I got this book from NetGalley, which I love, so...thank you!

I chose this book for several reasons. First, the author, David Sheff wrote one of my favorite books, Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, so I was happy to pick up something else by him. Second, I am deeply influenced by Buddhism and Buddhist practices, so the two interests intersected perfectly in this book. And: I just finished reading Pema Chödrön's book When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Ms. Chodron plays a large part in this story). That's a lot of connections!

The story is fascinating and difficult. The book is about a man who has spent the last forty years in prison, most of that time on death row. As a child, the man was neglected, tormented, abused, and essentially tortured by those around him. It is awful to read, and to imagine. He ends up in San Quentin, where he is convicted of helping to murder a guard, then sentenced to death. A kindly woman introduces him to meditation and Buddhism, and over the next decades of his life, he is transformed. I think what I liked best about his story was how many setbacks he faced: there were times when he just wanted to, and did, give it all up. Who the hell could blame him? Twice he thought he was going to be released...and twice he was left in prison. Friends died, people aged or moved on, the world just kept on ticking as he sat in prison year after year after year, but over time his practice and understanding deepened. Buddhism keeps his sane, I think, and gives him a sense of both purpose and meaning. Remarkable stuff.

I have no doubt that time, reflection, and the powers of meditation have turned this man from the wild and violent young person that he was to a sedate, compassionate adult who uses what power and influence he has to bring kindness, wisdom, and compassion to those who need it most (prisoners, but guards as well). I hope that he gets out sometime, and has the opportunity to live a peaceful and healthy life in our crazy world.

This is a good book.

The Buddhist on Death Row by David Sheff is one heck of an intense read that will have you captivated from the start. I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading and poured through its pages in a whole day!

The book chronicles the life of Jarvis Jay Masters while he is on death row in San Quentin State Prison (California) for the murder of a correction’s officer. Jarvis has been on death row for over 30 years and claims he is innocent of the crime. While being locked away, he battles with his inner most demons and is lead on a path towards Buddhism that awakens in him great calm, peace, and insight.

The author, David Sheff, has been visiting with Jarvis regularly up until the Covid pandemic happened and built quite a deep relationship with him that is explored in the book. They both were able to open up to one another where Jarvis shared his struggles growing up and how he has made peace with an unjust system.

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 bleak stars

The U.S. prison/legal system and Death Row are full of systemic racial injustices. This book states everything very matter-of-factly and does not elaborate on these problems or offer solutions. The author writes, as the title says, how one inmate found light in an incredibly dark place.

Sheff’s straightforward writing is in the 3rd person. While I admired Jarvis’ resilience, I did not feel connected to him or his Buddhist teachers. We read that Jarvis is a writer and I wish I could have gotten deeper insights from him. Tedious days in prison do not make interesting stories if the author relates dull details without emotions. The continual references to meditation seemed like an ad for Buddhism. I hoped for more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a Christian, I was as interested in the story of the man in prison as I was with how Buddhism helped him. The meditative practices reminded me of the centering prayers that teach us to focus on Christ and his goodness in our lives.

This book reminded me of how our pasts form us, but we choose how to respond.

I really enjoyed reading this book about a man who found faith while incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. TO be able to find some sort of hope when you are in such a heavy place, is unimaginable. I really liked the writing style of this book. I really enjoyed the pacing of the narration.

A must read. An amazing lesson on being at the lowest possible depths of despair and how one man reaches deep inside himself to create acceptance and peace. I recommend this to all

David Sheff examines the life and spiritual transformation of Jarvis Jay Masters, a man who has spent years on death row and in solitary confinement for a crime he says he didn't commit.

"Even if Masters was innocent, I didn't know what to think about the claims that he was, as his supporters described him, an enlightened Buddhist practitioner who had changed and saved lives."

It is a powerful non-fiction account not only because Masters is honest and open about how he came to be where he is today, but because the spiritual lessons he has discovered throughout his experience are applicable for all of us. You don't have to be sitting in a literal prison to feel like you're locked in a cell and can't get out.

The mind and heart can create suffering wherever in the world you are.

"Set in a place of unremitting violence, insanity, confusion, and rage, Masters's story traverses the haunted caverns and tributaries of loneliness, despair, trauma, and other suffering- terrain we all know too well- and arrives at healing, meaning, and wisdom."

I don't think you need to be a practitioner of Buddhism to appreciate the wisdom in this book. Spiritual lessons like the knowledge that can be found in self awareness and how to obtain freedom from suffering can be helpful for all of us.

I enjoyed the book so much that I read it in only a few sittings.

