Manny: A Criminal-Addict's Story

"Manny" is a remarkable story, all the more so because the narrator lived to tell the tale. He survived being tossed over a balcony, stabbed with an icepick, starved, frozen and put in danger of being shot during armed robbery countless times. Manny tells us he was a tough man.The second most remarkable thing about the story is that year after year Manny never seems to question whether this is the best way of life and how one might arrive at a better. He does finally account for his tenacity by a few additional conjectures beyond audaciousness. He became enslaved to the white godess of death (an ancient demon). He was angry at the injustice in society. He found a life of danger thrilling.An education in in sociology from prison improves Manny's vocabulary and analytical skills, and according to him, turns him around. But does it really? In the book, he takes only the revolutionary point of view, that all the evil in life comes from the flaws in modern society, and that if only it did not create prisons and criminals, there wouldn't be any.Manny never uses the word "God" as anything but a distant abstraction, and omits totally his standing with that supposed entity. The train of events to him is predetermined. He never considers saying "no" to evil as a personal option at all. Struggle and anger and dope are his favorite possessions. One wants to say to him, Manny, did anyone force you to stick the needle in your arm?