. I do not know the details of his crime and I am not a proponent for breaking any laws ever. I do have to give this author credit for excellence in creative writing. Some stories are very short. Some are longer. They all give glimpses behind the curtain of prison where time is all one really has. The author states that there are a lot of liars in prison. He makes reference to a fellow prisoner named Catfish who is serving time for killing his wife. The author states that he doesn't believe that Catfish really committed murder but is covering for his sister.
Don't get me wrong---You couldn't pay me enough money in all the world to visit a jail or a prison. I am left shaking just thinking about what it must be like to be any of the characters he writes about. It did open my eyes to all of the massive amount of people who use hard core drugs and make bad decisions to ruin not only one's life but the family they leave behind. The author says that lying or calling somebody a liar in prison could earn you a beating before a guard could intervene opening the cell with a key. That lying is one step up on the ladder from being a snitch.
In the acknowledgements Mr. Dawkin's thanks many people for helping to bring his fictional short stories to a published accomplishment. Two writer's that I have read for many years have helped with bringing this book to fruition. My last words are reiterating what I already said that I will be grateful for the smallest hardship that I have to face for freedom and being able to make my own choices. While the subject matter of this book is very unpleasant the stories and the writing is excellent. It is not graphically violent or gratuitous but humane.
Thank you to Net Galley, Curtis Dawkin's and Scribner's Publishing for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Publication Date: July 4, 2017
August 31, 2017
(3.5) My attention was drawn to The Graybar Hotel, the debut story collection by Curtis Dawkins, because the author is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in a Michigan prison. (You can read more about his background in this Guardian article.) These 14 short stories are all set at least partially in prison, and feature men learning how to live with the consequences of their mistakes and how to fill long, empty days. They perfect their amateur tattooing skills, write raps, or carve soap figures; they watch TV or make collect calls to random numbers. There’s a kind of make-do attitude in the air, as well as the idea that you can reinvent yourself – starting with your past. But of course there are also more destructive forces around, with drugs, suicide, and violent revenge always lurking in the background.
Perhaps of necessity, the collection is rather homogeneous. For instance, all but two stories are in the first person, with the typical narrator an observer who recounts other prisoners’ dreams and desperate actions but reveals little or nothing about himself. My favorite stories are those that also look backward and/or forward to show the protagonist’s life before and after prison rather than just dwelling on daily life in the pen. In one stand-out, “Leche Quemada,” Clyde is released after 12 years and tries to slip back into life with Melissa but finds that – like the boiled milk candies his Hispanic cellmates made and he always coveted – what you’ve been waiting for all this time might not be all that you hope for. My overall favorite is “Engulfed,” in which Steven, who admitted selling phony security systems after he fell for a set designer, calls his roommate out for lies about his past. Fire as a destructive yet cleansing force that reveals the truth is a potent symbol here as well as in “Six Pictures of a Fire at Night.”
*All proceeds from the book go into an education fund for Dawkins’s children.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Perhaps of necessity, the collection is rather homogeneous. For instance, all but two stories are in the first person, with the typical narrator an observer who recounts other prisoners’ dreams and desperate actions but reveals little or nothing about himself. My favorite stories are those that also look backward and/or forward to show the protagonist’s life before and after prison rather than just dwelling on daily life in the pen. In one stand-out, “Leche Quemada,” Clyde is released after 12 years and tries to slip back into life with Melissa but finds that – like the boiled milk candies his Hispanic cellmates made and he always coveted – what you’ve been waiting for all this time might not be all that you hope for. My overall favorite is “Engulfed,” in which Steven, who admitted selling phony security systems after he fell for a set designer, calls his roommate out for lies about his past. Fire as a destructive yet cleansing force that reveals the truth is a potent symbol here as well as in “Six Pictures of a Fire at Night.”
*All proceeds from the book go into an education fund for Dawkins’s children.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
August 15, 2017
3.5 stars
A book of 14 short stories, all related to prison life, written by an inmate incarcerated for murder. The stories are all fabrication taken from real life instances, played out among inmates, painting a picture of life behind bars, in the desolate facade of our U.S. prisons.
A book of 14 short stories, all related to prison life, written by an inmate incarcerated for murder. The stories are all fabrication taken from real life instances, played out among inmates, painting a picture of life behind bars, in the desolate facade of our U.S. prisons.
July 2, 2017
“All people are stories” and Dawkins give us some of these people, these stories, in a manner that grabbed me and kept me riveted and which made me think whilst smiling, being sad,
being angry and wishing for a different reality. He sets aside the usual prison macho fare and delves in deeper so touching the how and the why and the consequences.
None of the inmates have that likeable trait of being innocent of the crime they are in for. That would have made this an easier read for me. But Dawkins does not take that easier more hypocritical road. Instead his people like him are people who are not innocent. Still they are all people with stories. People who believed that they could be the ones to make it through while walking through the razor wire but the wire wins and they bleed and their victims bleed and the sheer bloody waste of it makes me so sad and angry at the loss of the victims, at the pain and loss of all the families involved and the loss of the inmates themselves.