The lama wrote that all people have been sentenced to death- in that way, Jarvis wasn't unique. ... "We all live in a prison, and we all hold the key," Chagdud Tulku wrote.

Highly recommended for spiritual seekers of all types.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book.

This book is quite heart breaking in a lot of ways but I'm happy to know they found peace. The prose is perfect

I absolutely loved this book and recommend everyone should read it!!! I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day!!

The book is about a man on death row in San Quentin prison in California for a crime he says he didn’t commit. During the course of the book, you come to believe the innocence of Jarvis Jay Masters.

Jarvis has spent thirty years of solitude, sadness, anxiety and rage behind bars. It’s his story of how he regained hopefulness and feelings of peace through Buddhism. It made me stop and think how Buddhism may benefit me in my own life!! Who doesn’t want feelings of peace, especially during this pandemic!!

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. The story flowed nicely and I felt like I really knew Jarvis Jay Masters as a person. I felt what he was feeling, his pain and his hopes and dreams! Although sad at times, this is just a great story that I believe anybody would enjoy!!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my review.
#NetGalley #TheBuddhistonDeathRow #Simon&Schuster #DavidSheff

THE BUDDHIST ON DEATH ROW: HOW ONE MAN FOUND LIGHT IN THE DARKEST PLACE.
BY DAVID SHEFF

I chose to read this phenomenal book because of my having read and loved David Sheff's heartbreaking book called, "Beautiful Boy." His book was an autobiography or memoir about his deep love for his son named Nick whom he had exhausted every kind of rehabilitation and intervention to try to get Nick to stay clean from taking drugs. The love that this father had shown towards his son knew no boundaries. Nick was unresponsive to his father's efforts of saving him from himself. I had never read a book like that one before or after. I am happy to report that today Nick has recovered from his year's of tweaking methamphetamine's and is doing very well. "Beautiful Boy," stands out for me as one of the most moving book's that documented what pain and disappointment David Sheff endured, but as hard as it was for him he never gave up on his son Nick.

So I was excited to read David Sheff's new book about an African American man who is on death row in San Quentin prison in California whom through meditation and using the belief's of compassion practiced in Buddhism helps to make life easier for everybody that is suffering that he comes in contact with. "The Buddhist on Death Row," chronicles the hard start in life that Jarvis Jay Master's had received throughout his entire life up until 2020.

He was born in Long Beach, California and his mother was drug addicted and had many men enter his early childhood year's. His mother had men pay her for sex and he was surrounded by physical abuse and crack and alcohol up until the age he was five years old. His brother's and sister's and he were all separated when he was five and they all went into the foster care system. He was later placed in the juvenile detention center and he committed arm robbery and stealing cars which landed him in prison in San Quentin. He has been on death row for thirty years for being framed for the murder of a guard. I believe in his innocence after reading this book by David Sheff.

While on Death Row in San Quentin Master's was lucky enough to have caught the attention of many mentor's who have taken up the cause of trying to get him a new trial. What I loved about this book was how Master's has transformed his life starting with meditation and helping other violent inmates and at risk youths for gangs seek out a more peaceful existence rather than continuing to live a life of violence. He has been influential in setting a good example and he can still find a life of peace and joy despite all of the disappointments he has faced in regards to a great miscarriage of justice.

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Thank you to Net Galley, David Sheff and Simon & Schuster Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheBuddhistOnDeathRow #DavidSheff #Simon&Schuster #NetGalley

Library Overdrive, Audiobook, ( 7 hours and 32 minutes), read by Michael Boatman

This IS A HEARTFELT - HEART WRENCHING - AMAZING STORY!

The audiobook surpassed my expectations - but now I want to read the ebook, or physical book, to.

I’m still feeling a little too emotional - in a mellow-yellow mood to write a simple - clear - to - the - point - review....
But, I’ll give it a campers try here. Truthfully...I’m not sure I can write this review without tears. Nope...can’t be done.

Jarvis Jay Masters, an African American, born in Long Beach, California, is currently on death row, at San Quentin State Prison. He was accused of murdering a corrections prison guard officer.
Jarvis has been on death row for 30 years for a crime he says he did not commit.
Personally- I believe him. But, each reader can decide for themselves.

David Sheff made 200 visits to San Quentin to meet with Jarvis. He recorded more than 150 hours of phone conversation.
David said....”I started to open up about my own life, my struggles, and so a relationship naturally developed”.

There is so much I want to say about this book - and ongoing stories associated with it....
but ...I’ll be brief and mention just a few key points...But I do highly recommend reading it.
Its so GRIPPING!!!
I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN....and it’s a story I still am unable to let go.
I will continue to follow Jarvis’s story in the future.

