Conscience Be My Guide

'Nelson Mandela, the best-known political prisoner of his time, once remarked that the way a society treats its prisoners, especially political prisoners, is the test of that society's conscience. The remarkable testimonies in this collection prove his point with devastating clarity. These voices from the inside tell us as much about the outside as our consciences dare to hear.' - Hugh Lewin, former South African political prisoner and author of Bandiet: out of Jail 'In a world seeming to grow darker every week, this lovely book is witness to the light that cannot be extinguished.' - The late Paul Eddington, actor and former Chair, Equity's International Committee for Artists' Freedom 'A valuable collection.... As we keep prisoners of conscience at the forefront of our minds, we help thwart the captors who would have us forget them.' - Rt. Hon. Lord Runcie, former Archbishop of Canterbury 'Geoffrey Bould has compiled an essential document with great feeling.' - Andrew Graham-Yooll, former Editor, Index on Censorship 'We live in a world of broken human relations where injustice is experienced daily. This anthology provides a moving testimony to the unbroken spirit of prisoners who can rely on their conscience.' - Bishop Sebastian Bakare, Zimbabwe 'The selection of writings is extraordinarily wide in all senses; historically and geographically, but also in terms of the kinds of people imprisoned. Concentration camp prisoners, nuclear weapons protesters, anti-apartheid activists, inmates of Soviet labor camps, targets of religious and political persecution - all can be found here...Many readers will never (need to) experience the inside of prison walls, but the themes addressed by the book are in many ways universal and could well be used in various public and private settings. Prison, many of these writings suggest, heightens an awareness of issues that can affect all of us.' - Michael Marten, Coracle

Geoffrey Bould was born in Yorkshire in 1920. After service in World War II, he worked in the civil service until his retirement in 1982. In addition to working as a freelance journalist, he established and edited for several years the ecumenical newspaper Interfaith News. An active Quaker, Geoffrey Bould has been a member of Amnesty International's Religious Affairs Panel.

Introduction Editor's Note and Acknowledgements 1. Creativity 2. Defiance 3. Endurance 4. Facing Death 5. Faith 6. Family 7. Forgiveness 8. Freedom 9. Guards 10. A Higher Duty 11. Hope 12. Loyalty 13. Memories 14. Prison Conditions 15. Selflessness 16. Suffering 17. Torture