Brothers and Keepers

Brothers and Keepers is John Edgar Wideman’s seminal memoir about two brothers – one an award-winning novelist, the other a fugitive. Wideman recalls the capture of his younger brother Robby, details the subsequent trials that resulted in a sentence of life in prison, and provides vivid views of the American prison system.A gripping, unsettling account, Brothers and Keepers weighs the bonds of blood, tenderness and guilt that connect him to his brother and measures the distance that lies between them.

Reviews of Brothers and Keepers

A master storyteller, both a witness and a prophet — CARYL PHILLIPS A rare triumph . . . Wideman has succeeded in both understanding his brother's life and coming to terms with his own * * New York Times * * Powerful and disturbing . . . Brothers and Keepers is guaranteed to shock and sadden * * Washington Post * * Brave and brilliant, an almost frightening thing to behold * * Philadelphia Enquirer * * A profound writer — RICHARD FORD A great American writer — JOY WILLIAMS