How life sort of stops, no more significant memories being made. So the time inside is spent reliving, repeating pasts memories, an endless cycle of one's glorious and more often than not inglorious moments. Where insignificant details gain undue importance.
Disappearing. First they are put away from society, disappearing from our view. And then they also disappear from themselves, from their lives, as the connections that tether them to life are cut one by one. So then we get the story of the prisoner who kept calling people call collect just to hear someone from the outside. Or the story of the inmate who could make up a whole story complete with conversations just by seeing someone on the tv. Or we see Clyde almost feeling like an alien when he is returned to life.
A great piece of writing that took me to the place I hope that I never end up in, in real life but still it is better that I know about, because people do end up there. Ok it is easy to say it’s their fault, their mistakes, but a wound on a body affects the whole and we must try and do better. Some sort of responsibility rests on society as well.
I would like to read more Dawkins of course.
An ARC gently given by the publisher/author via Netgalley in return for a review.
August 6, 2018
Initial disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and review. This in no way affects my review or thoughts on this book. It stands on it's own merits.
Ok. Where to begin?
1) No matter where you fall on the spectrum of the American penal system, this book will make you re-think, HARD, about it.
The second page and I was about to cry. Just thinking about it and I am tearing up. The hope that is expressed...it's heartbreaking.
2) You will want to know the details about why this writer is in prison. The back flap just says he is incarcerated for life, without parole, for a drug related homicide. So it's not like tax evasion or he was caught smoking dope three times. He killed a man. But what are the specifics? (He was a drug addict, kept falling off the wagon, one of those fallen off times he got really bad and SWAT was involved, had hostages and he killed one. To the family of the man killed, I am sorry for your loss.)
3) When you look it up, you will find out that most of the 50 states in the US of A believe that, if you are incarcerated and make money (via writing and publication of a book, music, etc.), that 90% of what you make should PAY for your incarceration.
4) You will be gobsmacked that the State has the BALLS to discourage the inmates from being productive AT ALL and to try to better themselves and to help their families on the outside, by MAKING THEM PAY FOR BEING LOCKED UP.
Seriously??!?
Ok, I can see if he had to give half of the money to the family of the man that he killed. But let the man give the money to his family so his kids can go to college. He's TRYING to do as right by them as he can while being locked up for the rest of his life.
But no. The State decided he has to live incarcerated for the rest of his life, they made the decision, they should stand by it and pay for it themselves. (Well, the tax payers are paying for it, but you know what I mean. I'm not too keen on paying for stupid incarcerations myself, but to make the inmates pay for it? That's beyond cruel and unusual in my eyes. At that point, just give them the choice of paying for it or execution if the crime warrants it. Not saying this incarceration was stupid, what he did was WRONG and no amount of punishment will bring the person back that he killed. I can't imagine what the family of his victim must have gone through and keep going through every day.)
So that bit, which wasn't in the book, but was caused by it, has given this book a new level of pathos. It was already pretty sad and thought-provoking, but now it is just downright DEPRESSING.
This book also made me think about those who are hooked on drugs, causing them to lose everything and to take even the lives of those around them. Drugs are a HUGE problem in the world and country. My next book is on how the drug problem got so bad in this country and see if there is any solution. I bet there is and I bet it's not easy. But is it any easier to have innocent people killed by those who are high/looking for their next fix?
This book made me think. A lot. I am STILL thinking about it, the author, the poor family of his victim, of how if he wasn't on drugs he wouldn't have done what he did, though it was a choice for him to take them in the first place, but with addiction, did he? Not excusing him.
My thoughts are flying a mile a minute and it has been a few weeks since I finished the book. Not sure if what I wrote made any sense or not, but that is how all over the place I am with this book.
Basic take-aways.
1) Drugs are amazingly horrible. Don't even start taking them, don't even think about it. Be VERY careful about even taking drugs doctors prescribe. Just cuz it's legal, doesn't mean it's not addictive.
2) Our penal system is SO BROKEN. Seriously, we need to do better. This is just ridiculous. (Not saying about this instance, but as a whole in general.)
3) Drugs destroyed TWO families in this instance. My heart is breaking for all of the innocent people affected by the addiction and incredibly bad choices this man made. It's breaking for everyone affected by drugs, everywhere.
4) We did not evolve millions of years to do this badly. We can do better folks. We should do better. But I doubt we will.
Man I'm depressed now.
4, everyone who has an opinion about the penal system and those who don't really need to read this book, stars. Out of respect for the family of the victim of this author's bender, I will not give this book five stars.
Ok. Where to begin?
1) No matter where you fall on the spectrum of the American penal system, this book will make you re-think, HARD, about it.
The second page and I was about to cry. Just thinking about it and I am tearing up. The hope that is expressed...it's heartbreaking.
