The Prisoner's Wife

This book is a definite page turner! I could not put it down. Every emotion expressed was an emotion felt with this memoir. You will not be disappointed.

I am almost speechless after reading this book, a biography of a woman that managed to find love behind bars. Not a semblance of love but real love; unconditional love; emotional love. In a million years, I never thought I would be able to relate to this book but I had heard so many wonderful things about it that I just had to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.While I have known less than a handful of people that have done prison time and have never been involved with a man that has served, this book goes much deeper than that and deals with the issues that any woman must deal with at some point in her life. What issues? The definition of love and what we seek from a man. A lot of women search their entire lives and never find what asha bandele found as a visiting poet to a penitentiary. She found Rashid, a Muslim serving twenty years with life tagged on behind it for second degree murder. She found a man that understood her, a man that listened to her rid herself of all the demons of her childhood, a man that did not judge her when she revealed her previous promiscuous behavior, a man unlike her previous husband who was there physically but never touched her body or her soul.asha's word are so vivid and detailed that they are almost arousing in nature. I pictured all that she went through: the humiliation of being searched when she visited him, the negative comments from friends and family members who simply could not understand how she could love a convicted felon, the pain and anguish of her decision to have an abortion instead of trying to raise a child alone. While I felt her pain, I also felt her joy. The joy of a man telling her that she is perfect despite her physical imperfections. The joy of being able to get to know a man mentally for years before sex came into play. The joy of knowing that no matter what else went wrong in her life, someone loved her unconditionally. This book has truly helped me see the light. It has taught me to never take things like the ability to hold hands or lie beside a lover, even in moments of anger, for granted. I think that every woman should read this book because the honesty and candor of her words, the thoughtfulness of letting people into her life through her memoir, makes one realize that if she can heal, so can all of us.

If I could only feel a tenth of the love depicted in this memoir, well that would be.... My vocabulary doesn't have enough words to describe the depth of emotions I experienced while reading this book. I feel rejuvenated that a love like this exists between two souls.The memoir is well put together. The letters and other personal revelations express a significant story. The entire memoir flows lyrically, like one of Sonia Sanchez's poems. I'm not particularly a fan of love stories, but this is not your typical love story. The book at times was painful to read as I suddenly realized I'm reading a memoir and not fiction. These are real people I'm reading about here not just something out of someone's imagination.When I recommend this book, I usually end up saying "Just read it!" It's difficult to summarize. Love story, memoir, a book about prison marriage. These all seem inadequate descriptions of this memoir. It's much more than that. asha bandele revealed her life, emotions, pain and suffering.

I just finished "The Prisoner's Wife", my tears have not yet dried. I felt immediately compelled to search the internet for an address to write to Ms. Bandele, and that brought me here. Now i am compelled to add my voice to the others who understand and were touched by her words, but more her feelings...emotions...the core of her. I too love a man in prison, but he is in prison for life. I pray for Asha and Rashid, that they will someday know total bliss and completetion of soul everyday, all day, rather than for small inadequate moments of time. I pray it for myself as well. I feel her pain because i live it, and i have just begun. The most important thing for me to say is this; Thank You Asha, for giving my pain a voice in the world, and for helping me to feel just a little less alone. ** a sister of the heart.... "this is a love story"

I would like to commend Asha Bandele for writing the story of her love for Rashid and his love for her. Too often we place limitations on where we find love and who we will love, we allow the negative opinions of others to determine our destiny. Her story is one that is truly inspiring in my life, I too have found myself to be in love with a man that is incarcerated serving a life sentence. Prior to reading The Prisoners wife, I found myself debating on if I should keep my love for this man hidden from my friends and family. Ms. Bandele has been inspirational in helping me to see that there is no shame in loving this man.. So I say to you Ms. Bandele... keep your head up, keep loving Rashid, don't let the thoughts and negative criticisms that are surely to come your way hinder the love and respect that you and Rashid have for one another.. Thanks for not being ashamed to tell your story to those of that are walking in your shoes.. we needed to hear it... I also say thanks for giving some insight to those that don't understand those of us that have made a conscious decision to love men that are behind bars... If one really opens their hearts and mind in reading The Prisoners Wife they will discover that this is a book that will reveal what true love is all about whether your mate is incarcerated or in the free world...

I was so moved by this book. It was if I wrote it myself. It was so validating to know that there is someone else out there who really knows what I feel. I think what stuck with me most was the line about couples being able to be together and taking that for granted...they don't know what a treasure it is to be able to hold hands and walk together. Thank you, asha for telling your story. I hope that when people read the book, it will move them to appreciate their relationships and to cherish them.