....Jarvis spent 22 years in solitary confinement.

....After the first 5 years of Jarvis’s home life of drugs, abuse, and abandonment, he was sent to live with Foster Parents.

....Petty crimes lead to felonies. At age 19, Jarvis went to juvenile prison- ( where he was abused & burned with cigarettes)...

.....Jarvis was introduced to meditation from Melanie, a criminal investigator....which lead to his practice of buddhism. He adopted a daily practice of sitting - back straight - for two hours - sitting & breathing — followed by rigorous exercise.

.....Feelings of inspiration were new for Jarvis.
All he had known was rage and bitterness.

....David Sheff gives us an overview of how Jarvis’s transformation - slowly came about. ( but not like...”oh, I’ve seen the light, in some voodoo way either). What I found fascinating was how Jarvis went from only feeling sorry -victimized about himself - to developing empathy and compassion for other people who suffered.

....The well known Buddhist nun, Pema Chodra, ( others too), became a sort of mentor, teacher, and advocate for Jarvis.

....Jarvis started writing ( he published two books)...and other essays.
“You meet A whole new person when you start writing about yourself”.
Re-visiting old painful memories

....Jarvis’s most highly treasured possession, is a ball point pen. He writes - pen to paper — sometimes all night long - with not even a table to write on.

....David Sheff said, “He learned that people ‘can’ change —and ‘how’ they change.

....David was visiting Jarvis once a week up until San Quentin’s COVID-19 lockdown. Jarvis became sick - seriously ill - with the virus the first two weeks of July. The prisoner in the cell adjacent to him has died.
There have been 19 deaths and more than 2,100 confirm cases of the virus at San Quentin.

....Jarvis Masters uses his buddhism practice to help others in and out of prison. He even published an essay sharing about the miss management of the pandemic at the prison.

.....We, the readers, come to know Jarvis—I love the relationship between Jarvis and David...soooo much so....I wanted to bawl crying from being so moved.

“David’s book really drove home the fact that Jarvis lives in some of the most brutal conditions anyone on earth, and he is the most remarkable case of somebody overcoming circumstances to make a meaningful life”.

One more quote...I can’t resist....because it’s true for me, too:
From David Sheff:
“In my view, anybody who does the reading will draw the same conclusion that I did, that he was framed. The injustice of living with that injustice is a challenge I can’t even imagine, but I really wanted to focus more on his journey, and how a person changes”

A beautiful book....by a beautiful man....of a beautiful a man.


Added Note:
I left the above review on Goodreads about a week ago- I listened to the Audiobook — borrowed from our Library Overdrive - loved it!!!!
And I’m sooo happy to now own the ebook!
I promise to put this gift to good use!
I knew I wanted to ‘read’ this book [ I have signed up to listen to David and Jarvis speak through Powell’s book store]....

I requested this book on the late side.
So.....I ‘really’ want to especially thank the staff at Simon & Schuster / and at Netgalley for offering me a copy of ebook. I’m soooo happy to own it. Very generous!!!

I’ll ‘read’ it again. - make some highlights -
formulate some questions to ask David and or Jarvis during the author event.( Aug. 20th)
I also plan to continue following this story....hoping that Jarvis will be released from prison.

I’ve already told a dozen people about this book. It’s very powerful on many levels.

Sooooo THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ebook copy ....

This is a very insightful book on Buddhism from a man living on death row. Despite his prior crimes he turns his life around on death row through the practices found in Buddhism. This was a very interesting book from a perspective that one doesn't often read of a prisoner. I found it hard to put down.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

In a story about finding life, Masters believes that his death sentence and prison time have not only saved his life but given him life. Master’s was a nasty piece of humanity, involved in armed robberies and radicalized into the Black Guerilla Family. He was found guilty of murdering a prison guard. He was introduced to meditation by his defense team who thought it would help him cope with the trial. What emerges in the pages of this book, is a compassionate, but troubled man who is caught up in a system that does not care about him. A student of a Buddhist nun, history will hopefully inspire others to move forward in finding peace and compassion.

I’ve been reading a book that set for publication on August 4 called Buddhist on Death row. The book is about Jarvis Jay Masters who had one of the worst possible childhoods you could imagine. I never heard of Jarvis before picking up this book, but I am glad that I did now.

