A thought provoking read. As a criminal justice student this was incredibly insightful and informative. The use of solitary confinement is such an interesting and controversial topic.

*CW: Animal abuse, child abuse.

Are violence and hate contagious entities, when under the right conditions, will infect even the most compassionate and honourable of men?

This is a rough read. Stories like this make me feel physically ill.

I do believe that some men and women use the prison system as an outlet to commit acts of abuse and torture without consequence.

I'd be fascinated to hear the psychology behind this.

Are these men and women already monsters before they start their careers overseeing prisoners, or is this an example of an environment of hate and violence breeding more hate and violence.

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On the other side, the beginning of these prisoners' stories can be seen as examples of the seemingly endless generational trauma, being passed down onto the next and the next.

But at what point does it finally end?

At what point will the abused finally stop becoming the abusers.

I am sad and I am angry.

This was a deeply heartbreaking, enrapturing read. This could have easily been a read in one sitting book if my schedule had allowed for it.

I’ve read many nonfiction books about solitary confinement, the death penalty, and incarceration and this has to be one of the most rich texts breaking down all the ways that society failed two of the most influential individuals who find themselves at the center of this story. There is no forced forgiveness of the two at the center of this book but we find ourselves reminded over and over and over again that they are human. They are deeply flawed; have been completely failed by the education system, their families, and the justice system; and many might declare that they are simply evil incarnate.

In future courses I hope to teach regarding incarceration, I will definitely center readings from this book. This is one I definitely intend to purchase a physical copy of because I intend to return to it time and time again.

The book focuses on the two prisoners who killed the prison guard on duty. As punishment, they spent decades in solitary confinement stripped of basic human rights. It is not easy to read but it's well-researched and well-written.

CW: This book contains graphic depictions of child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, murder, and horrific living conditions.
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"No Human Contact" is a powerful book, but it is not an easy book to read, nor does it offer any easy answers. I had assumed that this book would be a nonfiction essay with facts and statistics about solitary confinement, its use and its dangers.

Reader, it was not.

Instead, it primarily details the lives of two specific men, Thomas Silverstein and Clayton Fountain. Both men were brutally abused as children, both were very troubled as teenagers, and both committed horrible crimes which led to their imprisonments. Each man killed while he was in prison... and each man spent over 20 years in solitary confinement.

There are no easy answers to be had here, and author Pete Earley doesn't try to offer any. In fact, the final sentences of "No Human Contact" are just more questions. Earley reveals horrific details of the child abuse that Silverstein and Fountain suffered, but he also notes that both were afforded opportunities to "go straight" and they did not or could not. He describes horrible and inhumane living conditions in the prisons, especially in solitary confinement, but also notes that both Silverstein and Fountain had murdered multiple times, and likely would have done so again if they had had unfettered access to other inmates and guards. He introduces the idea of rehabilitation and then concludes that efforts to rehabilitate prisoners were a failed experiment.

While "No Human Contact" does not provide answers, it does illuminate plenty of questions. What is the purpose of solitary confinement? Can this same purpose be fulfilled in a humane way? What is the purpose of imprisonment? What are the rights and responsibilities of guards and prison staff? At what points in childhood or adolescence could these men have been "saved" and re-routed to a different destiny?

The value of books is that they help the reader see into lives that they have not lived, and they force the reader to grapple with questions they have not previously considered. And that's important, even if those books don't provide any easy answers.

This was an interesting read and quite fascinating however it did take me a bit of time to get into. It was however very easy to read as the writing was not complex or overly explained.

This was such a well researched, well written and completely engrossing read. I have read some of this author's previous books and have never been disappointed. From the first pages I was intrigued and could not put it down. I really enjoyed that it focussed on these two prisoners, flipping back and forth and discussing what they went through. I thought it did a wonderful job of making me stop to think what is considered "cruel and unusual" and I feel these circumstances would certainly qualify. While I do believe people should be punished - this seems like too much. I thought this was a great insight into what is happening that not everyone is aware of. This author has a gift for getting the story and providing the facts for people to make their own decisons. I would read anything from this author!

