MY RETURN

Hardback. The author's story of his involvement in the death of Richard Adan in 1981, his subsequent trial, and his intellectual odyssey since his return to prison. Having spent all but the first 13yrs of his life in reform schools and prison, in 1977 Abbott began a lengthy correspondence with Norman Mailer, who encouraged him to write. Abbott's 'In the Belly of the Beast' was well-received by New York literati, and shortly after its publication he was released on parole. Within weeks, Abbott killed Richard Adan, a young night-manager of a local café. Abbott was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 15yrs to life in prison. Naomi Zack first learned of Jack Abbott while she was doing research for a film on crime victims. She became convinced that Ahad been unjustly convicted by an outraged public opinion inflamed by sensational stories in the media. The book includes Abbott's "Death of Tragedy", a play based on the actual court records of the trial; an illustrated Appendix by Zack; and "Men of Letters", a collection of Abbott's literary and philosophical essays. Illus. + Postscript. 197pp. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. in Vg+ dw. Review copy with loosely inserted slip.