2) You will want to know the details about why this writer is in prison. The back flap just says he is incarcerated for life, without parole, for a drug related homicide. So it's not like tax evasion or he was caught smoking dope three times. He killed a man. But what are the specifics? (He was a drug addict, kept falling off the wagon, one of those fallen off times he got really bad and SWAT was involved, had hostages and he killed one. To the family of the man killed, I am sorry for your loss.)
3) When you look it up, you will find out that most of the 50 states in the US of A believe that, if you are incarcerated and make money (via writing and publication of a book, music, etc.), that 90% of what you make should PAY for your incarceration.
4) You will be gobsmacked that the State has the BALLS to discourage the inmates from being productive AT ALL and to try to better themselves and to help their families on the outside, by MAKING THEM PAY FOR BEING LOCKED UP.
Seriously??!?
Ok, I can see if he had to give half of the money to the family of the man that he killed. But let the man give the money to his family so his kids can go to college. He's TRYING to do as right by them as he can while being locked up for the rest of his life.
But no. The State decided he has to live incarcerated for the rest of his life, they made the decision, they should stand by it and pay for it themselves. (Well, the tax payers are paying for it, but you know what I mean. I'm not too keen on paying for stupid incarcerations myself, but to make the inmates pay for it? That's beyond cruel and unusual in my eyes. At that point, just give them the choice of paying for it or execution if the crime warrants it. Not saying this incarceration was stupid, what he did was WRONG and no amount of punishment will bring the person back that he killed. I can't imagine what the family of his victim must have gone through and keep going through every day.)
So that bit, which wasn't in the book, but was caused by it, has given this book a new level of pathos. It was already pretty sad and thought-provoking, but now it is just downright DEPRESSING.
This book also made me think about those who are hooked on drugs, causing them to lose everything and to take even the lives of those around them. Drugs are a HUGE problem in the world and country. My next book is on how the drug problem got so bad in this country and see if there is any solution. I bet there is and I bet it's not easy. But is it any easier to have innocent people killed by those who are high/looking for their next fix?
This book made me think. A lot. I am STILL thinking about it, the author, the poor family of his victim, of how if he wasn't on drugs he wouldn't have done what he did, though it was a choice for him to take them in the first place, but with addiction, did he? Not excusing him.
My thoughts are flying a mile a minute and it has been a few weeks since I finished the book. Not sure if what I wrote made any sense or not, but that is how all over the place I am with this book.
Basic take-aways.
1) Drugs are amazingly horrible. Don't even start taking them, don't even think about it. Be VERY careful about even taking drugs doctors prescribe. Just cuz it's legal, doesn't mean it's not addictive.
2) Our penal system is SO BROKEN. Seriously, we need to do better. This is just ridiculous. (Not saying about this instance, but as a whole in general.)
3) Drugs destroyed TWO families in this instance. My heart is breaking for all of the innocent people affected by the addiction and incredibly bad choices this man made. It's breaking for everyone affected by drugs, everywhere.
4) We did not evolve millions of years to do this badly. We can do better folks. We should do better. But I doubt we will.
Man I'm depressed now.
4, everyone who has an opinion about the penal system and those who don't really need to read this book, stars. Out of respect for the family of the victim of this author's bender, I will not give this book five stars.
July 11, 2017
My review for the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifesty...
Most books' publication dates fall on Tuesdays — that's just the industry standard. So the fact that Curtis Dawkins' debut story collection, "The Graybar Hotel," had July 4 as its official release date is not that surprising — the Fourth of July happened to land on a Tuesday this year. Rather, the irony lies in that Independence Day should be the launch date for a book by a man who will theoretically never be free.
Dawkins, a Louisville, Ill., native who earned his master's degree in fiction writing from Western Michigan University in 2000, is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia, Mich., for a drug-related homicide he committed during a home invasion in 2004. In the acknowledgments, he admits and expresses remorse for his crime: "The night I killed a man was a horrible ordeal, especially for his family, my family — everyone traumatized by my actions. I still struggle with guilt and sorrow. There's often so much sadness and grief in my heart, it feels like I might explode."
Almost every one of the 14 short stories in the collection seems to have originated from something Dawkins experienced or witnessed in jail or prison, and almost every one reflects with devastating compassion on the guilt and regrets of the criminals inside. In "Sunshine," he writes, "When you're separated from the people you know and love, every emotion is multiplied. ... We were all responsible for being there, of course — none of us were innocent. But that only makes you feel worse."
"A Human Number" takes as its subject a prisoner so consumed by loneliness that he places collect calls to strangers simply to connect with people outside: "You're supposed to record your name, so when the person picks up, the generic computer operator asks if you will accept a call from so-and-so from jail. Mine says, Hey, it's me. Just something I came up with. Not many people know someone with my name, but everyone knows a me."