This book is not for the faint of heart.

In no way does Earley write that tries to sell you on either Silverstein or Fountain being rehabilitated in the system or trusting their "behavioural changes" - if anything, he makes a grandiose effort to simply state the facts and let them speak for themselves.

He writes a book that poses great questions: Is the prison system in its current state the best way to handle even the most intense and the worst of criminals? By detailing the stories that led both men to their isolation, as well as their influence on the BOP and their creation of supermax prisons, one can clearly see the answer is no. The state in which some of the prisoners are left to suffer and struggle is completely inhumane, forcing them to live in cells in a state of complete disrepair and/or filth (predominantly human waste from themselves or the previous occupant of the cell). That does not mean that what these men did was not inhumane, however. It opens the door to the evaluation that a better attempt at managing the punishment tactics currently in place may reduce not only crime as a whole, but death and mental illness of inmates AND death of correctional officers.

Frederick Silverstein in Clayton Fountain we’re being held in Marion Ohio and although they were in different correctional buildings they still coincidentally both killed the guard on the same day. For their crimes they would both be severely punished with decades in solitary confinement with no human contact no books 3 no clothing no bed absolutely no kind of comfort and as I said they would do this for years. When the book 1st starts and we find out about Fredericks childhood with this abusive mom and stepfather I felt so bad for a little Freddy but as he grew up and started emulating his parents bad behavior from beating his wife to robbing stores my sympathy waned by the time the book was over however he had my sympathy again I can’t even imagine being in such a situation for a day much less days months years and decades and although it’s because of these two guys that Pete Earely wrote this book and how their punishment change things. I loved Hot House and so was very excited to read this book. Mr. Earely has a riding style that takes nonfiction and makes it feel like fiction and I find his book so captivating you just wanna keep turning the pages until you’re done. No human contact is a great book and one I found so very interesting and highly recommend. If you like True Crime being a fly on the wall then you need to read this book. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Pete Earley for an ARC of No Human Contact! I was particularly interested in this non-fiction book because reformation of the US criminal justice system is a cause I will forever champion.

Earley's book chronicles the lives of two men in solitary confinement. Immediately, I became disgusted that two prisoners had to go through this (I am not one for solitary confinement). I understand that one of Earley's goals is to convince the audience that solitary confinement is inhumane, but I am not sure he does a great job of that by chronicling prisoners Silverstein and Fountain.

Silverstein and Fountain spent around 23 hours per day in solitary confinement, and that's extremely excessive. However, they spent a lot of their time in prison plotting violence against prison guards, etc. If anything, the book definitely made me think critically about 1) if solitary confinement is necessary at times, and 2) what our standards should be for assigning prisoners to solitary confinement.

This is a great read for anyone interested in the US criminal justice and prison system. It's a quick read, and the writing is quite accessible for a non-fiction book.

When we think of criminals places in solitary confinement, many of us likely think it must be somebody like Charles Manson, a cult leader or violent serial killer that must have committed many atrocities. However, this book blows that notion out of the water. The first half of the book sets the stage for two men, Silverstein and Fountain. They were already born with the odds against them into troubled lives and being exposed to violence as young children. Petty crimes, often drug-fueled, led to murders landing the men in prison. Once inside, it becomes a different world, as all normal societal rules are thrown out the window. You must not become friends with the guards, and you must not turn against your own race. Eat or be eaten. After mounting tensions in the same prison, both of these men murdered some of the guards. This is an unspeakable crime once you are in prison. Both men began a years-long sentence in solitary conditions, often with nothing at all to occupy their time, except for the hope of parole. One turned to religion and the other relied on art and letters from pen pals on the outside. Silverstein is featured more in this book, and he has an eloquent way of writing and speaking that seems to reflect what he believes are the reasons that put him in prison, as well as the impetus for why he doesn't end his life while in solitary. After reading this book, you will question "does the punishment fit the crime" and ponder upon rehabilitation in prison systems.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advance reader copy.

