Review of Privilege Lost
- Alex Lynn
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Review of Privilege Lost
Joshua Elyashiv, in his memoir, delved into his childhood and how he was neglected and abused both emotionally and sexually by those who should have protected him. Having been the only boy from his parents, his mother was harsh on him; she disciplined him for something his other sisters would do and go scot-free. He was expected to be perfect in school, but a deviation from getting a perfect score resulted in being grounded. Joshua went through a lot of dehumanizing and excruciating periods in jail over the five years he spent there. At first, for two weeks, his medication wasn’t given to him; he was denied food and water, and he had to drink the water in his toilet. When he needed his drugs, and this led him to be desperate for them because he was having serious medical issues, he was attacked by the officer, which forced him to defend himself. He did not leave the scene unscathed after this ordeal with the prison officers.
In the book Privilege Lost by Joshua Elyashiv, the author narrates his harrowing entanglement with Derek Wallace, an enemy under his sleeve, that led him to end up in jail. It includes the family betrayal he had to suffer as well as the unfavorable treatment he passed through while serving in jail.
The narrative commences with the author posing a set of questions, contemplating his past, and delving into his thoughts to pinpoint where he may have erred. Joshua, portrayed as a commendable individual with a conventional Jewish upbringing, unexpectedly finds himself incarcerated for a crime initially unbeknownst to him. He was arrested for conspiring to commit fraud. This style of presentation made the story come true to life while reading, and I found his argument and side of the story worthy of favorably considering. While reading the book, I could feel for the author, and the emotion I grew for him while reading the book was an important element I felt about the book. Precisely, he was wrongly framed, abandoned, neglected, and abused by his family, but he never stopped loving them. He forgave them while in prison. He steadfastly adhered to his beliefs, observing the Sabbath even within the confines of prison, and adamantly opposed any form of discrimination. Joshua, resolute against both discrimination and child molesters, seemed to embody a purpose on Earth, his life preserved by a higher force. Despite contemplating his own demise when asking his roommate Ben to end his life, he miraculously survived, as it wasn't his appointed time to die. Reading about his feigned experiences felt akin to watching a compelling film.
I do not have anything to dislike in this book. It has been edited professionally, as I only saw two errors in the entire content. Hence, I'll be rating the book 5 out of 5 stars.
For people who love to read memoirs, there are lessons to learn from his story. Also, the book would be appreciated by people who are comfortable with violence, suicide, and gay stories because the author spoke many times about how male inmates rape themselves. Finally, I also recommend it to anyone who loves to read prison stories.
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Privilege Lost
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