In "573543" — whose title comes from Dawkins' prisoner number — a man receives the number of another inmate who had died, this detail of impersonal bureaucracy speaking volumes about the bleak texture of life within such a vast, harsh system. "According to the Department of Corrections," he writes, "the prisoner has been 'released by death.'"
In perhaps the best story in the collection for its inextricable mix of humor and sadness, "Engulfed," a prisoner makes a list of 152 of his fellow inmate's lies, including "Julia Roberts was a penpal" and "He died twice and met God both times."
Besides the prison setting, the constant that binds these stories together is the atrocious tedium and isolation of an imprisoned existence — the monotony of being locked away from free society in the name of punishment.
It's hard to read "The Graybar Hotel" and not think about the prison crisis in America, with 2.3 million people behind bars, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, an advocacy group seeking reforms to address mass incarceration. Also about the fact that white people make up 64 percent of the U.S. population but only 39 percent of the incarcerated population, whereas black people make up 13 percent of the U.S. population but a disproportionate 40 percent of the incarcerated one.
It's hard, too, not to wonder about the privilege of the author, a white man, and consider how many other incarcerated authors — perhaps people of color, perhaps women, perhaps both — might be struggling to have their voices heard.
And that maybe is the biggest benefit of this book's existence. It's well-written and worth reading for Dawkins' craft and insight, but it's also an occasion to consider an industry that has little to do with rehabilitation, and that makes it nearly impossible for its participants to recuperate their lives. As Dawkins himself says on the book's final page: "I pray that we all find forgiveness, freedom, and peace. Inside and out."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifesty...
Most books' publication dates fall on Tuesdays — that's just the industry standard. So the fact that Curtis Dawkins' debut story collection, "The Graybar Hotel," had July 4 as its official release date is not that surprising — the Fourth of July happened to land on a Tuesday this year. Rather, the irony lies in that Independence Day should be the launch date for a book by a man who will theoretically never be free.
Dawkins, a Louisville, Ill., native who earned his master's degree in fiction writing from Western Michigan University in 2000, is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia, Mich., for a drug-related homicide he committed during a home invasion in 2004. In the acknowledgments, he admits and expresses remorse for his crime: "The night I killed a man was a horrible ordeal, especially for his family, my family — everyone traumatized by my actions. I still struggle with guilt and sorrow. There's often so much sadness and grief in my heart, it feels like I might explode."
Almost every one of the 14 short stories in the collection seems to have originated from something Dawkins experienced or witnessed in jail or prison, and almost every one reflects with devastating compassion on the guilt and regrets of the criminals inside. In "Sunshine," he writes, "When you're separated from the people you know and love, every emotion is multiplied. ... We were all responsible for being there, of course — none of us were innocent. But that only makes you feel worse."
"A Human Number" takes as its subject a prisoner so consumed by loneliness that he places collect calls to strangers simply to connect with people outside: "You're supposed to record your name, so when the person picks up, the generic computer operator asks if you will accept a call from so-and-so from jail. Mine says, Hey, it's me. Just something I came up with. Not many people know someone with my name, but everyone knows a me."
In "573543" — whose title comes from Dawkins' prisoner number — a man receives the number of another inmate who had died, this detail of impersonal bureaucracy speaking volumes about the bleak texture of life within such a vast, harsh system. "According to the Department of Corrections," he writes, "the prisoner has been 'released by death.'"
In perhaps the best story in the collection for its inextricable mix of humor and sadness, "Engulfed," a prisoner makes a list of 152 of his fellow inmate's lies, including "Julia Roberts was a penpal" and "He died twice and met God both times."
Besides the prison setting, the constant that binds these stories together is the atrocious tedium and isolation of an imprisoned existence — the monotony of being locked away from free society in the name of punishment.
It's hard to read "The Graybar Hotel" and not think about the prison crisis in America, with 2.3 million people behind bars, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, an advocacy group seeking reforms to address mass incarceration. Also about the fact that white people make up 64 percent of the U.S. population but only 39 percent of the incarcerated population, whereas black people make up 13 percent of the U.S. population but a disproportionate 40 percent of the incarcerated one.
It's hard, too, not to wonder about the privilege of the author, a white man, and consider how many other incarcerated authors — perhaps people of color, perhaps women, perhaps both — might be struggling to have their voices heard.
And that maybe is the biggest benefit of this book's existence. It's well-written and worth reading for Dawkins' craft and insight, but it's also an occasion to consider an industry that has little to do with rehabilitation, and that makes it nearly impossible for its participants to recuperate their lives. As Dawkins himself says on the book's final page: "I pray that we all find forgiveness, freedom, and peace. Inside and out."
July 5, 2020
It’s no exaggeration to call this an insider’s view of prison. These heart wrenching interconnected stories are written by a gifted writer serving life in prison. They bring harsh reality to life and are sometimes difficult for their honesty, but Dawkins writes beautifully with some humor and even some hope. Surprisingly excellent.
