Death Blossoms: Reflections from a Prisoner of Conscience, Expanded Edition

By Mumia Abu-Jamal

Book Overview

Profound meditations on life, death, freedom, family, and faith, written by radical Black journalist, Mumia Abu-Jamal, while he was awaiting his execution.

"Uncompromising, disturbing . . . Abu-Jamal's voice has the clarity and candor of a man whose impending death emboldens him to say what is on his mind without fear of consequence."--The Boston Globe

"A brilliant, lucid meditation on the moral obligation of political commitment by a deeply ethical--and deeply wronged--human being. Mumia should be freed, now."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher, Jr. University Professor & Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University

"A brilliant, powerful book by a prophetic writer . . . his language glows with an affirming flame."--Jonathan Kozol, author of Death at an Early Age and Rachel and Her Children

Journalist and activist Mumia Abu-Jamal has been imprisoned since 1982 for the killing of a police officer, a crime he steadfastly maintained he did not commit. In 1996, after serving more than a decade on death row, and with the likelihood of execution looming, he began receiving regular visits from members of the Bruderhof spiritual community, a group of refugees from Hitler's Germany. Inspired by these encounters, Mumia began to write a series of personal essays reflecting on his search for spiritual meaning within a society plagued by materialism, hypocrisy, and violence. "Many people say it is insane to resist the system," writes Mumia, "but actually it is insane not to."

This expanded edition of Death Blossoms brings a classic, influential work back into print with a new introduction by Mumia, and includes the entire text of a groundbreaking report by Amnesty International detailing the legal improprieties and chronic injustices that marred his trial.

Praise for Death Blossoms, Expanded Edition:

"For years in my classrooms I have watched Death Blossoms do its luminous work. It has awakened the conscience of so many of my student readers. Once awakened, they begin to shoulder the disciplines of its revolutionary knowing, moral passion, historical precision and clarity of reason. No wonder repressive powers seek death for this prisoner of conscience. Alas for them, Mumia still lives. From streets to classrooms and back, Death Blossoms keeps opening up consciences, hearts, and minds for our revolutionary work."--Mark Lewis Taylor, Professor of Theology and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, and author of The Theological and the Political: On the Weight of the World

"Targeted by the FBI's COINTELPRO for his revolutionary politics, imprisoned, and sentenced to death, Mumia found freedom in resistance. His reflections here--on race, spirituality, on struggle, and life--illuminate this path to freedom for us all."--Joshua Bloom, co-author with Waldo E. Martin Jr. of Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party

"In this revised edition of his groundbreaking work, Death Blossoms, convicted death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal tackles hard and existential questions, searching for God and a greater meaning in a caged life that may be cut short if the state has its way and takes his life. As readers follow Mumia's journey through his poems, short essays, and longer musings, they will learn not only about this singular individual who has retained his humanity despite the ever present threat of execution, but also about themselves and our society: what we are willing to tolerate and who we are willing to cast aside. If there is any justice, Mumia will prevail in his battle for his life and for his freedom."--Lara Bazelon, author of Rectify: The Power of Restorative Justice After Wrongful Conviction

"Mumia Abu-Jamal has challenged us to see the prison at the center of a long history of US oppression, and he has inspired us to keep faith with ordinary struggles against injustice under the most terrible odds and circumstances. Written more than two decades ago, Death Blossoms helps us to see beyond prison walls; it is as timely and as necessary as the day it was published."--Nikhil Pal Singh, founding faculty director of the NYU Prison Education Program, author of Race and America's Long War

"For over three decades, the words of Mumia Abu-Jamal have been tools many young activists have used to connect the dots of empire, racism, and resistance. The welcome reissue of Death Blossoms is a chance to reconnect with Abu-Jamal's prophetic voice, one that needs to be heard now more than ever."--Hilary Moore and James Tracy, co-authors of No Fascist USA , The John Brown Anti-Klan Committee and Lessons for Today's Movements

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0872867978
• ISBN13: 9780872867970
• Release Date: December 2019
• Publisher: City Lights Books
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Must read

Death Bloosoms" picks up where "Live From Death Row" leaves off. Mumia's reflections from family to the system make the reader stop and think about what is really going on. Even after almost 15 years on death row, Mumia has not lost hope or has his will been broken but prison life. This book is not for his supportors only, but for anyone that has any type of social conscience. In some ways this book is a little more heart-drenched than his first, but that is to be expected. When you can actually feel the emotion that the writer is trying to convey, then the writer has succeded in making his point. Now I know that there are many people who think Mumia is guilty, but how can we keep a man a death row when some other man has come forward and confessed to the murder. If anything, Mumia deseves to be freed while an investigation is conducted. This leads you to wonder how fair our judicial system really is if a man cant be freed after someone else has confessed. This book will take you into the depths of hell and give you a first hand look at what life really is like on death row. If this book cant make you re-think you position on capitol punishment, than I dont know what can.

Before the grave closes

Mumia Abu-Jamal gives us here a short but particularly pungent and stringent book. We find in those pages a sensitive man, a resolute human being, a deep believer in life, an optimist about the future and humanity, and yet a realist about the present, the US and American justice. What's new about his approach is that it blends poetry and facts so well that the poetry is the heart of the facts. And we definitely will keep in mind his main argument, or what I consider as such: how can anyone invoke the Christian God to support the most unhumane treatment of some men or women or even children, when Jesus, the Son of God, was treated exactly the same way. How dare they, the self-declared-righteous fake Christians submit any human being to what is the very basis of their own supposed and self-asserted religion? One answer: religion is a sunday entertainment and distraction (they are deranged) for them, and they are basically hypocritical. One reference is missing in the book: social darwinism. The Death Row of any prison in the US or in the world, is nothing but the elimination device of those who are not the fittest, that is to say who are not part of the dominant group of their societies. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU Université of Paris IX and II

an amazing book

This booked filled me with an indescribable feeling. Mumia Abu Jamal has been in jail for over 15 years waiting to be killed, and yet he is still able to write books like this that no doubt have a profound affect on anybody who reads it. It is definitely worth reading. On another note, can i just say that the person who gave this book one star below has got their facts wrong. the things he has claimed are presented in an untrue and very biased manner. to get the real details about the court case and another things surronding Mumia's inprisionment, just do a seach for his name on the net and it will be easy to track down.

Makes you think

"Death Bloosoms" picks up where "Live From Death Row" leaves off. Mumia's reflections from family to the system make the reader stop and think about what is really going on. Even after almost 15 years on death row, Mumia has not lost hope or has his will been broken but prison life. This book is not for his supportors only, but for anyone that has any type of social conscience. In some ways this book is a little more heart-dreaced than his first, but they are both good nonetheless

Blossums in Hell

A book from Death Row. Would it be about bars, death chambers, law and lament I wondered as I took the book from the hands of my friend? No, he reassured me, this is a book about life. I laughed at the irony but began reading. I now wonder what kind of acid the justice system is on to silence and still the intellect, insight and the voice of this modern small-time profit. A book that should be on the stands everywhere. This is no 'for lefties only' publication. Tim Buchanen, Northern Ireland