Concrete Carnival

Danner Darcelight’s powerful memoir Concrete Carnival takes the reader inside an American maximum security prison. Danner Darcelight, who is serving 25-years-to-life for killing his parents while he was high on heroin, found his escape from the daily happenings of the prison through reading and writing, thus making his memoir. In it, he writes about what daily life is like inside a prison and the challenges he and other prisoners face from day to day. He develops deep friendships with like-minded individuals who are also focused on redemption. Together, they navigate the complexities of prison life and learn to deal and live with the truly sick individuals like rapists, gang members, and child molesters. Also, they all share a passion for philosophy and for reflecting on their lives and truly thinking about the wrongs they have caused and the people they have wronged.

I really enjoyed reading Concrete Carnival. It is clear from his writing that Darcelight is highly intelligent, as he writes with a powerful and though-provoking voice that makes the reader commiserate with him as well as reflect on his or her own life.