January 23, 2018
There are already a few excellent reviews listed here, so I won't beat a dead horse. I will say that I was completely drawn to The Graybar Hotel after learning that the author, Curtis Dawkins himself is serving a life in prison sentence, currently in Michigan. Each of the stories individually gave the reader an often light depiction of the daily ongoings of what prison life is and can be like. And yet, collectively they read as well as, if not better than any other short stories. An easy read and a page turner.
November 7, 2017
My hope is that this book will be translated very carefully (because the English is especially nuanced; as a Canadian I did not catch all the particulars coming from the cultural context, the linguistic context) into many languages.
I also hope that it will be carefully, skillfully, marketed all over the world.
There are too few voices coming from this place of literal incarceration.
And this voice is so strong, so solid, so rich and .... yes, I'm going to say it: gentle. In one of the most violent, brutal and brutalizing environments anywhere, comes this clear, uncompromising voice!
I felt sad when I got to the end, on first reading. I wanted to continue to hang with everyone, everything, Curtis Dawkins invites us to spend time with.
I also hope that it will be carefully, skillfully, marketed all over the world.
There are too few voices coming from this place of literal incarceration.
And this voice is so strong, so solid, so rich and .... yes, I'm going to say it: gentle. In one of the most violent, brutal and brutalizing environments anywhere, comes this clear, uncompromising voice!
I felt sad when I got to the end, on first reading. I wanted to continue to hang with everyone, everything, Curtis Dawkins invites us to spend time with.
January 12, 2017
First up, this is a collection of short stories written by a current inmate serving life without parole for a murder during a ‘botched’ house robbery. The first thing you notice in this collection is how well it’s written. This isn’t a teenager writing fan fiction, this is someone who knows their craft, and I suppose he should as he has an MFA from Western Michigan University.
The setting is mostly Kalamazoo Prison, Michigan, and the narrator seems to be often the same person intersperse with an Arthur or a George as he tells us their stories too. He takes us through a wide range of experiences from Processing to spending time in Quarantine before being sent to a prison, to the prison itself. It feels dramatically realistic, but there’s also a smattering of the supernatural too.
Where this book really shines is in the glimpses of insights into how an obviously intelligent and educated man mitigates the monotony of life in prison. Early on, ‘I’ tells us he isn’t normally a sociable person, talking for no reason, but in jail, you have to be, as there’s nothing else to do. And I think may of us could imagine this of ourselves (imagine it and shudder). So in order to reconnect with the outside world, he calls random numbers collect (he doesn’t have any personal contacts he can call) in the hope that someone on the other end will talk to him for 15 minutes, or at least let him listen to the traffic noise outside their house or the background TV and this as an idea is mesmerizing. In a nutshell, this book is mesmerizing, like been taken for an experience which I hope I’ll never encounter, but for which I’m grateful for the advice. It reads partly like a diary, partly like a philosophy.
However, a couple of factors got in the way of absolute pleasure. First off, there’s the issue of the author. If you want to learn more about him, check out Bullmenfiction. The phrase, “I shot a man dead who had no business being shot” shows up here and this reeks of a lack of genuine remorse. If I went to someone’s house and shot them without any reason, I hope I could muster up a little more emotion than that, but hey. The other issue is the short story format. I wish to high heaven, this were a novel, but alas, I’m guessing Mr, Curtis doesn’t have his own personal MacBookPro in his cell with all his research and files neatly organized in colored folders. And you know what they say, if you don’t want short stories, don’t read them. It’s a free world – for some of us.
https://lissapelzer.com/2017/01/12/ma...
The setting is mostly Kalamazoo Prison, Michigan, and the narrator seems to be often the same person intersperse with an Arthur or a George as he tells us their stories too. He takes us through a wide range of experiences from Processing to spending time in Quarantine before being sent to a prison, to the prison itself. It feels dramatically realistic, but there’s also a smattering of the supernatural too.
Where this book really shines is in the glimpses of insights into how an obviously intelligent and educated man mitigates the monotony of life in prison. Early on, ‘I’ tells us he isn’t normally a sociable person, talking for no reason, but in jail, you have to be, as there’s nothing else to do. And I think may of us could imagine this of ourselves (imagine it and shudder). So in order to reconnect with the outside world, he calls random numbers collect (he doesn’t have any personal contacts he can call) in the hope that someone on the other end will talk to him for 15 minutes, or at least let him listen to the traffic noise outside their house or the background TV and this as an idea is mesmerizing. In a nutshell, this book is mesmerizing, like been taken for an experience which I hope I’ll never encounter, but for which I’m grateful for the advice. It reads partly like a diary, partly like a philosophy.
