Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy recounted his experience in prison, which lasted for three weeks, in a new book scheduled to be released soon, titled "Memoirs of a Prisoner," highlighting the isolation and grayness he experienced during his detention.
Sarkozy, 70, is the first president in modern French history to go to prison, after being convicted of receiving money from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to fund his 2007 election campaign. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but was conditionally released after only 20 days of entering his cell, under judicial supervision. In excerpts from the 216-page book, Sarkozy described the psychological and physical state he experienced, noting the dominance of the color gray on everything inside the prison, saying he was ready to give everything just to enjoy looking through a window or watching cars pass, referring to the freedom he missed. The book is expected to present a frank view of the former president's experience, with a mixture of personal memories and impressions of life inside French prisons, opening a window for the reader on a side rarely revealed about the lives of leaders after they leave power.
