Romantic Outlaws, Beloved Prisons : The Unconscious Meanings of Crime and Punishment

Annotation. An ex-convict struggles with his addictive yearning for prison. A law-abiding citizen broods over his pleasure in violent, illegal acts. A prison warden loses his job because he is so successful in rehabilitating criminals. These are but a few of the intriguing stories Martha Grace Duncan examines in her bold, interdisciplinary book Romantic Outlaws, Beloved Prisons . Duncan writes: "This is a book about paradoxes and mingled yarns - about the bright sides of dark events, the silver linings of sable clouds." She portrays upright citizens who harbor a strange liking for criminal deeds, and criminals who conceive of prison in positive terms: as a nurturing mother, an academy, a matrix of spiritual rebirth, or a refuge from life's trivia. In developing her unique vision, Duncan draws on literature, history, psychoanalysis, and law. Her work reveals a nonutopian world in which criminals and non-criminals--while injuring each other in obvious ways--nonetheless live together in a symbiotic as well as an adversarial relationship, needing each other, serving each other, enriching each other's lives in profound and surprising fashion

duncan Writes: This Is A Book About Paradoxes And Mingled Yarns - About The Bright Sides Of Dark Events, The Silver Linings Of Sable Clouds. She Portrays Upright Citizens Who Harbor A Strange Liking For Criminal Deeds, And Criminals Who Conceive Of Prison In Positive Terms: As A Nurturing Mother, An Academy, A Matrix Of Spiritual Rebirth, Or A Refuge From Life's Trivia. In Developing Her Unique Vision, Duncan Draws On Literature, History, Psychoanalysis, And Law. Her Work Reveals A Nonutopian World In Which Criminals And Non-criminals--while Injuring Each Other In Obvious Ways--nonetheless Live Together In A Symbiotic As Well As An Adversarial Relationship, Needing Each Other, Serving Each Other, Enriching Each Other's Lives In Profound And Surprising Fashion.

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if You Desire A More Complete Understanding Of Prisons, Inmates, And Free Society, [duncan's] Is Sure To Be The Most Interesting Work You've Read In Recent Memory.

In developing her unique vision, Duncan draws on literature, history, psychoanalysis, and law. Her work reveals a non-utopian world in which criminals and non-criminals - while injuring each other in obvious ways - nonetheless live together in a symbiotic as well as an adversarial relationship, needing each other, serving each other, enriching each other's lives in profound and surprising fashion. A book about paradoxes and mingled yarns - about the bright sides of dark events, the silver linings of sable clouds. It portrays upright citizens who harbor a strange liking for criminal deeds, and criminals who conceive of prison in positive terms: as a nurturing mother, an academy, a matrix of spiritual rebirth, or a refuge from life's trivia.