However, a couple of factors got in the way of absolute pleasure. First off, there’s the issue of the author. If you want to learn more about him, check out Bullmenfiction. The phrase, “I shot a man dead who had no business being shot” shows up here and this reeks of a lack of genuine remorse. If I went to someone’s house and shot them without any reason, I hope I could muster up a little more emotion than that, but hey. The other issue is the short story format. I wish to high heaven, this were a novel, but alas, I’m guessing Mr, Curtis doesn’t have his own personal MacBookPro in his cell with all his research and files neatly organized in colored folders. And you know what they say, if you don’t want short stories, don’t read them. It’s a free world – for some of us.
https://lissapelzer.com/2017/01/12/ma...
July 11, 2017
This book first caught my attention because it's written by a convicted killer, serving life in prison. And so the stories hold a bit of voyeuristic intrigue, allowing a glimpse behind those fences and gray walls.
Curtis Dawkins is a gifted writer. There is beauty in his words, despite the darkness of the pictures he paints for us. I was prepared for a visit to a violent world. What I didn't expect was Dawkins' powerful portrayal of the utter boredom and what it does to the mind. We also see the inability to escape the chatter of people with whom you're forced to live in close contact, despite the fact that you'd probably never choose to hang out with them if given the choice.
These stories could be fiction, fact, or a mixture of both. They all have a strong component of realism, along with a surprising amount of depth. Curtis Dawkins shows us the humanity within the cold, uncertain world where we lock away our problems.
*I receive an advance ebook from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
Curtis Dawkins is a gifted writer. There is beauty in his words, despite the darkness of the pictures he paints for us. I was prepared for a visit to a violent world. What I didn't expect was Dawkins' powerful portrayal of the utter boredom and what it does to the mind. We also see the inability to escape the chatter of people with whom you're forced to live in close contact, despite the fact that you'd probably never choose to hang out with them if given the choice.
These stories could be fiction, fact, or a mixture of both. They all have a strong component of realism, along with a surprising amount of depth. Curtis Dawkins shows us the humanity within the cold, uncertain world where we lock away our problems.
*I receive an advance ebook from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
October 4, 2018
Here's the rare author bio that is as compelling as the book: Curtis Dawkins is serving life without parole in Michigan for first-degree murder. How that all happened is not the subject of this book; these are short stories, written in prison and drawing on the experience.
It's not a cheerful or uplifting book, for sure, but there is some humor and a complete lack of self-pity. Prison inmates, whatever else may be said of them, are still humans with a range of emotions and aspirations, even if the latter are necessarily severely constrained. Some of the stories take place entirely inside; others involve life before and after incarceration. All of them are well-crafted and affecting. The overall effect is haunting, conveying regret at wasted human lives.
Curtis Dawkins may have made a mess of his life, but he is salvaging what he can by turning it into quality fiction.
It's not a cheerful or uplifting book, for sure, but there is some humor and a complete lack of self-pity. Prison inmates, whatever else may be said of them, are still humans with a range of emotions and aspirations, even if the latter are necessarily severely constrained. Some of the stories take place entirely inside; others involve life before and after incarceration. All of them are well-crafted and affecting. The overall effect is haunting, conveying regret at wasted human lives.
Curtis Dawkins may have made a mess of his life, but he is salvaging what he can by turning it into quality fiction.
March 18, 2019
Libro totalmente prescindible. Pensaba que iba a hablar un poco de la vida en la cárcel, pero son relatos sin orden. No me ha gustado nada.
September 3, 2021
I finished this book and audibly said, "Wow." It's written by a man who has an MFA but is serving a life sentence in prison for homicide. While these short stories are fictional, it's not a stretch to understand Dawkins' perspective and experiences in prison through the characters. It made me think about a lot of aspects of incarcerated life that I've never considered, although I did have a hard time following along with a couple of the stories.
March 26, 2023
I enjoyed the short story form of this book and appreciated the different perspectives of the men in it. Many felt like they knew better or were better than those around them, but maybe that’s just reality. This book is sad, funny, and hopeful and definitely humanizes the many men locked up in American prisons. I found it very interesting and a unique read and liked the last story most of all.
August 24, 2017
A stunning collection of shorts. Some seem autobiographical, some magical, others just plain brutal. It is better than In the Belly of the Beast: Letters From Prison, more on a par with Cummings',The Enormous Room, reflections from prison. Dawkins has a great voice and his tales kept me glued to page well past my bedtime; I could not put it down. His work deserves a full review and mine will appear on the Internet Review of Books. Five Big Stars.
Update: 08/24/2017 My full review at The Internet Review of Books is live if you care to read more about this book. http://bit.ly/2xfYcsE
Update: 08/24/2017 My full review at The Internet Review of Books is live if you care to read more about this book. http://bit.ly/2xfYcsE
September 2, 2017
This book is a series of sometime inter-connected short stories, mostly about life behind bars and sometimes from life before the bars. The author is a talented writer, serving a life sentence for murder. The first-person accounts are interesting, touching, mystifying (a prisoner who makes himself invisible and escapes that way), and reveal different aspects about life as an incarcerated male. The reader isn't sure how much is autobiographical, based on true events, or just creative flights of fancy. Could a jail inmate make as many collect calls as he wishes, to any number he wishes? The conversations "heyit'sme" has with strangers over the phone seem authentic and human. The underlying strong, often muted, feelings are conveyed very well.
