Book: Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Author: Piper Kerman
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher/Publish Date: Spiegel & Grau / December 2009
Source: Public Libraru
Pages: 298
Rating: 4.5/5
Not sure exactly when I first heard about this book, but after watching, and really enjoying the Netflix miniseries based on this book, I had to read it.
Piper Kerman made some mistakes as a young twenty-something that come back to haunt her 10 years later. After being convicted of smuggling drug money, she is sentenced to 15 months at a federal correctional facility in Danbury, Conn.
In prison Kerman must learn the rules, both those from the officers and the informal rules set up by the inmates. She learns how to live peacefully, though not always successful, while in such close quarters to 1,000 women. Prison is such a unique situation, that they create their own cliques, guidelines, and traditions to help pass the time and not go crazy.
I appreciated Kerman's openness about her experience. The utterly ridiculous way of life in the prison, and how it does little to rehabilitate or prepare prisoners to live successful lives once they leave. As well as the surprisingly cheerful and heartfelt experiences and relationships she had with fellow inmates. She was able to connect and make deep friendships as she was open to the experience, and accepting of the mistakes she made that lead her there.
The book opens you eyes to the lives of the prisoners she meet, who it's easy for us to stereotype and make assumptions about.
If you have only watched the miniseries I recommend you read the book too, since there are some differences, and a few main plot points are not events that happened in her real life.
Piper Kerman made some mistakes as a young twenty-something that come back to haunt her 10 years later. After being convicted of smuggling drug money, she is sentenced to 15 months at a federal correctional facility in Danbury, Conn.
In prison Kerman must learn the rules, both those from the officers and the informal rules set up by the inmates. She learns how to live peacefully, though not always successful, while in such close quarters to 1,000 women. Prison is such a unique situation, that they create their own cliques, guidelines, and traditions to help pass the time and not go crazy.
I appreciated Kerman's openness about her experience. The utterly ridiculous way of life in the prison, and how it does little to rehabilitate or prepare prisoners to live successful lives once they leave. As well as the surprisingly cheerful and heartfelt experiences and relationships she had with fellow inmates. She was able to connect and make deep friendships as she was open to the experience, and accepting of the mistakes she made that lead her there.
The book opens you eyes to the lives of the prisoners she meet, who it's easy for us to stereotype and make assumptions about.
If you have only watched the miniseries I recommend you read the book too, since there are some differences, and a few main plot points are not events that happened in her real life.