I never gave a lot of thought to people who are in prison before reading this book, assuming they all must have done something really bad to be there. The author, David Sheff, with the assistance of longtime prisoner Jarvis so clearly puts a face and emotion to what it is like to be in jail. The feelings are raw. Many of the prisoners, including Jarvis, had childhoods so much worse than any I could imagine. While many of us may have some issues with how we were raised or treated by our parents, I was stunned by how brutally Jarvis’s childhood was.

Sheff does an incredible job of describing circumstances and feelings in a way that is authentic. Jarvis has become a role model for fellow prisoners, and I’m sure for others who may benefit from his story. The practices that are in this book will be helpful for others.

This was a book that I picked up and I could not put down. This book resonated with me for a few reasons. For one, I love reading non-fiction stories that relate to the prison system, and for two, I have just started studying Buddhism a year ago.

I became interested in Buddhism through the spiritual practice of Yoga. I really connected with the fact that Buddhists just want to spread joy and take on others’ pain, which I have been doing for my whole life. It seems as though Jarvis Masters does the exact same thing.

Masters’ story broke my heart. On death row for a murder he did not commit, Masters had to find a way to cope, and he found that coping mechanism through Buddhism. This is such a beautiful story of how he got past his horrific childhood and was and IS able to come to terms with what happened and not put blame on others. It truly hurts to know that he is in prison for a murder that he did not commit, and I truly believe that with all of my being. After reading this book, I did research and joined his website to see if I can help in any way at all in assisting in his freedom. I have never read a book that empowered me so much; that makes me want to join the movement and fight for those who have been wrongfully convicted. I will be writing him, as well, because I want to tell him how much his story means to me. How much it means to those who have suffered like him and who have found meditation and spiritual practices as a form of healing.

The Buddhist on Death Row is a POWERFUL story that is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking. How Masters can be on death row and still manage to find peace in his mind and heart through meditation and Buddhist principles is beautiful. This really made me think about my life and how it isn’t as bad as I make it out to be. Masters is stuck in a cell, was in solitary for more than two decades for a crime he did not commit, yet he is still able to find the joy in life. The author did a fantastic job of capturing Masters’ life, personality, and spirit, and the ending of the book is perfect. No matter where we are in life, whether it be in jail or out in the world, we are all connected; we are all the same. And that is a message that needs to be desperately heard right now.

If you’re unfamiliar with Buddhism, this gives a great insight and makes you reevaluate the way you’re living. Must read.

If I remember correctly, I think the publication date of this book has been moved to Fall 2020, which is honestly a good decision on the part of the publisher. It is hard to read about someone in prison while we are all in quarantine/social distancing. The story of Jarvis Masters is definitely bleak but his positive attitude is so contagious that he rallies a group of supporters who visit him, encourage him to write, and one even marries him. I thought this book was easy to read with a very linear narrative, and I learned a little about Buddhism, but it was still hard for me to read at this time. I am sure others will find hope in this story when it is published.

Where do I start? The Buddhist on Death Row has to be one of the absolute best books I have read in a very very long time. David Sheff does a stupendous job bringing you into the true story of Death Row inmate Jay Masters. But more than that, as you are reading the life-changing realizations Master's was taught by Great Buddhist Teachers. you yourself begin to have awakening realizations of your own.

The Buddhist on Death Row is also very motivational for loved ones who are currently spending time behind bars. Giving them the courage and inspiration they need to use their time there with a positive outlook and the opportunity for the same life-changing realizations that Jay Masters was taught by Great Buddhist Teachers.

Jarvis Jay Masters a convicted prisoner on death row in San Quentin Prison finds Buddhism. He's in one of the most horrendous places with the least amount of hope available and yet he spreads hope peace and a bit of happiness. The books was heartbreaking. He claims his innocence, the crime committed was not him but another. We hear of his thirty years of life behind bars living in solitude, and his growth once he starts studying Buddhism. He finds his peace, shares it and sometimes struggles with the concept in his environment.
What fascinating story. I loved the way it was told, honest and true. I felt I got to know the man, and felt his hope, acceptance, dreams, falls, and pains. It's all there. The ending was unexpected.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, did this book make me think hard about my own life. Jarvis Jay Masters has been on death row at San Quentin since he was 19, and he is now 49. Soon after entering prison, Masters met a woman who introduced him to Buddhism and to say that changed his life is an understatement. What Masters has been able to do with his life within the walls of one of the worst prisons in the country, and even outside of the prison, is nothing short of amazing. The perspective he brings to his life and his interaction with his fellow inmates and guards is so inspiring. Sheff does an incredible job of telling Masters’ story with all of its highs and lows, and he humanizes Masters with every relationship he shares. What an inspirational story.