June 12, 2018
Una serie di racconti in prima persona, fortemente autobiografici, che raccontano della vita dietro le sbarre. Una vita in cui le cose ordinarie (passeggiare, godere del sole sulla pelle...) diventano straordinarie e in cui le persone fuori dall'ordinario (i vari compagni di cella, ciascuno con una storia particolare alle spalle) diventano ordinarie.
Il tutto narrato con un tono e un ritmo che rispecchiano fedelmente la sensazione di lentissimo fluire del tempo nell'universo carcerario.
Non è certamente una lettura da ombrellone, ma non riesce neanche a regalare quegli spunti di riflessione che ne farebbero un libro di ben diverso livello. Resta un po' a metà del guado, e questo è probabilmente l'aspetto che mi è piaciuto di meno.
Il tutto narrato con un tono e un ritmo che rispecchiano fedelmente la sensazione di lentissimo fluire del tempo nell'universo carcerario.
Non è certamente una lettura da ombrellone, ma non riesce neanche a regalare quegli spunti di riflessione che ne farebbero un libro di ben diverso livello. Resta un po' a metà del guado, e questo è probabilmente l'aspetto che mi è piaciuto di meno.
June 7, 2023
Well written book about prison life from someone in prison.
Interestingly, he had an MFA before going to prison. Wonder if he was able to publish prior to prison. If not pretty ironic. He has no hope for parole so this is his life for the rest of his life. His children will never see him except in prison, so sad.
The stories aren’t so bleak, I guess people can adapt to just about any situation.
I will read his next book if he writes one.
Interestingly, he had an MFA before going to prison. Wonder if he was able to publish prior to prison. If not pretty ironic. He has no hope for parole so this is his life for the rest of his life. His children will never see him except in prison, so sad.
The stories aren’t so bleak, I guess people can adapt to just about any situation.
I will read his next book if he writes one.
September 21, 2017
Full review at: http://everydayiwritethebookblog.com/...
The Graybar Hotel is a collection of stories by Curtis Dawkins, a convict in Michigan who is serving a life sentence. The stories revolve around many dimensions of prison life: the monotony, the close proximity to a rotating series of cellmates, the capriciousness of guards and wardens, the hours on end spent regretting and rethinking, and the attempts, often futile, to cling to one's few diversions and possessions. Dawkins has an MFA, as evidenced by his strong writing, command of detail and compelling storytelling. The stories are powerful and disturbing, as they reveal perspectives on prison that people on the outside rarely see or even think about.
One story is about the physical transition from a jail to a prison, with the inmates in the transport wondering whether life will be better at the next place. Another is about one prisoner who's a compulsive liar, but who gets his revenge when his cellmate calls him out on the lies. Another shows how much two baseball teams mean to an inmate - his beloved Detroit Tigers, whose games he watches every night, and the baseball team he creates within the prison until a prison fight puts an ends to their games.
There isn't a lot of violence or tension; rather it's the tedium of life in prison and the loneliness of the inmates that make the biggest impression. Friendships are fleeting, because prisoners are often moved without warning. Yet these men are in the closest of quarters, thrust into situations that they have no control over and often must suffer through with no relief.
That Dawkins is himself an inmate who has undoubtedly lived through most of these experiences makes The Graybar Hotel even more poignant. Dawkins doesn't excuse his actions or blame anyone else for his situation. He has found an outlet and a purpose in writing about his experience, and I hope that it brings him some solace to know that there are readers out there who are hearing his voice. The Graybar Hotel is difficult to read at times, but it was illuminating and quite moving.
The Graybar Hotel is a collection of stories by Curtis Dawkins, a convict in Michigan who is serving a life sentence. The stories revolve around many dimensions of prison life: the monotony, the close proximity to a rotating series of cellmates, the capriciousness of guards and wardens, the hours on end spent regretting and rethinking, and the attempts, often futile, to cling to one's few diversions and possessions. Dawkins has an MFA, as evidenced by his strong writing, command of detail and compelling storytelling. The stories are powerful and disturbing, as they reveal perspectives on prison that people on the outside rarely see or even think about.
One story is about the physical transition from a jail to a prison, with the inmates in the transport wondering whether life will be better at the next place. Another is about one prisoner who's a compulsive liar, but who gets his revenge when his cellmate calls him out on the lies. Another shows how much two baseball teams mean to an inmate - his beloved Detroit Tigers, whose games he watches every night, and the baseball team he creates within the prison until a prison fight puts an ends to their games.
There isn't a lot of violence or tension; rather it's the tedium of life in prison and the loneliness of the inmates that make the biggest impression. Friendships are fleeting, because prisoners are often moved without warning. Yet these men are in the closest of quarters, thrust into situations that they have no control over and often must suffer through with no relief.
