Charles Shaw's blog

"To this day, the screams of that boy haunt my soul. I understand it was self-defense, and I know had I not been studying how to fight, I might not have walked away in one piece." Chapter Three continues as the author grapples with the themes of violence and divine intervention as he reveals a haunting secret. (more)

She whispered, “go to the medical wing and ask for Lt. 'Q.' He’ll be waiting for you. Walk slowly when you cross the yard and be inconspicuous.” She winked and gestured for me to leave. Chapter Three continues as the black inmates of East Moline learn about the lone white guy defying the White Power bloc. (more)

"It suddenly became clear to me that this was all about forcing submission since I would not offer it willingly. They were enforcing their alpha hierarchy, and I would not join the pack. So they were going to teach me a lesson." Chapter Three continues as things at The Sweet Moline go very wrong, and the author begins to fear for his life. (more)

“When I saw your file I just had to talk to you in person. Boy, what the fuck are you doin’ here?” Chapter Three continues as Charles is summoned to the office of East Moline's Educational Director, meets another cellmate soon to be released after ten years inside, and begins to contend with the institutionalized racism of the prison system. (more)

"These guys epitomized the worst types of recidivist criminal . . . the drug-addled sociopath who, by his very existence, keeps drugs illegal, Republicans in office, and Fox News on the air." Chapter Three continues as we meet some of the central characters of East Moline. (more)

"As is the case with every facility in the IDOC system, the prison in East Moline is an essential part of a local economy that has seen better days." Chapter Three begins inside the East Moline Correctional Center where the author served out his sentence in 2005. (more)

"Many people dismiss synchronicity as nothing more than one’s mind attempting to attribute a pattern to an opportune coincidence or the intersection of random events." Chapter Two concludes as the author comes to terms with his life and prepares for the remainder of his sentence. (more)

"Living in a confined space with a stranger is an intensely difficult process. Neither of you is going anywhere, so whatever happens, you have to deal with it." Exile Nation continues as the author learns his cellmate's history. (more)

"I had nowhere to go. I had nothing to do. I was in a cold and barren environment, and it felt as if gravity was pulling me into the floor." Exile Nation continues with a look inside the Stateville Reception & Classification Center of the Illinois Department of Corrections as the author is processed into the Illinois prison system. (more)

"I would spend thirteen days in isolation at the Stateville Northern Reception and Classification center in Joliet, Illinois, before being sent on to my prison facility to serve out the remainder of my sentence. Thirteen endless days in a brand new, state-of-the-art, hyper-industrialized detention facility. It was 'only' thirteen days, but while it was happening, it was a form of torture that leaves an indelible scar on a person’s soul. That is why they call Stateville, Hotel Hell."  (more)

"I was arrested in March of 2005 for possession of fourteen capsules of MDMA and was facing one year in prison. All the more ironic was that I had spent a few years investigating the drug war in great detail and had begun writing about it." Charles Shaw's Exile Nation: Drugs, Prisons, Politics & Spirituality begins inside Chicago's infamous Cook County Jail as the author is awaiting shipment to the Illinois prison system to begin a one-year sentence.  (more)

Endorsements and Praise for Exile Nation and the "Unhead Voices" project from noted writers and activists. (more)

Acknowledgments and the Introduction to Exile Nation: "How This Book Came To Be and Why You Are Reading It Online."

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Evolver and Reality Sandwich are proud to present the debut of our new exclusive series, Charles Shaw's Exile Nation: Drugs, Prisons, Politics & Spirituality, which will appear in weekly excerpts throughout 2010. This is the main page for the book with the Table of Contents, chapter summaries and links, and news and other information. (more)

The Obama Administration is considering transferring Gitmo detainees to an empty prison in a struggling Illinois town, an idea Republicans hate, but the people of economically devastated Thomson are praying for. (more)

Britons are not alone in facing the kind of ‘kettling' practices deployed during the G-20 Summit. Here in the States it's also been in use for some time. (more)

Obama's success and Blagojevich's shame flow from the two wrestling motifs of Chicago's history: radical politics, and corrupt cronyism. (more)

On Saturday, October 18, Chicago residents are invited to uncover "The Secret History of the War on Drugs."
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A comprehensive list of websites, films, books and articles examining the 9/11 attacks. Educate yourself! (more)