This book was fascinating. I couldn't put it down. Throughout my time as a criminal justice major in both undergrad and grad school, I've heard over and over again about the devastating affects of solitary confinement. This book went a step further and essentially provided two case studies into the horrors and detriment that these punishments can inflict. It also really makes the reader consider their own stances on the nature vs. nurture argument of crime. A phenomenally devastating book about a real punishment that is still used in the United States today.

Another excellent true crime book by Pete Earley. Shocking stories of the real life situations behind bars endured by prisoners for decades. It gives much to think about and will stay with me a long time.

My goodness what a roller coaster ride or was it a horror story of man's in humanity to another, not wanting to get in to the nature versus nurture debate or the right or wrong of incarcerating a person in prison for life, this was a fascinating and at times shocking read- the two main individual Tommy Silverstein and Clay Fountain both serving life sentences at the U.S, Prison in Marion, Illinois, separately murdered two correction officers on the same day. The Bureau of Prisons condemned both men to the severest punishment that could legally be imposed, one created specifically for them. It was unofficially called 'no human contact.' Clay lasted 21 years, Silverstein 36 years, in one of the most inhumane settings even the worst roughest prisons in the world could not create; minimal human contact, lights on 24hrs a day, cold water showers, no books, no stimulus, small cells, no parole, no talking just your boxer shorts and your own thoughts.
Why you ask, for a life time of crime, murder and mayhem, fascinating reveal from Silverstein on his perceptions of his upbringing and how the US penal system continues to corrupt already damaged individuals who have never felt care or love, who have never learnt other than to hurt first. Enjoying it is not quite the right word to use but it certainly was an eye opener one that I wouldn't want anyone regardless of crime to experience, even with these challenging conditions both learnt, reflected and offered something back to society.

I had not heard of Tommy Silverstein or Clay Fountain before reading this book.
I am not going to delve into the nature vs nurture aspect of crime, however, the author clearly believes that it was the lack of nurture that led to crimes of the two men and ultimately their stay in isolation.

The book is hard to put down, you want to know more and more about what was going on in the prison, inside Fountain and Silversteins head, and how they viewed the world.

At the end of the book, I truly felt that Clay Fountain had changed. I don't think he would have posed a threat to anyone if he had been let out of prison.

HOWEVER>>>>>
Tom Silverstein was still blaming others, the prison, his early life, nothing was EVER his fault. His actions after even having any contact with other prisoners, was violent. I don't think that Tom Silverstein was rehabilitated, changed, or even wanted to be let out of prison.

The author argued that isolation was debilitation to Tommy. I did not find it that way. He was entertained with women, pen pals, phone calls, his art supplies, visits. He was not ever in pure isolation.

Both men had nothing to lose by killing anyone, what is the punishment when you are already serving a LIFE SENTENCE?

I felt bad for the officers family members who will read this book and just take what a hardened criminal says about their relatives who were slain.

WE need prison reform in America, however, this book does not convey that isolation was that bad.

I wish that the author had spent some time interviewing the victims/victims families to get their take. Or even the correctional officers.

I felt that this book was a lovey story to Tommy Silverstein by the author. It was very one sided.

As I was reading the book, I kept thinking, Tommy never changed. If released to general population, Tommy would kill again. yet the author kept hammering home the fact that Tommy was angry because he was in isolation.
Shouldn't Tommy have been angry at his ownself for murdering a guard?

Overall its a good book, it will help you to understand life in prison, the ways in which people entertain themselves while in prison, and question what you think is fair punishment.

Positively brilliant! An amazing story of the determination of the human spirit. This book mainly focuses on two inmates who were kept in solitary confinement for decades and as the title infers - no human contact. Yes it's appalling what they did but it's horrible how they were treated. Nature vs nurture. You have to read this book! Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really interesting book on the harms of social isolation, particularly with solitary confinement. This is not just interesting from a corrections viewpoint but also simply a psychological one.