That Dawkins is himself an inmate who has undoubtedly lived through most of these experiences makes The Graybar Hotel even more poignant. Dawkins doesn't excuse his actions or blame anyone else for his situation. He has found an outlet and a purpose in writing about his experience, and I hope that it brings him some solace to know that there are readers out there who are hearing his voice. The Graybar Hotel is difficult to read at times, but it was illuminating and quite moving.
November 24, 2017
The problem with rating short story collections is that all the individual stories never quite match up in quality, rendering the rating somewhat pointless, but hey, I tried.
This collection consist of 14 short stories about prison life , written by a convicted murderer serving a life sentence.
Some people might have qualms about the author, but I've tried to set this aside in order to write a fair review.
Most of the stories were really good, giving an insider's perspective of what goes on in the minds of those behind bars. The author never really went for sensational stories about prison fights or smuggling contraband, opting to take a quiet and psychological approach to the subject. In this manner, a myriad of topics and feelings was dealt with; boredom, fear, suicidal thoughts, and this was done really well. However, one thing that bothered me was that none of the stories ever mentioned guilt or remorse. Sure, plenty of characters long to be on the outside and regret getting themselves to this point, but they never seem remorseful about the crimes they committed to land them in prison. Guilt seems like it should be a pretty common emotion among convicts and I was disappointed this was never explored.
I really enjoyed most of the stories, but especially the shorter ones of only a few pages fell flat and failed to really get any point across.
Overall, I really liked this collection and can recommend it to anyone interested in reading about inmates' thoughts and lives.
This collection consist of 14 short stories about prison life , written by a convicted murderer serving a life sentence.
Some people might have qualms about the author, but I've tried to set this aside in order to write a fair review.
Most of the stories were really good, giving an insider's perspective of what goes on in the minds of those behind bars. The author never really went for sensational stories about prison fights or smuggling contraband, opting to take a quiet and psychological approach to the subject. In this manner, a myriad of topics and feelings was dealt with; boredom, fear, suicidal thoughts, and this was done really well. However, one thing that bothered me was that none of the stories ever mentioned guilt or remorse. Sure, plenty of characters long to be on the outside and regret getting themselves to this point, but they never seem remorseful about the crimes they committed to land them in prison. Guilt seems like it should be a pretty common emotion among convicts and I was disappointed this was never explored.
I really enjoyed most of the stories, but especially the shorter ones of only a few pages fell flat and failed to really get any point across.
Overall, I really liked this collection and can recommend it to anyone interested in reading about inmates' thoughts and lives.
September 5, 2017
This collection of fourteen stories, centers around life in a penitentiary. Most are presented in the first person and the reader is taken along as the prisoner makes his way through his daily grind, living behind bars. There are two big surprises here: First off, I was amazed at the author's high level of craftsmanship. The writing is strong and fluid. It is introspective and laconic, with flashes of well-needed humor. The second revelation, is that the author, is serving a life sentence for murder. Dawkins earned an MFA, from Western Michigan University in 2000, but had always struggled with substance abuse issues. One night, in 2004, he smoked crack and was involved in a botched robbery and shot and killed an innocent man. He expresses his deep remorse in the acknowledgments.
I am very glad to have discovered this collection and I hope to spread the word. 4.5 stars
I am very glad to have discovered this collection and I hope to spread the word. 4.5 stars
November 21, 2020
This book does for jail and prison what The Things We Carried did for Vietnam. Whether any story is true or fiction is irrelevant, and some of the most true stories are those that must be fiction. There were no duds here, like many short story collections. And it's not as depressing as you would think a short story collection about prison life would be. Mostly.
July 7, 2017
Received as an ARC from the publisher. Started July 2, 2017. Finished 7-6-17. Collection of short stories about prison life written by an inmate who's serving a life sentence for homicide but who also achieved an MFA in fiction writing several years before his crime. Excellent character studies and I wished that some of the stories were longer so I could learn more about these inmates. I guess the author was following the adage, " Always leave them wanting more." I also wondered how much of this is autobiographical. Can we, or should we, assume that the "narrator" is indeed Mr. Dawkins? In any event, Mr. Dawkins has a good career ahead of him as a writer even from behind bars. Excellent book title, too.
July 11, 2017
Holy shit. As good a collection of short stories as I've read. A prisoner himself, Dawkins writes about life and suffering in a way that strikes a nerve. Here's to more in the future.
July 4, 2017
Some stories are spectacular, others less so. The uncommon theme about men in prison and the author's unusual background (MFA now serving life prison sentence) make it well worth a read. The writing is very good and the stories important, although a whole book on the subject was a bit much.
I received a free copy of this book before publication.
More info from NYT:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/02/bo...
I received a free copy of this book before publication.
More info from NYT:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/02/bo...
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